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Lexus Fastest in Roar GTD Qualifying; PR1 Leads LMP2

AIM Vasser Sullivan, PR1/Mathiasen get preferential pit box positions for Rolex 24 at Daytona…

Photo: Jake Galstad/IMSA

Frankie Montecalvo set the GTD pace while Ben Keating led LMP2 in the first set of qualifying sessions to determine pit box positions for the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Montecalvo, who went quickest in the collective test session held immediately before mock qualifying, put together a 1:46.754 lap time in the No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3 that he shares with Townsend Bell, Aaron Telitz and Shane van Gisbergen.

The AVS team will work next door to the No. 86 Meyer Shank Racing crew after Matt McMurry went second-quickest despite setting the best second and third sector splits.

Third in the order was Robby Foley in the Turner Motorsport BMW M6 GT3 who edged out Brandon Gdovic in the PPM Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo by 0.008 seconds.

Trent Hindman rounded out the top five in Heinricher Racing’s Acura with the reigning GTD series champion lapping just ahead of Jeff Westphal (Scuderia Corsa Ferrari) and Trenton Estep (Black Swan Racing Porsche).

The results of Saturday’s qualifying simulation decide where cars are positioned on pit road for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season-opener.

In the LMP2 category, Keating’s time of 1:38.056 aboard the No. 52 PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports Oreca 07 Gibson set the American driver 0.639 seconds ahead of DragonSpeed’s Henrik Hedman in the LMP2 session.

Third-quickest was Performance Tech Motorsports driver Kyle Masson, who finished ahead of John Farano of Tower Motorsport and Dwight Merriman of Era Motorsport.

Rick Ware Racing’s Multimatic-Riley Mk. 30 Gibson did not take part, leaving a group of five Orecas.

Friday’s track action continues with the fifth collective test session of the weekend at 7 p.m. ET while GTLM and DPi pit box qualifying takes place tomorrow.

RESULTS: GTD/LMP2 Roar Qualifying

Daniel Lloyd is a UK-based reporter for Sportscar365, covering the FIA World Endurance Championship, Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, among other series.

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