Fletcher Scores COTA Race 1 Pole in Shortened Qualifying

Photo: Trevor Travis/TGRNA

Jeremy Fletcher will start this afternoon’s fifth round of the Toyota GR Cup North America season from pole, in a qualifying session that ended early due to an accident.

The Copeland Motorsports driver reeled off a best lap of 2:28.075 in his No. 22 Toyota GR 86 Cup to edge out BSI Racing’s Ethan Ayars by 0.218 seconds.

It marked Fletcher’s third pole of the season and first since taking both pole positions in last month’s season opening weekend in Arlington.

TechSport Racing’s Malbec Ramos qualified a surprise third, ahead of points leader Spike Kohlbecker and series debutant Niko Colby, who completed the top-five.

The 15-minute session was cut short with five minutes to go when Liam Harrison spun his Blackdog Racing entry into the tire barriers.

While Harrison, the nephew of Blackdog team owner/driver Tony Gaples, emerged from the car unharmed, officials threw the checkered flag early due to barrier repairs.

Race 1 gets underway at 1:25 p.m. CST with live coverage on SRO’s GT World YouTube channel and on GRCup.com.

RESULTS: Qualifying 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