The new 992-generation Porsche 911 GT3 R has come to life in the Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS series. Last year’s dominant duo in Pirelli GT4 America, Eric Filgueiras and Stevan McAleer, will start on pole position for Race 1 at Sonoma Raceway later this afternoon – their first race as a […]
The post Filgueiras, Edwards Split Sonoma Pole Positions first appeared on dailysportscar.com.The new 992-generation Porsche 911 GT3 R has come to life in the Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS series. Last year’s dominant duo in Pirelli GT4 America, Eric Filgueiras and Stevan McAleer, will start on pole position for Race 1 at Sonoma Raceway later this afternoon – their first race as a tandem in SRO America’s flagship series.
GT World Challenge America Qualifying was delayed due to an accident at the end of TC America series Qualifying, but at 9:30 AM local time, the first segment of time trials began.
The Bronze and Silver-rated drivers would have their chance to qualify their respective cars for this weekend’s races. One of them was GT3 newcomer Anthony Bartone, aboard the #43 RealTime Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3. Bartone was ready to start his first flying lap when he stepped over the limit of adhesion out of turn one and spun up the hill and off track at turn two. The wet grass trapped Bartone’s car, and the red flag came out to retrieve his stranded #43 Mercedes.
RealTime Racing will start 18th and last in both races as co-driver Andy Pilgrim couldn’t attempt a run in the second segment.
Qualifying restarted with just four minutes left in the first session, leaving the remaining 17 cars and drivers with little time to set their fastest laps. With less than a minute to go, GT3 newcomer Filgueiras leapt to the top of the board in his black and green #28 Porsche, setting a 1’37.026 to grab Race 1 pole position.
The Race 1 grid will have an all-Porsche front row as fellow GT4 America graduate Adam Adelson, driving the older 991.2 generation #120 Wright Motorsports Porsche, qualified second – just a short time after he won the pole for GT America Race 1.
Asian Le Mans Series champion Chandler Hull was third-fastest in the #94 BimmerWorld BMW M4 GT3, ahead of George Kurtz in the #04 CrowdStrike by Riley Mercedes in fourth. SRO America veteran James Sofronas put his #14 GMG Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II fifth on the grid, ahead of 17-year-old Seth Lucas, sixth-fastest in the #53 MDK Motorsports Porsche 992.
Another GT World Challenge America newcomer, Will Hardeman, was seventh-fastest in the #19 Esses Racing Mercedes, followed by Samantha Tan in her #38 ST Racing BMW. Manny Franco in the #21 Conquest Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 and Charlie Luck in the #45 Wright Motorsports Porsche 992 rounded out the top ten of the grid for Race 1.
Ashton Harrison, last year’s Pro-Am champion, could only qualify 14th for Race 1 in the #93 Racers Edge Motorsports Acura NSX GT3 Evo22.
FGTWCA QUALIFYING 1 RESULTS >>
After a quick reset, the second segment of Qualifying began. Gold and Platinum-graded drivers were now taking centre stage in their respective cars.
BMW Motorsport works driver John Edwards took over the #38 ST Racing BMW and wasted no time at all putting his name atop the time sheets with a flying lap of 1’35.237. That was good enough to hold off Daytona 24 Hours winner Colin Braun in the #04 CrowdStrike/Riley Mercedes for pole position. Braun was second-fastest, ahead of Daniel Morad in the #9 TR3 Racing Mercedes in third, followed by Elliott Skeer in the #120 Wright Porsche 991.2 in fourth.
Pro class pole position in Race 2 went to the #93 Racers Edge Acura of Mario Farnbacher, who qualified fifth overall for Sunday’s race. Spencer Pumpelly was sixth-fastest in the #16 ACI Motorsports Porsche 991.2, ahead of Jan Heylen in the #45 Wright Porsche 992, and Bill Auberlen in the #94 BimmerWorld BMW in eighth.
Aston Martin works driver Ross Gunn qualified ninth in the #007 TRG Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3, ahead of Trenton Estep in the #53 MDK Porsche 992 in tenth. Following Filgueiras’ Race 1 pole position, McAleer struggled in contrast during his qualifying attempt and was only 12th-fastest in the #28 RS1 Porsche 992.
FGTWCA QUALIFYING 2 RESULTS >>
Images © Fabian Lagunas / SRO Motorsports America
The post Filgueiras, Edwards Split Sonoma Pole Positions first appeared on dailysportscar.com.