Hardwick Storms to Mid-Ohio Pole in Racing Return

Photo: IMSA

Ryan Hardwick has scored pole for Saturday’s IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge round at Mid-Ohio.

Hardwick, who is making his first IMSA start of the season after being forced out of the cockpit due to a concussion from an accident at Daytona, recorded a fast lap of 1:27.021 in his Wright Motorsports Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport.

It was 0.441 seconds faster than the No. 13 AWA McLaren 570S GT4 of Chris Green, who was second.

Hardwick will share driving duties with Jan Heylen in the two-hour race.

Alan Brynjolfsson will line up third in the No. 7 VOLT Racing with Archangel Aston Martin Vantage GT4, ahead of the No. 46 Team TGM Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R of Hugh Plumb.

The No. 4 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 of Russell Ward was fifth, while Michael McCann made it six different manufacturers in the top-six in his McCann Racing Audi R8 LMS GT4.

Three in a Row for Atlanta Speedwerks, Honda in TCR

Brian Henderson scored his second consecutive TCR class pole and kept Atlanta Speedwerks’ undefeated pole streak this season alive.

Henderson reeled off a best lap of 1:28.813 in his No. 84 Atlanta Speedwerks Honda Civic Type-R to outpace the No. 17 JDC-Miller Motorsports Audi RS 3 LMS TCR of Chris Miller by 0.441 seconds.

It marked a new track qualifying record for the class.

Mike LaMarra was third quickest in the No. 73 LA Honda World Honda, locking out the top three positions to non-Hyundai drivers.

Parker Chase was quickest of the Hyundais in fourth, in his No. 98 Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai Elantra N TCR.

The Mid-Ohio 120 gets underway Saturday at 3:35 p.m. ET with live coverage on Trackpass on NBC Sports Gold and on IMSA Radio.

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