Qualifying at VIRginia International Raceway sets the scene for the GT America powered by AWS Race One at 1 p.m. ET today. During the 15-minute session, there was a red flag for a car off in the esses. The No. 098 Rotek Racing Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport of Chris Alliegro could not continue. The course went green with six minutes remaining in the session making it a drag race to the pole.
SRO3 Class
Adam Adelson laid down a last-lap flyer giving him the ROWE Pole Award for Race One later today. The lap time of 1:45.695 squeezed out Memo Gidley in the No. 101 TKO Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3, who hadn’t been touched during practice sessions. Starting from Row Two is a juxtaposition of youth and experience with Anthony Bartone in the No. 427 RealTime Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 starting third and Johnny O’Connell in the No. 3 SKI Autosport2 Audi R8 LMS. Row Three, closing out the top six, is the No. 08 DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Scott Smithson and Todd Treffert in the No. 41 CRP Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3.
GT4 and GT2 Class
The top six of the GT4 Class qualified within a second of each other. Gray Newell walked away the class pole in his No. 25 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4. Starting next to Newell is the formidable Ross Chouest in the No. 50 Chouest Povoledo Racing Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 . Newel’s lap time of 1:55.170 was narrowly matched by Chouest’s lap time of 1:55.339. Row Two is made up of a combination of Robb Holland and the No. 099 Rotek Racing Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport and Elias Sabo in the No. 8 Flying Lizard Motorsports Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 who has been a front-runner all weekend. Finally, Tony Gaples in his No. 5 Blackdog Speed Shop Chevrolet Camaro GT4 R rolls off next to Jason Bell in the No. 2 flying Lizard Motorsports Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4. Bell had nearly earned himself a front-row starting position, but his flying lap was ruled to have come after the drop of the checkered flag.
CJ Moses in the No. 58 GMG Racing Audi R8 LMS GT2 used the session to continue gaining experience and control of his GT2 machine.
Let’s Go
Fans can follow progression with Griiip Live, live timing. The studio makes it easy to follow class battles, lap times, and pit strategy for the five SRO America series. Stream the 1 p.m. ET race live on the YouTube page, GT World or join the conversation on Twitch with Daniel Gilligan.