ELKHART LAKE, Wis. — Sweltering ambient temperatures matched Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports’ recent form during IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) qualifying on Saturday. The team secured its fourth Motul Pole Award in the last five races and will lead the GT classes to the green flag in Sunday’s IMSA SportsCar Weekend.
With unseasonably warm mid-80-degree ambient temperatures and relative humidity pushing the heat index higher, the pair of Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs swept the front row encircling the otherwise idyllic 4.048-mile Road America.
Nicky Catsburg flew in the face of the heat, as the Dutchman delivered a new qualifying lap record of 2 minutes, 2.198 seconds (119.255 mph) in his No. 4 Corvette Z06 GT3.R – besting Alex Riberas’ lap of 2:02.918 set in qualifying last year – to secure his second Motul Pole Award both of the season and his WeatherTech Championship career. His first was achieved earlier this year at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, which coincidentally was also a Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller front-row lockout.
Catsburg’s best lap was 0.720 seconds quicker than the previous qualifying record set last year on the freshly repaved Road America circuit. He’ll share the car with Tommy Milner on Sunday, as the pair looks to become the third successive GTD PRO class Road America polesitter to win.
Alexander Sims gave Corvette Racing a 1-2 qualifying sweep by lapping the No. 3 Corvette just 0.194 seconds behind Catsburg, who knew his teammate was hot on his heels.
“It was all I had. I have Sims as a teammate and he’s crazy quick,” Catsburg said. “It’s crazy warm and we nailed the setup. The car was mega and all I had to do was drive it around.”
The pole-winning lap came in Catsburg’s first visit to Road America during his long and illustrious GT career. He hailed the team’s extensive testing program with the new car at the track that dates to last fall.
“Road America is extremely challenging,” he said. “I’ve never raced here but I have tested. The track is awesome; very old school. I’m super happy to learn from my teammates.”
Sims and co-driver Antonio Garcia are fresh off a sweep of the most recent WeatherTech Championship race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, where the team won the pole, the race and set fastest lap.
Giacomo Altoe slotted the returning No. 35 Conquest Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 into third. He’ll share that car with Daniel Serra as it makes its first GTD PRO start since Detroit in June.
Grenier Drives Korthoff Preston Mercedes-AMG to GTD Pole
Mikael Grenier qualified the No. 32 Korthoff Preston Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3 on top of the Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) class, with all 15 cars in this class qualifying behind the 10 GTD PRO cars.
Grenier, who will share the car with Kenton Koch this weekend and at VIRginia International Raceway, set a best time of 2:03.634 (117.870 mph). The Canadian defeated his countryman, Zacharie Robichon, in the No. 27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo, by 0.130 seconds to secure his first Motul Pole Award.
“I guess if we fall behind, we can come back,” Grenier laughed. “Normally we’re quite good on pit stops. It’s the best car we have had all year. Let’s see how tomorrow goes.”
Robichon, making his first sprint race start in WeatherTech Championship competition this year, will share his No. 27 Aston Martin with Roman De Angelis.
The returning No. 023 Triarsi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3, also in its first sprint start of the year, qualified third (2:03.841) with Onofrio Triarsi behind the wheel. He shares that car with Alessio Rovera.
Championship leader Winward Racing, with its No. 57 Mercedes-AMG GT3, qualified fifth with Russell Ward and Philip Ellis. Closest rival Turner Motorsport, 340 points behind Winward entering the weekend, slotted in one spot ahead in fourth with Patrick Gallagher qualifying the No. 96 BMW M4 GT3 and Robby Foley set to finish.