Buncombe Leads Opening Hour at Laguna

Photo: Brian Cleary/BCPix.com

Alex Buncombe has led the opening hour of the California 8 Hours, with KCMG in the early command at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

Buncombe, who started from the outside of the front row, put his No. 35 Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 into the lead around pole-sitter Mario Farnbacher on the opening lap.

The ex-Nissan factory driver extended his lead to more than seven seconds in his opening stint, although had come under pressure from the No. 27 HubAuto Corsa Ferrari 488 GT3 of Miguel Molina, who got past Farnbacher on Lap 23.

Molina, who has yet to make his first stop, assumed the lead at the end of the hour following a slow pit stop by the No. 35 KCMG Nissan.

The No. 30 Honda Team Motul Acura NSX GT3 Evo of Farnbacher runs third, in what’s largely been a clean and green race from the drop of the American flag at 8:30 a.m. PST.

The GT4 race has seen the No. 41 PF Racing Ford Mustang GT4 of Chad McCumbee lead from the pole, one lap behind the GTC class Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofro from ARC Bratislava.

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