Kurtz Quickest in Opening COTA Practice

Photo: Brian Cleary/SRO

George Kurtz led the way in the first GT America powered by AWS practice session of the weekend at Circuit of The Americas for CrowdStrike by Riley.

Kurtz reeled off a chart-topping 2:05.804 in his No. 04 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo to go quickest in the 30-minute session, outpacing second-placed Jason Daskalos by 0.859 seconds.

SRO3 class points leader Daskalos, in the No. 27 CRP Racing Mercedes-AMG, was ahead of Justin Rothberg’s No. 29 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 and Ross Chouest, who was fourth in his No. 50 Chouest Povoledo Racing Mercedes-AMG.

Johnny O’Connell completed the top-five in the No. 3 SKI Autosports Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II.

GT4 was paced by the No. 7 ACI Motorsports Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport of Curt Swearingin, who edged out Gray Newell and Isaac Sherman for top class honors.

Alan Grossberg, who is again the only GT2 competitor this weekend, was quicker than the GT4 pack in his No. 102 TPC Racing Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo EVO2.

Will Hardeman, meanwhile, set the quickest time in the 30-minute Bronze Test, which preceded opening GT America practice.

The Esses Racing driver recorded a best lap of 2:07.970 in his No. 19 Mercedes-AMG that he will share with Alan Metni in Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS competition this weekend.

GT America Practice 2 is set to get underway at 1:35 p.m. CDT.

RESULTS: Practice 1

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