Tom Blomqvist takes Petit Le Mans pole as Jack Aitken nears IMSA GTP crown

Tom Blomqvist led a front row sweep in Acura Meyer Shank Racing’s swansong in the Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. 

Driving the #60 Acura ARX-06, Blomqvist delivered an electric flying lap of 1m09.703s to take pole on the 12-turn, 2.54-mile natural terrain road course. Nick Yelloly, in the #93 Acura sister car, took second at a sizable 0.222s behind. 

BMW M Team WRT’s Sheldon van der Linde, winner of the most recent round at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, was third. 

Championship leader Jack Aitken inched closer to his first GTP title by qualifying fourth. He took on a fresh set of tires midway through qualifying and put together a strong closing run to vault to fifth in Whelen Cadillac’s #31 Cadillac V-Series.R. However, he was elevated to fourth after the No. 6 Porsche 963, qualified by Laurens Vanthoor, was dropped from fourth to fifth because of an incident involving Kevin Estre in Friday night practice. 

With that, and the combination of Laurin Heinrich qualifying seventh in the #7 Porsche 963, Aitken only has to start the race on Saturday to be crowned champion - barring any post-qualifying inspection issues. 

#60 Acura Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian Acura ARX-06: Tom Blomqvist, Colin Braun, Scott Dixon

Photo by: Michael L. Levitt / Lumen via Getty Images

GTP

The sparring between the only title challengers was on out of the gate, with Heinrich setting the early tone at 1m10.656s and going even faster at 1m10.521s the next lap, while Aitken set a 1m10.965s lap. 

However, those times wouldn’t hold as Blomqvist delivered a 1m10.3s lap to vault to the top before going even faster moments later with a 1m10.022s run to dethrone van der Linde’s time of 1m10.091s.

With over five minutes to go, Yelloly made his presence felt with a 1m09.925s flyer to cycle to the top spot. A minute later, Blomqvist responded with a 1m09.703s lap. 

Aitken, on a fresh set of tires, set a 1m10.273s to move up to fifth with less than 1m30s remaining. He then improved with a 1m10.171s to advance one spot with less than 30s remaining. 

As the session came to a close, no one was able to dethrone Blomqvist. 

LMP2

With six minutes to go, AO Racing’s PJ Hyet was the first driver to go under 1m13s with a lap of 1m12.944s, which was enough to hold firm and take class pole in the #99 LMP2 ORECA 07.

Jeremy Clarke, who had an off-track moment in Turn 10 earlier in the session, put the #43 Inter Europol Competition entry in second, 0.223s off the time set by Hyet. Misha Goikhberg (Bryan Herta Autosport with PR1/Mathiasen) was third, ahead of Daniel Goldburg (United Autosports USA) in fourth. 

GTD Pro

Neil Verhagen put down the early quick lap and furthered it to set the benchmark at 1m18.268s in Paul Miller Racing’s #1 BMW M4 GT3 Evo. With three minutes to go, he dropped the time down to 1m18.194s. 

In the end, Verhagen remained untouchable and took the class pole. Car Blanche’s Mattia Drudi jumped to second in the final minute with a 1m18.338s lap, which knocked Nicky Catsburg (Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports) off by 0.017s in third. The impact of that changed the complexion of the title picture with valuable qualifying points, with Catsburg’s and co-driver Tommy Milner’s championship lead shrinking to 42 points over Verhagen.

GTD

The red flag came out with just over three minutes to go as the Adam Adelson (Wright Motorsports) slowed offline into Turn 10, leaving the inside lane open. However, Brenden Iribe (Inception Racing) appeared to drive deeper into the corner, hitting the back of Adelson’s #120 Porsche 911 GT3.R with his #70 Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo. 

The incident brought an end to the session, with Winward Racing’s Philip Ellis having logged the fastest time prior to the crash with a lap of 1m18.674s in his #57 Mercedes-AMG GT3. 

Antonio Fuoco, driving AF Corse USA’s #21 Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo, ended up second by 0.161s. Vasser Sullivan’s Aaron Telitz wrapped up third in the final race for the Lexus RC F GT3. 

Qualifying - 2026 IMSA Petit Le Mans

All Stats

 

Cla	Drivers	#	Chassis	Laps	Time	Interval	km/h
1	T. Blomqvist C. Braun S. Dixon Acura Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian	60	Acura ARX-06	8	1'09.703		131.185
2	R. van der Zande N. Yelloly A. Palou Acura Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian	93	Acura ARX-06	8	+0.222 1'09.925	0.222	130.769
3	D. Vanthoor S. Van Der Linde R. Frijns BMW M Team WRT	24	BMW M Hybrid V8	11	+0.379 1'10.082	0.157	130.476
4	J. Aitken E. Bamber F. Vesti Cadillac Whelen	31	Cadillac V-Series.R	12	+0.468 1'10.171	0.089	130.310
5	L. Vanthoor K. Estre M. Campbell Porsche Penske Motorsport	6	Porsche 963	12	+0.505 1'10.208	0.037	130.242
6	J. Taylor L. Deletraz C. Herta Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing	40	Cadillac V-Series.R	11	+0.601 1'10.304	0.096	130.064
7	F. Nasr J. Andlauer L. Heinrich Porsche Penske Motorsport	7	Porsche 963	12	+0.622 1'10.325	0.021	130.025
8	R. Gunn R. De Angelis A. Riberas Aston Martin THOR Team	23	Aston Martin Valkyrie	11	+0.660 1'10.363	0.038	129.955
9	P. Eng M. Wittmann K. Magnussen BMW M Team WRT	25	BMW M Hybrid V8	11	+0.773 1'10.476	0.113	129.746
10	R. Taylor F. Albuquerque W. Stevens Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing	10	Cadillac V-Series.R	11	+0.827 1'10.530	0.054	129.647
11	T. van der Helm N. Müller K. Frederick JDC/Miller Motorsports	5	Porsche 963	11	+1.298 1'11.001	0.471	128.787
12	P. Hyett D. Cameron J. Edgar AO Racing	99	ORECA LMP2 07	8	+3.241 1'12.944	1.943	125.356
13	J. Clarke T. Dillmann B. Garg Inter Europol Competition	43	ORECA LMP2 07	10	+3.464 1'13.167	0.223	124.974
14	M. Goikhberg P. Thompson H. Tincknell PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports	52	ORECA LMP2 07	11	+3.649 1'13.352	0.185	124.659
15	D. Goldburg P. di Resta R. Lindh United Autosports USA	22	ORECA LMP2 07	12	+4.050 1'13.753	0.401	123.981
16	G. Kurtz A. Quinn T. Sowery Crowdstrike Racing by APR	04	ORECA LMP2 07	12	+4.267 1'13.970	0.217	123.618
17	T. Lutke M. Beche D. Heinemeier Hansson TDS Racing	11	ORECA LMP2 07	12	+4.282 1'13.985	0.015	123.593
18	P. Fayer H. McElrea M. Jensen United Autosports USA	2	ORECA LMP2 07	12	+4.472 1'14.175	0.190	123.276
19	N. Rao F. Habsburg J. Abel Era Motorsport	18	ORECA LMP2 07	12	+4.867 1'14.570	0.395	122.623
20	P. Fittipaldi M. Espirito Santo C. Cumming Pratt Miller Motorsports	73	ORECA LMP2 07	12	+4.986 1'14.689	0.119	122.428
21	O. Jarvis M. Van Der Snel J. Field Intersport Racing	37	ORECA LMP2 07	13	+5.604 1'15.307	0.618	121.423
22	J. Farano S. Alvarez T. Vautier Tower Motorsports	8	ORECA LMP2 07	13	+5.720 1'15.423	0.116	121.236
23	N. Verhagen C. de Phillippi D. Harper Paul Miller Racing	1	BMW M4 GT3 EVO	10	+8.491 1'18.194	2.771	116.940
24	V. Hasse-Clot M. Sorensen M. Drudi Car Blanche	68	Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo	11	+8.635 1'18.338	0.144	116.725
25	T. Milner N. Catsburg N. Varrone Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports	4	Corvette Z06 GT3.R	11	+8.652 1'18.355	0.017	116.700
26	A. Garcia A. Sims M. Kirchhofer Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports	3	Corvette Z06 GT3.R	12	+8.702 1'18.405	0.050	116.625
27	N. Tandy H. King A. Picariello AO Racing	77	Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	12	+8.760 1'18.463	0.058	116.539
28	K. Bachler T. Preining M. Jaminet Manthey	911	Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	8	+8.792 1'18.495	0.032	116.491
29	R. Ward P. Ellis I. Dontje Winward Racing	57	Mercedes-AMG GT3	8	+8.971 1'18.674	0.179	116.226
30	D. Serra D. Rigon A. Pier Guidi Risi Competizione	62	Ferrari 296 GT3	11	+9.007 1'18.710	0.036	116.173
31	A. Caldarelli S. Mitchell F. Perera Pfaff Motorsports	9	Lamborghini Temerario GT3	12	+9.053 1'18.756	0.046	116.105
32	S. Mann L. Wadoux A. Fuoco Af Corse	21	Ferrari 296 GT3	8	+9.132 1'18.835	0.079	115.989
33	M. Esterson N. Johnson B. Goethe RLL Team McLaren	59	McLaren 720S GT3 EVO	11	+9.159 1'18.862	0.027	115.949
34	B. Barker D. Olsen M. Rockenfeller Ford Racing	64	Ford Mustang GT3	8	+9.173 1'18.876	0.014	115.929
35	A. Telitz B. Pedersen F. Montecalvo Vasser Sullivan Racing	12	Lexus RC F GT3	8	+9.180 1'18.883	0.007	115.919
36	C. Mies F. Vervisch S. Priaulx Ford Racing	65	Ford Mustang GT3	11	+9.206 1'18.909	0.026	115.880
37	J. Hawksworth B. Barnicoat K. Kirkwood Vasser Sullivan Racing	14	Lexus RC F GT3	10	+9.212 1'18.915	0.006	115.872
38	G. Altoè C. Stevenson S. Bourdais DragonSpeed	74	Corvette Z06 GT3.R	11	+9.309 1'19.012	0.097	115.729
39	L. Stolz L. Hodenius J. Roe Jr. Lone Star Racing	80	Mercedes-AMG GT3	7	+9.471 1'19.174	0.162	115.492
40	J. Calado R. Agostini M. Molina Triarsi Competizione	033	Ferrari 296 GT3	8	+9.482 1'19.185	0.011	115.476
41	P. Gallagher R. Foley F. Selldorff Turner Motorsport	96	BMW M4 GT3 EVO	8	+9.526 1'19.229	0.044	115.412
42	D. Barrichello T. Gamble Z. Robichon Heart Of Racing Team	27	Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo	8	+9.530 1'19.233	0.004	115.406
43	A. Costa L. Patrese A. Udell Conquest Racing	34	Ferrari 296 GT3	8	+9.555 1'19.258	0.025	115.370
44	D. Formal T. Hindman G. Doyle Wayne Taylor Racing	45	Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2	8	+9.796 1'19.499	0.241	115.020
45	J. Heylen R. Yardley Z. Vanier RS1	28	Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	6	+9.822 1'19.525	0.026	114.983
46	O. Triarsi K. Koch R. Megennis Triarsi Competizione	023	Ferrari 296 GT3	8	+10.011 1'19.714	0.189	114.710
47	A. Adelson C. Ilott T. Sargent Wright Motorsports	120	Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	8	+10.219 1'19.922	0.208	114.412
48	M. Filippi S. Yoluc C. Eastwood DXDT Racing	36	Corvette Z06 GT3.R	8	+10.411 1'20.114	0.192	114.137
49	J. Walker T. Bechtolsheimer J. Hand Gradient Racing	66	Ford Mustang GT3	8	+10.660 1'20.363	0.249	113.784
50	S. Monk F. Fraga J. Altzman Myers Riley Motorsports	16	Ford Mustang GT3	8	+10.776 1'20.479	0.116	113.620
51	O. Fidani M. Bell L. Kern 13 Autosport	13	Corvette Z06 GT3.R	9	+10.862 1'20.565	0.086	113.498
52	B. Iribe F. Schandorff F. Rueda Inception Racing	70	Ferrari 296 GT3	7	+10.873 1'20.576	0.011	113.483
53	R. Hardwick R. Pera M. Schuring Team Manthey	912	Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	7	+10.881 1'20.584	0.008	113.472
54	J. Potter S. Pumpelly M. Farnbacher Magnus Racing	44	Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo	8	+11.460 1'21.163	0.579	112.662
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