Panoz, James Score GTS Race 1 Pole at COTA

Ian James edged Harry Gottsacker to take the pole position for Pirelli World Challenge GTS Race 1 at Circuit of The Americas.

The Team Panoz Racing driver turned in a fast lap of 2:17.532 in the No. 50 Panoz Avezzano GT, 0.373 seconds faster than Gottsacker in the No. 69 Ginetta G55 for Performance Motorsports Group.

The strong qualifying performance is a boost for James who holds second in the GTS points standings but has a significant amount of ground to make up on points leader Lawson Aschenbach.

Aschenbach and Blackdog Speed Shop have struggled to come to grips with the COTA circuit in their Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R this weekend and will start eighth for Race 1.

Rodrigo Baptista slotted into the third starting spot in his Flying Lizard Motorsports Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR, with GTSA entrant Dakota Dickerson taking the GTSA class pole and the fourth overall starting position in the No. 25 KTM Xbow GT4 for ANSA Motorsports.

GTS Race 1 is scheduled for 1:45 p.m. CT with live coverage available at World-Challenge.com. Tape-delayed television coverage will air on CBS Sports Network at 8 p.m. ET on September 13th.

RESULTS: Qualifying