Marcelli, KohR Aston Martin Fastest on Friday at Mid-Ohio

Photo: Jake Galstad/IMSA

Kyle Marcelli laid down the fastest lap of the day in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge practice for this weekend’s doubleheader at Mid-Ohio.

Marcelli, in the No. 60 KohR Motorsports Aston Martin Vantage GT4, reeled off a 1:27.457 in Friday’s afternoon session to edge out the No. 38 BGB Motorsports Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport of Jan Heylen by 0.294 seconds.

While Heylen was second quickest in the session, he was fourth fastest of the day, with Trent Hindman’s pace-setting 1:27.554 lap time from the morning session putting the No. 7 Archangel Motorsports Porsche second on the overall time sheets.

Seb Priaulx ended up third quickest on Friday in the No. 22 Multimatic Motorsports Ford Mustang GT4, followed by the No. 38 CarBahn Motorsports Audi R8 LMS GT4 of Jeff Westphal in fifth.

The No. 54 JDC-Miller Motorsports Audi RS 3 LMS TCR of Stephen Simpson led the way in TCR, topping the time sheets in both sessions.

Simpson’s 1:29.715 from the morning was three-tenths quicker than the No. 77 LA Honda World Racing Honda Civic Type-R TCR of Ryan Eversley, who wound up second.

The No. 23 FASTMD by Speed Syndicate Audi TCR was third, with the previously-dominant Hyundai Veloster N TCRs, which are carrying 60 kg of compensation weight for Race 1, were mired down in the time sheets.

RESULTS: Practice (Combined)

News & Notes:

***The No. 71 Rebel Rock Racing Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R has been withdrawn from the weekend after an accident by Frank DePew in opening practice. DePew and co-driver Robin Liddell won last time out with Andrew Davis in the four-hour enduro at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

***Several teams are absent this weekend including Team Hardpoint (Audi GT4), Automatic Racing (Aston Martin GT4) and Forty7 Motorsports (Hyundai Veloster N TCR), although both the No. 26 Classic BMW M4 GT4 and No. 93 CarBahn Motorsports Audi R8 LMS GT4 have both returned to action.

***Only a single Honda Civic Type-R TCR is entered — LA Honda World Racing’s No. 77 entry for Ryan Eversley and Taylor Hagler — after starting the season with six cars. This comes despite the introduction of compensation weight, which has affected the Hondas the least heading into the weekend.

***Automatic has vowed to return for the next race at Road Atlanta while Hardpoint team principal Rob Ferriol told Sportscar365 that they “haven’t closed the door” on potential additional outings later this year, in the wake of its expanded GT Daytona class effort.

***Click Here for the 29-car entry list for the dual Mid-Ohio 120 races, which are scheduled for Saturday at 1:05 p.m. ET and Sunday at 10:35 a.m. Coverage will be carried live on Trackpass on NBC Sports Gold as well as IMSA Radio.

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