Lazare Charges to Sebring Pole for MIA

Motorsports In Action will start the second round of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season from pole position after Jesse Lazare beat RS1 driver Stevan McAleer in qualifying at Sebring International Raceway.

The Canadian racer and former Rolex 24 at Daytona class winner steered the No. 69 McLaren Artura GT4 to a best lap of 2:09.915, beating McAleer’s No. 28 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS CS by 0.185 seconds.

Lazare was the only driver in the session to drop below the 2:10 marker, although his time was slower than the lap McAleer set to lead final practice earlier on Thursday.

The No. 28 Porsche, which had swept practice in the hands of McAleer and Trent Hindman, secured a spot on the front row thanks to a late flyer from the Scottish racer.

Paul Holton qualified third aboard the No. 46 Team TGM Aston Martin Vantage GT4, ahead of Thaze Competition’s Josh Green in fourth place.

The No. 19 Van der Steur Racing Aston Martin rounded out the top five with Rory van der Steur at the wheel, ahead of Michai Stephens and Francis Seldorff for JMF Motorsport and Turner Motorsport, respectively.

Gottsacker Beats Miller to TCR Pole

Harry Gottsacker took his second consecutive pole position in TCR, beating JDC-Miller Motorsports’ Chris Miller as part of a Bryan Herta Autosport-dominated top five.

Gottsacker reeled off a lap of 2:13.120 aboard the No. 33 Hyundai Elantra N TCR, 0.299 faster than Miller’s best effort in the No. 17 Audi RS3 LMS TCR.

Mason Filippi took third aboard the No. 98 Hyundai, ahead of Taylor Hagler and the No. 6 Montreal Motorsport Group Honda Civic Type-R TCR in the hands of LP Montour.

The second round of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season kicks off Friday at 3:15 p.m. EDT.

RESULTS: Qualifying