Skeen Storms to SprintX Pole at VIR

Photo: Brian Cleary/BCPix.com

Mike Skeen has stormed to pole for this afternoon’s Pirelli World Challenge SprintX season-opener, in a hard-fought qualifying session Saturday morning at Virginia International Raceway.

Skeen took his No. 82 McCann Racing Audi R8 LMS to a 1:42.989 lap in the closing moments of the 15-minute session, bumping Ryan Dalziel from the top spot.

The Audi, a late promotion to the GT Pro-Pro class following the addition of Andrew Davis to the driving squad, in place of team owner/driver Mike McCann, was the only car to get into the 1:42 range in qualifying.

Dalziel in the No. 2 CRP Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 had to settle for second, ahead of the No. 31 TR3 Racing Ferrari 488 GT3 of St. Pete pole-sitter Daniel Mancinelli in third.

Pierre Kaffer (Magnus Racing Audi R8 LMS) and Alex Riberas (R. Ferri Motorsport Ferrari 488 GT3) completed the top-five overall and in the Pro-Pro class, with both McLaren 650S GT3s and Cadillac ATS-V.Rs struggling.

Frankie Montecalvo claimed GT Pro-Am pole, with the Always Evolving driver taking his brand-new Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 to a best lap of 1:44.670.

Montecalvo edged out the No. 16 Wright Motorsports Porsche of Michael Schein by 0.112 seconds.

Tyler McQuarrie was third quickest out of the Am-nominated drivers and best of the GT Am-Am class entries, while Kris Wilson fourth in the No. 007 TRG Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3.

Top GT Cup qualifying honors went to the No. 90 Autometrics Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car of Corey Friedman.

Race 1 of the weekend gets underway at 3:30 p.m. ET.

RESULTS: Qualifying

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