RENNtech Motorsports and Smooge Racing Charge Ahead, Clinching Overall Pole Positions

RENNtech Motorsports and Smooge Racing Charge Ahead, Clinching Overall Pole Positions

It was a fast Friday for the Pirelli GT4 America field as teams pushed themselves to their limits in the back-to-back Qualifying sessions, setting the grid positions for the final two races of the season. 

RENNtech Motorsports were the ones to beat in Qualifying 1, setting the best time in both the Pro-Am class and overall. It was a great day for Smooge Racing, who scored the Silver class pole for Race 1, and the front row start for Race 2. Rotek Racing made it a double by earning the fastest times in the Am class in both qualifying sessions. 

Silver Class

After going quickest in the Silver class in both practice sessions, Tyler Gonzalez repeated his speedy performance in the No. 68 Smooge Racing Toyota Gazoo Racing GR Supra GT4 EVO, qualifying just ahead of Michai Stephens in the No. 34 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4. They were the top two competitors in class, but will start from the second row of the grid for Race 1. 

A little further behind, the championship battle continues to rage on between RS1 and Random Vandals Racing. The current leaders managed to slot themselves just ahead as John Capestro-Dubets went a tad quicker in his No. 28 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport than Kevin Boem in the No. 97 BMW M4 GT4 G82. 

It was a similar story in Qualifying 2, this time with Smooge Racing’s Corey Lewis cementing himself at the very front of the grid for Sunday’s race. JMF Motorsports were also in contention once again, this time with Jesse Webb behind the wheel, qualifying second overall.

Danny Dyszelski was the third-place Silver class qualifier in his No. 77 VPX Motorsport Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, finishing just ahead of Random Vandals Racing’s Kenton Koch. 

Pro-Am Class

The usual Pro-Am suspects were back at it again in Qualifying 1. After topping the charts in the previous practice sessions, Kay van Berlo and Matheus Leist were both in contention for pole position. The two went back and forth, continuously improving on their own best times, but it was ultimately Leist in the No. 89 RENNtech Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4 who clocked in the best overall qualifying lap of the session, with a time of 1:29.887 granting him the ROWE Pole Position Award. 

The No. 7 ACI Motorsports Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport of van Berlo finished just 0.138 seconds behind, and will line up alongside on the front row of the grid. Terry Borcheller qualified third in class and fifth overall on board the No. 07 Precision Racing LA Toyota Gazoo Racing GR Supra GT4 EVO, narrowly beating out Roman De Angelis in the No. 24 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 EVO.

In Qualifying 2, it was Dario Capitanio who made great use of his No. 102 TPC Racing McLaren Artura GT4, earning the top time in class. He will start Sunday’s event from the second row after qualifying third overall, with a two-car buffer to the next-closest class competitor, Austin Krainz in the No. 18 RS1 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport. 

Josh Green and Myles Rowe were neck and neck in their respective No. 94 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT4 G82 and No. 098 Rotek Racing Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, qualifying in third and fourth, separated by only 0.001 seconds. 

Am Class

Robb Holland had a stellar performance, not only claiming the Am class pole position in his No. 099 Rotek Racing Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, but also setting the 11th-best overall lap time. Rotek Racing is currently sitting second in the Championship standings, a mere 3 points behind Random Vandals Racing, who qualified fourth ahead of Race 1. 

James Clay set the second fastest time, commanding the No. 36 BimmerWorld BMW M4 GT4, with the No. 16 Skip Barber Racing Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 of Michael Garcia in third place.

Jaden Lander secured a second pole position result for Rotek Racing, taking the top spot in Qualifying 2. Charlie Postins replicated his teammate’s pace, scoring another top 2 finish for BimmerWorld. Kevin Conway was also within striking distance in the No. 72 KRUGSPEED Toyota Gazoo Racing GR Supra GT4 EVO, finishing the session in third. 

Let’s Get Racing

The Pirelli GT4 America field will return to the track for Race 1 on Saturday, October 5th at 8:30 AM ET. 

If you can’t make it to IMS, be sure to tune-in to SRO’s free livestreams all weekend long on YouTube (GTWorld) and Twitch (SROMotorsports) and follow all the action through our social media channels and the event hashtag #Indy8H.