Team Joest Quickest of the First Session and the Day
The 2019 IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship kicked off on Friday as the cars got out on track at the Roar Before the 24 Testing sessions.
Team Joest's #77 Mazda DPi set the fastest time of the day and topped the first session on Friday.
The first 75-minute session of Friday saw Mazda as fastest, with a lap time of 1:36.407 by Oliver Jarvis.
The #10 Konica Minolta Cadillac of Wayne Taylor was second quickest, splitting the two Mazdas, as #55 Mazda came third with 1:36.449 from Harry Ticknell.
In LMP2, only 2 cars managed out on track as the DragonSpeed cars suffered a shipping delay and missed the session. The quickest of the 2 out of 4 LMP2 cars was the #51 PR1/Mathiassen Motorsports Oreca that set 1:39.828 by Gabriel Aubry.
The new-to-shift CORE Autosports Nissan DPi also didn't go out on track.
In GT Le Mans class, the Porsche GT Team got a 1-2 as #911 was ahead of #912. The regular WEC driver, Patrick Pilet set a quickest time of 1:44.866s. The #912 set 1:45.028 on the new Michelin tyres, stealing 2nd position.
The third to round off the Top 3 was #66 Ford Chip Ganassi, with fastest lap of 1:45.153s.
GTD had a number of cars and drivers, but #33 Riley/Wynns Mercedes AMG GT3 set the quickest time and topped the class.
A notable headline from GTD class was the crash for #19 Mooresport Audi as the team spent rest of it's session in garage.
Wayne Taylor Racing quickest in 2nd Session before the heavy rain
The second session saw the heavens opening up as the rain interrupted the session and the times set by the drivers. However, the teams got time to test the wet Michelins just few minutes before the chequered flag.
#10 Wayne Taylor Racing set the quickest time in second session with 1:36.596 from Kamui Kobayashi. The two Mazdas challenged closely with #55 and #77 just 0.008s and 0.242s off from the WTR respectively.
The CORE Nissan DPi finally went out on track, but finished 8th with 1:37.522 by Colin Braun.
3 out of 4 LMP2 cars made some running on track with DragonSpeed #81 finally out on track as it set the second quickest lap behind #52 PR1 Oreca. The #18 DragonSpeed didn't make out on track.
Risi Competizione's 488 GTE was highlight of GTLM, the team setting 1:44.718. Ryan Briscoe was second in #67 Ford and Antonio Garcia made it to third place with #3 Corvette.
The quickest from first session in GTLM, #912 Porsche was fourth fastest, as four different marques finished in Top 4.
Finally, Riley Motorsports lead GTD class again with Jeroen Bleekemolen the quickest of the day in GTD. The Dutch set 1:46.452 in the second session. #51 Spirit of Race Ferrari was second, with # 96 Turner BMW M6 GT3 in third setting 1:47.004.
The third session will start on Saturday at 8 pm Pakistan Time.
Shahmir Khan
Editor-in-Chief Sportscar Racing.
In his own words, “17-year-old guy who is avid motorsports gamer. Petrolhead, die-hard F1 and motorsports fan and loves to write about cars and motorsports.”
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