RS1 and JMF Motorsports Clinch Overall Pole Positions at VIR

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RS1 and JMF Motorsports Clinch Overall Pole Positions at VIR

The rain came into play Saturday morning for Pirelli GT4 America’s back-to-back Qualifying sessions. With wet track conditions providing an extra challenge for the field, drivers across all three Silver, Pro-Am, and Am classes had to brave the elements in order to secure their starting positions. 

Silver class competitor RS1 led the charge in the first qualifying session, securing the overall pole position for Race 1 with the No. 28 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport. Race 2 will see JMF Motorsports start from the front of the grid in the No. 34 Mercedes-AMG GT4. 

Silver Class

After going fastest in the final practice session the day prior, John Capestro-Dubets returned to the top spot by clinching the overall ROWE Pole Position Award for Race 1 with the No. 28 RS1 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport. He set the best time of the opening Qualifying session on his fifth and final flying lap with a time of 2:06.182. 

Jake Cowden, who is performing double duty and completing both stints in the No. 34 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4 this weekend, secured a front row start, lining up alongside Dubets for Race 1. John Geesbreght qualified third overall in the No. 68 Smooge Racing Toyota Gazoo Racing GR Supra GT4 EVO. 

The No. 28 RS1 Porsche 718 Cayman commanded by Eric Filgueiras retained the top spot for most of the second session, but as the track gradually began to dry, Jake Cowden masterfully navigated the tough conditions to clinch the ROWE Pole Position Award for Race 2 thanks to a late flying lap. Filgueiras will be starting second in the Silver class, and third overall. Tyler Gonzalez pushed hard to set a fast lap in his No. 68 Smooge Racing Toyota Gazoo Racing GR Supra GT4 EVO, but had to settle for third place on the Silver Class grid, and fourth overall. 

Pro-Am Class

Matt Bell went quickest in the Pro-Am class in Qualifying 1 with his No. 43 P1 Groupe Mercedes-AMG GT4, with very fine margins separating him from Michael Auriemma just behind in the No. 89 RENNtech Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4. Damir Hot, competing with the No. 5 Nissan Z NISMO GT4 as a part of the biggest Flying Lizard Motorsports fleet of the season, rounded off the Top 3 in class. 

Matheus Leist was the fastest driver in the Pro-Am class in the second Qualifying session, recording the second-quickest lap time overall in the process on board the No. 89 RENNTech machine. Austin Krainz will start second in class in his No. 18 RS1 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS, while Michael Cooper rounded off the Top 3 in the No. 9 Blackdog Speed Shop Nissan Z NISMO GT4.

Am Class

James Clay was masterful around his home track as the Virginia native set the fastest time in the Am class with his No. 36 BimmerWorld BMW M4 GT4 G82, securing a sixth place overall start for Race 1 in the process. The Top 3 was further completed by Lance Bergstein in the No. 72 KRUGSPEED Toyota Gazoo Racing GR Supra GT4 EVO, and Robb Holland in the No. 099 Rotek Racing Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport.  

In Qualifying 2, Jaden Lander further promoted Rotek Racing to the top as he set the fastest lap in the Am Class. Kris Wilson secured the second-quickest time in class for the North Carolina-based Random Vandals Racing team in the No. 98 BMW M4 GT4 G82, while Charlie Postins earned another Top 3 qualifying result for the No. 36 BimmerWorld machine. 

Let’s Get Racing

The Pirelli GT4 America field will return to the track for Race 1 on Saturday, July 20th at 5:00 PM ET. 

If you can’t make it to VIR, 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 #GTVIR.