RS1 and Blackdog Speed Shop Top the Charts in Qualifying

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RS1 and Blackdog Speed Shop Top the Charts in Qualifying

The Pirelli GT4 America grid had two quick fifteen minute sessions to lock in their fastest lap times to set the starting grid for both Race 1 and Race 2, with drivers from all three classes of competition vying for the top spot.

RS1 secured the overall and Silver class ROWE Pole Position ahead of Race 1, with Pro-Am entry Blackdog Speed Shop clinching the overall top spot ahead of Race 2 on Sunday. 

Silver Class

John Capestro-Dubets and Jonathan Neudorf continuously exchanged fastest laps throughout the opening qualifying session, stealing the top spot away from each other lap after lap. With just a few minutes remaining, Capestro-Dubets went on to set a rapid time of 2:10.547 to clinch the overall pole position in Race 1 for the No. 28 RS1 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, with Neudorf taking the other position on the front row in the No. 23 TechSport Racing Nissan Z NISMO GT4. Daniel Hanley completed the Top 3 in the No. 999 Hanley Motorsports Toyota Gazoo Racing GR Supra GT4 EVO. 

It was a tight battle for the top spot in Qualifying 2, with Parker Thompson, Michai Stephens, and Eric Filgueiras all keeping each other company at the top of the timesheets. Thompson secured the best time of the group in the No. 999 Hanley Motorsports to clinch the Silver class pole position with a time of 2:09.885, with Stephens and Filgueiras locking out the second row of the grid for Race 2 in the No. 23 TechSport Racing and No. 28 RS1 machines. 

Pro-Am Class

It was Matt Bell who paved the way the Pro-Am Class, securing pole position in Qualifying 1 in the No. 43 P1 Groupe Mercedes-AMG GT4, in addition to setting the fourth-quickest overall time in the opening Qualifying session with a lap time of 2:11.601. Tony Gaples also posted a competitive time in the No. 9 Blackdog Speed Shop Nissan Z NISMO GT4 to qualify second in class, with Johan Schwartz following in third in the No. 635 RySpec Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4. 

Max Root lit the track ablaze in the second portion of qualifying, not only setting the fastest time in class on board his No. 9 Blackdog Speed Shop machine, but also securing the overall pole position and the fastest overall time across both qualifying sessions with a time of 2:09.619, setting a new track record in the process. Roman De Angelis was the next fastest Pro-Am entry, qualifying second in class in the No. 24 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4, accompanied by Matheus Leist in the No. 89 RENNtech Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4 in third. 

Am Class

Charlie Postins set the standard in the Am class in the No. 36 BimmerWorld BMW M4 GT4 (G82), with his flying lap time of 2:12.075 earning him the top spot in class, in addition to a Top 10 start overall. Roland Krainz qualified second in the No. 18 RS1 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, with Jaden Lander setting the third fastest time in class in Qualifying 1 on board the No. 099 Rotek Racing Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport. 

In Qualifying 2, RS1 stepped up to the top position, with Austin Krainz setting a rapid time of 2:10.722 to secure pole in the Am class, in addition to clocking in the sixth quickest time overall.   Early in the session, Krainz established himself as the driver to beat as he clocked his best time in Lap 1. 

The No. 53 AutoTechnic Racing BMW M4 GT4 of Matt Million claimed second place in class. It was a close battle for third place, as the No. 80 Orlando Motorsports Services McLaren Artura GT4 of Nick Longhi was running in the Top 3 early on. Eventually, the No. 98 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT4 of Kris Wilson clocked in the third fastest lap time, only edging out Seth Thomas (No. 60 NOLASPORT Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport) by 0.038 seconds. 

Let’s Get Racing

The Pirelli GT4 America field will return to the track for Race 1 on Saturday, May 4th at 5:00 PM EST. 

If you can’t make it to Sebring, be sure to tune-in to SRO’s free livestreams all weekend long on YouTube (GTWorld) and Twitch (SROMotorsports) and follow all the action through our social media channels and the event hashtag #GTSebring.