Maxwell Root is not a regular in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge competition. If one of Wright Motorsports’ regulars can’t go, he is the first call. Driving in place of Ryan Hardwick, who is out after testing positive for COVID-19, Root turned in a lap at 88.990 mph to claim his second pole of 2021.
Root’s lap is not a track record, but it is about nine-tenths of a second faster than any lap clocked during practice on Saturday. Root’s lap was a half-second faster than Turner Motorsport’s Dillon Machavern. HTP Winward Motorsport’s Russell Ward will start third, followed by Michael McCann Jr. Bryce Ward in the second HTP Winward Motorsport Mercedes will start fifth.
Murillo Racing’s Jeff Mosing qualified sixth, then Andrew Wojteczko Autosport’s Orey Fidani in the quickest of the McLarens. Archangel Motorsports’ Alan Brynjolfsson starts eighth, then PF Racing’s James Pesek and TeamTGM’s Hugh Plumb.
In TCR, JDC-Miller MotorSports’ Chris Miller claimed the class pole in his Audi with a lap at 86.939 mph, a new TCR class record for WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Miller’s lap, which was good enough for 12th overall, was under two-hundredths of a second faster than Copeland Motorsports’ Tyler Maxson. Bryan Herta Autosport’s Harry Gottsacker will start third in class, followed by the Honda of VGMC Racing’s Karl Wittmer. Ryan Norman starts fifth in his Hyundai Elantra N TCR.
There were no red flags during the session, but there were a couple of spins. During the TCR portion of qualifying, Copeland Motorsports’ AJ Muss spun his Hyundai Veloster N TCR in turn 3. Later on, Riley Motorsports’ Anton Dias Perera spun his Supra in turn 11 during the Grand Sport session. Both drivers were able to right themselves and continue without issue.
IMSA MICHELIN PILOT CHALLENGE WEATHERTECH RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA 120 QUALIFYING RESULTS
The WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca 120 is scheduled to go green at 7:40 p.m. ET Saturday evening. The race will be streamed live on NBC Sports’ TrackPass (subscription required).
About the author
Phil Allaway has three primary roles at Frontstretch. He's the manager of the site's FREE e-mail newsletter that publishes Monday-Friday and occasionally on weekends. He keeps TV broadcasters honest with weekly editions of Couch Potato Tuesday and serves as the site's Sports Car racing editor.
Outside of Frontstretch, Phil is the press officer for Lebanon Valley Speedway in West Lebanon, N.Y. He covers all the action on the high-banked dirt track from regular DIRTcar Modified racing to occasional visits from touring series such as the Super DIRTcar Series.
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