TeamTGM’s Paul Holton won the Grand Sport class and overall pole Thursday afternoon (March 13) for the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Alan Jay Automotive Network 120 with a lap at 102.959 mph. It is his first pole of the season.
Holton won the pole by .073 seconds over the BMW of CarBahn Motorsports by Peregrine Racing’s Sean McAlister. Rennsport One’s Luca Mars will start third in his Porsche Cayman, then series debutant Werner Neugebauer in the Panam Motorsport Toyota. KohR Motorsports’ Bob Michaelian will start fifth in his Ford Mustang GT4.
Michaelian was fastest early on in his Ford Mustang GT4. However, the quickest drivers from practice came to the front.
While Mars didn’t set the fastest lap in either practice session in his Porsche, teammate Jan Heylen was fastest overall in the opening practice session on Wednesday. Just before the halfway point of the session, Mars put his Cayman on top.
He would have to contend with Holton, who was quick in his Aston Martin, and McAlister in his BMW. Holton put himself on top with five minutes to go.
From there, the rest of the GS teams tried their best to take shots at Holton. However, no one was able to equal the veteran’s pace in the Aston Martin.
Holton’s pole lap was 1.118 seconds slower than the best lap in practice Thursday morning, which was set by Rebel Rock Racing’s Robin Liddell. However, that time was set during a practice session that started at 8 a.m. ET, as opposed to qualifying in the heat of the day. To defend their victory from last year. Liddell and Frank DePew will have to charge from 20th in class.
In TCR, Bryan Herta Autosport’s Bryson Morris claimed the pole with a lap at 101.860 mph in his Hyundai Elantra N TCR. It is Morris’ second straight pole to start the year and third straight overall, dating back to Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta last October.
Morris’ lap, which was good enough for 11th overall, was .280 seconds faster than teammate Mason Filippi. Montreal Motorsport Group’s Louis-Philippe Montour was third in his Honda, then Precision Racing LA’s Celso Neto in the best of the Audis. Baker Racing’s Sam Baker will start fifth.
IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Alan Jay Automotive Network 120 Qualifying Results
The Alan Jay Automotive Network 120 is scheduled to go green at 2:15 p.m. ET Friday afternoon. Coverage will begin at 2:10 p.m. ET on Peacock.
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.