Cooper Quickest on Friday at The Brickyard for Ibiza Farm

Photo: Jake Galstad/IMSA

Michael Cooper laid down the quickest time in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge competition on Friday, following a pair of practice sessions for tomorrow’s two-hour race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Cooper, in the No. 44 Ibiza Farm Motorsport McLaren Artura GT4, posted a best lap of 1:29.533 in the opening session, edging out Practice 2 pace-setter Thomas Merrill in the No. 14 Circle H Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT4 Evo by 0.090 seconds.

Jaxon Bell was third on the combined time sheets in the No. 23 Koch Copeland Motorsports Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2, followed by the No. 2 CSM Aston Martin of Morgan Burkhard and the Trenton Estep-driven YRB Racing Aston, which completed the overall top-five.

The TCR class was led by the No. 93 MMG Honda Civic FL5 TCR of LP Montour, who lapped the combination oval/road course at a 1:30.946.

The opening session had two red flags, the first for debris and then followed by another stoppage for the No. 43 Andretti Performance Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport of Jarett Andretti, who spun into the Turn 4 gravel trap.

Practice 2, meanwhile, ended two minutes early after the No. 56 Baker Racing Audi RS 3 LMS TCR of Bruno Junqueira stopped on track in Turn 1.

Qualifying is on tap for Saturday at 8 a.m. EST, followed by the race at 2:30 p.m., which will be streamed live on Peacock as well as IMSA’s YouTube channel commercial-free, courtesy of Michelin.

RESULTS: Practice (Combined)

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