Vipers Sweep GTLM, GTD Poles at CTMP

Photo: Darren Pierson

It was a banner day for the Dodge Viper at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, as the Riley-built machines claimed poles in both GT Le Mans and GT Daytona for Sunday’s Mobil 1 Sportscar Grand Prix.

Kuno Wittmer took his factory SRT Motorsports Viper GTS-R to top qualifying honors in GTLM, reeling off a 1:15.206 lap time in the No. 93 entry.

Wittmer outpaced the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship points-leading No. 3 Corvette C7.R of Antonio Garcia by 0.072 seconds for the Viper’s second pole of the season.

The Montreal native, who calls CTMP his home track, earned his first career top-level IMSA pole. Wittmer will share driving duties tomorrow with Jonathan Bomarito, who took class pole here last year in ALMS competition.

The No. 17 Team Falken Tire Porsche 911 RSR of Wolf Henzler qualified a season-high third, while the No. 4 Corvette C7.R of Oliver Gavin and Dirk Mueller’s No. 56 BMW Team RLL BMW Z4 GTE completed the top-five in class.

Nick Tandy (Porsche North America), Dominik Farnbacher (SRT Motorsports), Patrick Long (Porsche North America), Pierre Kaffer (Risi Competizone) and Andy Priaulx (BMW Team RLL) completed the top-10.

Owing to its competitiveness, the entire GTLM grid was separated by less than 1.2 seconds in qualifying.

Jeroen Bleekemolen, meanwhile, gave the new Dodge Viper SRT GT3-R its first pole in IMSA competition, taking the Riley Motorsports entry to the top qualifying spot in GTD.

The Dutchman recorded a best lap of 1:19.004 in the No. 33 entry he will share with Ben Keating on Sunday.

Bleekemolen’s time was 0.155 seconds quicker than the No. 45 Flying Lizard Motorsports Audi R8 LMS of Spencer Pumpelly, which had initially qualified second but will start from the rear of the field due to a ride height infringement.

It promoted Dane Cameron in the No. 94 Turner Motorsport BMW Z4 GT3 to second, with Mario Farnbacher (Team Seattle/AJR), Dion Von Moltke (Flying Lizard) and Jan Heylen (Snow Racing) completing the top-five in class.

The Mobil 1 Sportscar Grand Prix takes the green flag Sunday at 2:05 p.m. ET with live coverage on FOX Sports 1.

RESULTS: Qualifying

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