IMSA VIR starting lineup: Andrea Caldarelli puts Pfaff Lamborghini on pole

The Pfaff Motorsports driver beat Nicky Catsburg by 0.151s for GTD Pro pole, while Casper Stevenson topped GTD for DragonSpeed

Andrea Caldarelli claimed pole for the Michelin GT Challenge at Virginia International Raceway.

Driving the #9 Lamborghini Temerario GT3 for Pfaff Motorsports, the Italian threw down a flying lap of 1m44.773s around the 3.27-mile, 18-turn natural terrain road course. It marked the third career IMSA pole for Caldarelli.

Nicky Catsburg, driving the #4 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R for Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports, finished the session second by 0.151s.

Paul Miller Racing’s Neil Verhagen was third, guiding his #1 BMW M4 GT3 EVO to a lap just 0.184s off Caldarelli’s mark.

GTD Pro

General view

Photo by: Art Fleischmann

Ford Racing’s Frederic Vervisch set the early benchmark at 1m45.684s, with Alexander Sims (Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports) in second at 1m45.938s. Although Verhagen jumped to the top with a 1m44.968s lap, it was temporary as Caldarelli dethroned him with a 1m44.773s lap with roughly four minutes remaining.

Caldarelli’s lap continued to hold with a minute to go, while Catsburg jumped up to second with a quick lap of 1m44.924s. Verhagen fitted fresh tyres and initially jumped Catsburg with a 1m44.810s lap. However, a penalty carried over from causing a red flag in practice cost him his fastest qualifying lap, dropping him back to third at the chequered flag.

Max Esterson’s best run was fourth with RLL Team McLaren’s #59 McLaren 720S GT3 Evo. Car Blanche’s Valentin Hasse-Clot ended up fifth in the #68 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo.

GTD

#81 DragonSpeed Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Giacomo Altoè, Casper Stevenson

Photo by: Art Fleischmann

Casper Stevenson Casper Stevenson went quickest with two minutes remaining on a 1m45.188s, a time that held to the chequered flag and put DragonSpeed’s No. 81 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R on GTD pole. It marks the team's second consecutive pole at VIR, after DragonSpeed confirmed earlier in the day they would not be returning to IMSA next season.

The #34 Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo for Conquest Racing ended up second courtesy of Lorenzo Patrese, who held the top spot early before finishing 0.058s behind Stevenson. Winward Racing’s Russell Ward was third in the #57 Mercedes-AMG GT3, off by 0.139s.

Danny Formal had a brief airborne moment after clipping the curbing with just under seven minutes, but rebounded at the end to slot the #45 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo in fourth for Wayne Taylor Racing.

Turner Motorsport’s Patrick Gallagher put the #96 BMW M4 GT3 Evo in fifth at the conclusion of the session.

Grid

All Stats

Cla	Drivers	#	Chassis	Time	km/h
1	A. Caldarelli S. Mitchell Pfaff Motorsports	9	Lamborghini Temerario GT3	1'44.773	112.357
2	T. Milner N. Catsburg Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports	4	Corvette Z06 GT3.R	+0.151 1'44.924	112.195
3	N. Verhagen C. de Phillippi Paul Miller Racing	1	BMW M4 GT3 EVO	+0.184 1'44.957	112.160
4	M. Esterson N. Johnson RLL Team McLaren	59	McLaren 720S GT3 EVO	+0.342 1'45.115	111.992
5	M. Sorensen V. Hasse-Clot Car Blanche	68	Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo	+0.361 1'45.134	111.971
6	B. Barker D. Olsen Ford Racing	64	Ford Mustang GT3	+0.403 1'45.176	111.927
7	G. Altoè C. Stevenson DragonSpeed	81	Corvette Z06 GT3.R	+0.415 1'45.188	111.914
8	N. Tandy H. King AO Racing	77	Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	+0.435 1'45.208	111.893
9	A. Garcia A. Sims Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports	3	Corvette Z06 GT3.R	+0.462 1'45.235	111.864
10	A. Costa L. Patrese Conquest Racing	34	Ferrari 296 GT3	+0.473 1'45.246	111.852
11	C. Mies F. Vervisch Ford Racing	65	Ford Mustang GT3	+0.491 1'45.264	111.833
12	R. Ward P. Ellis Winward Racing	57	Mercedes-AMG GT3	+0.554 1'45.327	111.766
13	D. Formal T. Hindman Wayne Taylor Racing	45	Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2	+0.565 1'45.338	111.755
14	P. Gallagher R. Foley Turner Motorsport	96	BMW M4 GT3 EVO	+0.930 1'45.703	111.369
15	J. Hawksworth B. Barnicoat Vasser Sullivan Racing	14	Lexus RC F GT3	+0.967 1'45.740	111.330
16	A. Telitz B. Pedersen Vasser Sullivan Racing	12	Lexus RC F GT3	+1.385 1'46.158	110.891
17	M. Filippi R. Wickens DXDT Racing	36	Corvette Z06 GT3.R	+1.478 1'46.251	110.794
18	J. Walker C. Lewis Gradient Racing	66	Ford Mustang GT3	+1.734 1'46.507	110.528
19	B. Iribe F. Schandorff Inception Racing	70	Ferrari 296 GT3	+2.245 1'47.018	110.000
20	O. Fidani M. Bell 13 Autosport	13	Corvette Z06 GT3.R	+2.458 1'47.231	109.782
21	D. Barrichello T. Gamble Heart Of Racing Team	27	Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo	+2.859 1'47.632	109.373
22	S. Monk F. Fraga Myers Riley Motorsports	16	Ford Mustang GT3	+2.908 1'47.681	109.323
23	A. Adelson C. Ilott Wright Motorsports	120	Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	+2.920 1'47.693	109.311
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