- RS1 Tops the Overall Leaderboard
- Flying Lizard Motorsports Fastest in Pro-Am
- Fast Track Racing Quickest in Am Class
- Unofficial Results
The Pirelli GT4 America field took over Circuit of The Americas early Friday afternoon for their first practice session of the weekend. Twenty-nine teams across three classes set off around the track in order to put their machines to the test and prepare for the series’ inaugural three-hour GT4 endurance race taking place on Saturday evening.
Eric Filgueiras was the one to catch in the No. 28 RS1 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, posting a rapid lap time of 2:14.78 to secure the fastest time overall and in the Silver class. Rodrigo Baptista went quickest in the Pro-Am Class in his No. 5 Flying Lizard Motorsports Nissan Z NISMO GT4 with a time of 2:15.089. The best time in the Am Class went to No. 188 Fast Track Racing BMW M4 GT4 G82 of Judson Holt and Denny Stripling with a time of 2:16.782.
Silver Class
Eric Filgueiras rose to the top of the Silver class midway through the session in his No. 28 RS1 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport and continued to increase his gap to the remaining competitors. With a flying lap time of 2:14.78, he was the only driver in Practice 1 to set a time under the 2:15 mark.
Kenton Koch followed just 0.180 seconds behind in the No. 97 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT4 G82, with Colin Garrett setting the third-quickest time in the Silver class in his No. 51 AutoTechnic Racing BMW M4 GT4 (G82).
Toyota entries completed the Top 5, with Tyler Gonzalez in fourth place in the No. 68 Smooge Racing Toyota Gazoo Racing GR Supra GT4 EVO, accompanied by Daniel Hanley in the No. 999 Hanley Motorsports Toyota Gazoo Racing GR Supra GT4 EVO.
Pro-Am Class
Kay van Berlo took the early lead in his No. 7 ACI Motorsports Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, but it was Rodrigo Baptista who swept ahead to go fastest in the Pro-Am class with a time of 2:15.089 in the No. 5 Flying Lizard Motorsports Nissan Z NISMO GT4, which also earned him the third-quickest time overall. The two drivers were separated by a gap of only 0.092 seconds.
Michael Cooper went third-quickest on board his No. 9 Blackdog Speed Shop Nissan Z NISMO GT4, with the No. 82 BimmerWorld BMW M4 GT4 (G82) of Tyler McQuarrie finishing the session in fourth. The Top 5 was rounded off by Tom Dyer in the No. 13 Flying Lizard Motorsports Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4.
Am Class
Fast Track Racing’s Judson Holt and Denny Stripling soared to the front of the Am class in their No. 188 BMW M4 GT4 G82, with a time of 2:16.782 making them the ones to beat. They were followed by the No. 98 Random Vandals Racing BMW M4 GT4 G82 of Paul Sparta and Kris Wilson, with James Clay and Charlie Postins slotting themselves just behind in third in the No. 36 BimmerWorld BMW M4 GT4 G82.
Isabella Robusto and Kevin Conway finished Practice 1 in fourth place in their No. 55 Smooge Racing Toyota Gazoo Racing GR Supra GT4 EVO, with the Top 5 completed by the Rotek Racing duo of Jaden Lander and Robb Holland in the the No. 099 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport.
Let’s Get Racing
The Pirelli GT4 America field will return to the track for Practice 2 later in the afternoon on Friday, May 17th at 5:10 PM EST.
If you can’t make it to Austin, 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 #GTCOTA.