If the LMP1 cars have been ahead of the field during the free practice sessions, an LMP2 car will start from pole tomorrow for round 4 of the American Le Mans Series. Simon Pagenaud set the best time on the Miller Motorsports Park, not far from the Great Salt Lake. The French driver has been amazing and has been head and shoulders above his rivals. His Highcroft Racing HPD is the only one car to race with a small rear-wing. The Drayson Lola and the Dyson Racing Lola-Mazda could not do better than second and third. In the LMPC class, Team Gunnar is a logic polesitter after posting good results during the practice sessions.

Gimmi Bruni was the fastest in the practice sessions and clinched the pole in the GT2 with a Ferrari which seems boosted by Bioethanol E85. Indeed, three F430 chalked up the three best times with Extreme Speed #01 car and the Risi Competizione sister car. In the GTC class, Black Swan set the best lap after an exciting duel with Orbit. Times are here.

LMP: an emphatic pole for Simon Pagenaud!

Jon Field is first on track with the Intersport Lola-AER before Tony Burgess spins with the Autocon Lola. Field improves his time – 1:35.379 – as well as Jonny Cocker and the Drayson Racing Lola-Judd and Klaus Graf and the Team Cytosport Porsche RS Spyder. Cocker clinches the provisional pole, 96 thousands ahead of the German driver. The Briton takes the best from his car and is under 1:35, as well as Chris Dyson, who is second with the Dyson Racing Lola-Mazda, 23 thousands behind. Simon Pagenaud is now on track and is able to make his first flyer count with a three-tenth advance, but he is still hungry and improves his time, five tenths of a second quicker than second Lola/Drayson. Although he tried hard, Chris Dyson and the Lola-Mazda was not able to do better than third, right ahead of the Porsche/Cytosport. The Lola/Intersport is fifth, less than one second behind the pole, which is promising for tomorrow’s race…

LMPC: Team Gunnar logically…

The Team Gunnar entry dominated the free practice sessions and Gunnar Jeannette, driving a Formula Le Mans, set the best time shortly after the beginning of the qualifying. He improved his time in his second lap in less than 1:43. His closest rival, Intersport Kyle Marcelli is eight tenths behind, but Alex Figge was able to come in between. Christophe Bouchut tried to put his rivals in the shade, but failed and is second, less than two tenths behind the polesitter. Figge and Marcelli are third and fourth, all of them in less than four tenths of a second.

GT2: 1-2-3 Ferrari!

Jörg Bergmeister set the first best time with the Flying Lizard Porsche, but Gimmi Bruni quickly took command with the #62 Risi Ferrrari. His time won’t be beaten. Bergmeister was able to post second time, but two other Ferraris kicked him off front row – Extreme Speed #01, 62 thousands behind Bruni, and Risi Competizione #61, respectively driven by van Overbeek and Vilander. The gaps are small as the first seven cars are within four tenths of a second and the nine ones in less than nine tenths. Both BMWs, driven by Milner and Müller, are ahead of the Corvette boys Beretta and O’Connell, who couldn’t do better than 7th and 8th. The Ford/Robertson is tenth with a two-second gap as the driver couldn’t have a clear lap whereas the Jaguar is more than four seconds behind!

GTC: Black Swan ahead of Orbit…

In the GTC class, Luis Diaz first takes the lead before James Sofronas and Jeroen Bleekemolen improved. The Dutchman broke the record by more than one second. Bryce Miller and Orbit then set the best time in mid-session, under 1:55. Bleekemolen and Black Swan finally clinched the pole, 312 thousands ahead of the field. The standings won’t change till the end of the session, with Luis Diaz and Alex Job Racing third.

Cécile Bonardel