EFFORT Porsche 1-2 in Practice 1 at COTA

Photo: Brian Cleary/BCPix.com

EFFORT Racing led the way in the first official practice session for this weekend’s Pirelli World Challenge season opener at Circuit of The Americas.

The No. 31 Porsche 911 GT3-R of Patrick Long topped the time sheets in the one-hour session, reeling off a 2:05.574 lap time, and ending up 0.128 seconds faster than teammate Michael Lewis in the No. 41 entry.

James Davison was third in the No. 33 Always Evolving Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3, while a 2:06.114 lap time by Martin Fuentes put the No. 07 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 fourth overall and quickest of the GTA competitors.

The No. 05 Nissan of Bryan Heitkotter completed the top-five overall.

GT Cup was led by the No. 17 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car of Alec Udell, who turned a best lap of 2:11.543.

Thirty one of the 33 GT/GTA/GT Cup cars recorded times, with the No. 66 DIME Racing Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 of Frankie Montecalvo and Adderly Fong’s No. 88 Bentley Team Absolute Continental GT3 not taking to the track.

Fong, who suffered a heavy crash on Thursday and is awaiting their car from a local body shop, could return to action in this afternoon session, which gets underway at 2:45 p.m. CT.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John