Cicero Puts MMR Mustang GT4 on Pole for Daytona Opener

Nate Cicero captured pole position for McCumbee McAleer Racing for the BMW M Endurance Challenge at Daytona, topping qualifying for the four-hour IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season opener.

The No. 13 Ford Mustang GT4 reeled off a lap of 1:52.955 to lead the No. 7 VPX Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport of former NTT IndyCar Series driver Matheus Leist by 0.261 seconds.

In the process, Cicero carried over the Blue Oval’s strong form from practice, where it led both sessions.

Varun Choksey qualified third at the wheel of the No. 12 RAFA Racing Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2, joined on the second row by the No. 46 Team TGM Mustang in the hands of Paul Holton.

Sean McAlister rounded out the overall top five in the No. 39 CarBahn with Peregrine Racing BMW M4 GT4 EVO, ahead of the No. 26 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT4 Evo driven by Hannah Grisham.

Lucas Weisenberg picked up seventh for BSI Racing in the No. 67 Toyota, followed by KohR Motorsports’ Bob Michaelian and Kenny Murillo in the No. 24 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4.

The overall top ten was completed by the No. 4 Meduda Motorsports Mustang in the hands of Hunter Yeany.

Girolami Takes Last-Gasp TCR Pole in CUPRA 1-2

Franco Girolami led a qualifying 1-2 for CUPRA in the TCR ranks, narrowly beating Celso Neto with a final lap flyer to take pole.

Girolami steered the No. 99 Victor Gonzalez Racing CUPRA Leon VZ TCR to a best lap of 1:56.852 in the dying moments of the 15-minute session to take the first TCR pole of the year.

The gap to Neto in the No. 77 Stallion Motorsport with Gou machine was 0.130 seconds.

The second row was made up of Rocco Pasquarella’s No. 5 KMW Motorsports with TMR Engineering Honda Civic FL5 TCR and  Mason Filippi in the No. 33 Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai Elantra N TCR.

The BMW M Endurance Challenge at Daytona is scheduled for Friday at 1:45 p.m. ET with live coverage on Peacock and IMSA’s YouTube channel.

RESULTS: Qualifying