Connect with us

Michelin Pilot Challenge

Mars Takes Daytona Pole; Porsche Locks Out Front Row

Luca Mars, Morgan Burkhard give Porsche 1-2 in qualifying for BMW M Endurance Challenge at Daytona…

Photo: Jake Galstad/IMSA

RS1 will start the BMW M Endurance Challenge at Daytona from pole position after Luca Mars led a Porsche 1-2 in qualifying for the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season opener.

Mars steered the No. 28 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS CS, which he shares with Jan Heylen, to a best lap of 1:52.117.

That kept him 0.667 seconds clear of the No. 67 Czabok-Simpson Motorsport machine of Morgan Burkhard.

Ford entries made up the remainder of the top five, with No. 13 McCumbee McAleer Racing Ford Mustang GT4 third ahead of KohR Motorsports pairing of Bob Michaelian and Dean Martin.

Moisey Uretsky captured sixth overall at the wheel of the No. 44 Accelerating Performance McLaren Artura GT4, leading the No. 66 CDR Valkyrie Porsche of Brian Lock and JDC-Miller Motorsports’ Chris Miller.

The top ten was completed by the No. 16 Hattori Motorsports Toyota Supra GT4 EVO2 piloted by Harrison Goodman and Sammy Smith’s No. 82 Van der Steur Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT4.

Morris Fronts Hyundai 1-2 in TCR

Bryson Morris secured the first pole position of the season, leading 1-2 for Bryan Herta Autosport in the process.

Morris steered the No. 33 Hyundai Elantra N TCR to a best lap of 1:56.457.

Harry Gottsacker, piloting the No. 98 sister car, was 0.278 seconds down in second place, but still ahead of the No. 93 MMG Honda Civic FL5 TCR.

Montour’s late flyer dropped the No. 7 Precision Racing LA Audi RS3 LMS TCR of Celso Neto to fourth, while William Tally completed the top five in class aboard the No. 5 KMW Motorsports with TMR Engineering Honda.

The four-hour BMW M Endurance Challenge at Daytona kicks off Friday at 1:45 p.m. ET, which is preceded by a 30-minute final practice session at 9:25 a.m.

RESULTS: Qualifying

Davey Euwema is Sportscar365's European Editor. Based in The Netherlands, Euwema covers the FIA World Endurance Championship, European Le Mans Series and Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS, among other series.

Click to comment
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

More in Michelin Pilot Challenge