USC – The Michael Shank Racing Ligier-Honda on pole at Daytona

Best time in the first two free practice sessions, the Michael Shank Racing Ligier JS P2-Honda confirmed this evening in qualifying. At the wheel of the coupe designed by OnRoak Automotive and adorned with the number 60, Ozwaldo Negri Jr completed a lap of the Florida circuit in 1'39"194. The Brazilian, who shares the wheel with John Pew, Matt McMurry and AJ Allmendinger, narrowly beat the two Riley-Fords of Chip Ganassi Racing, the New Zealander Scott Dixon and the American Scott Pruett respectively conceding only 0 "108 and 0 »115 to their rival.

The surprise comes from the fifth time of the DeltaWing DWC13, at the wheel of which Andy Meyrick set an astonishing 1'39"625. The Briton will therefore place himself on Saturday in the wake of the reigning champion, the Portuguese Joao Barbosa (Corvette DP n°5 of Action Express Racing), credited with a 1'39"568. As a reminder, the latter has as teammates the Brazilian Christian Fittipladi and the Manceau Sébastien Bourdais. We will have to reckon with the outgoing winners this weekend.

Olivier Pla (+0 »489), from Toulouse, aboard the Krohn Racing Ligier JS P2-Judd, set the sixth fastest time. Finally, note that the first seven are grouped into less than seven tenths.

Oliver Gavin gives Corvette the best qualifying time in GTLM. The Briton, credited with a time of 1'43"488, was 0"342 ahead of Ferrari n°51 by Gianmaria Bruni and 0 »472Aston Martin Vantage n°98 de Pedro Lamy. Si neuf des dix concurrents de la catégorie sont dans la même seconde, Porsche est à la peine. Les trois 911 RSR ferment en effet la marche. Il reste encore deux séances d’essais libres à Mako, Pilet et consorts pour trouver les raisons de la méforme des bolides de Stuttgart.

At the end of a duel that lasted the entire session with Colin Braun (No. 09 Core Autosport Oreca 54 FLM), Johnny Mowlem for his part took his No. 09 BAR16 Motorsports Oreca 1 FLM to the top of the hierarchy. of the LM PC, thanks to a time of 1'42"318. Tom Kimber-Smith (Oreca 09 FLM n°52 of PR1 Mathiasen) completes the top three in the category.

In GTD, we long believed in a pole position for the No. 33 SRT Viper GTS-R, but the Dutchman Jeroen Bleekemolen was pipped to the post by the No. 007 Aston Martin at the wheel of which the Australian James Davison completed a lap in 1'47"272.

Before the start of the race, Saturday at 20:10 p.m. French time, competitors will be able to sharpen their weapons during the last two free practice sessions, this evening and tomorrow.