Holton Blitzes GS Track Record to Take Daytona Pole

Paul Holton set the benchmark lap early in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge qualifying session and never had his lap challenged to lead a front row sweep for McLaren for tomorrow’s BMW Endurance Challenge at Daytona.

Holton’s time of 1:52.143 in the Compass Racing McLaren 570S GT4 was well under the previous class track record and was 0.804 seconds faster than Corey Fergus who qualified on the outside of the front row for Motorsports In Action.

Behind the pair of McLarens, and 1.158 seconds off the polesitter’s pace, was Christian Hohenadel in the No. 57 Winward Racing / HTP Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT4.

Ty Majeski’s No. 15 Multimatic Racing Ford Mustang GT4 and Tyler McQuarrie’s No. 39 Audi R8 LMS GT4 out of the Carbahn Motorsports stable were fourth and fifth.

Johnson Crushes Field for TCR Pole

Michael Johnson smashed the TCR class track record and scored an emphatic pole position, his first in Pilot Challenge competition, qualifying nearly a second faster than his closest competitor.

The JDC-Miller Motorsports driver threw down a lap of 1:58.433 on his fifth lap in the No. 54 Audi RS3 LMS TCR, which was over two seconds quicker than the existing track record set last year by Compass Racing’s Kuno Wittmer.

Lee Carpentier was second 0.852 seconds back in the No. 10 Audi TCR for eEuroparts Racing, while Brian Henderson was an impressive third in his series debut driving the No. 84 Honda Civic Type R TCR for Atlanta Speedwerks.

Alex Popow impressed by qualifying fourth in the Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR for TMR Engineering and Consulting, while Shelby Blackstock completed the top five in a Honda Civic for LA Honda World Racing.

The season-opening BMW Endurance Challenge is scheduled to begin at 12:15 p.m. ET tomorrow with live coverage available on IMSA.TV and from IMSA Radio.

RESULTS: Qualifying