Jack Hawksworth became the first IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship driver to win four Motul Pole Awards this season as he put his #15 3GT Racing Lexus RC F GT3 on the pole in the GT Daytona (GTD) class for tomorrow’s Michelin GT Challenge at VIRginia International Raceway.
Hawksworth earlier won poles this year at Mid-Ohio and then on consecutive weekends at Watkins Glen and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
Rain started to fall halfway through the session, and it turned into a downpour with about two minutes remaining. Hawksworth was able to post his time of 1m:44.107s (113.075 mph) before the heavy rain fell.
“In these conditions, anything can happen,” Hawksworth said. “In the rain, it’s a little bit of a lottery. Maybe it’s good, maybe it’s not. I’d rather it be dry, to be honest with you. It started to spit with rain, that’s when I thought I should push a little bit more. I managed to get a good lap in there and then it started raining halfway through my next lap, luckily enough it was fast enough for the pole.”
Jeroen Bleekemolen, in the#33 Mercedes-AMG GT3 was second at 1m:44.323s (112.841 mph) while Bill Auberlen was third posting a time of 1m:44.360s (112.801 mph) in his #96 Turner Motorsport BMW M6 GT3.
Madison Snow, who along with co-driver Bryan Sellers, lead the GTD points, qualified fifth in their #48 Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 with a time of 1m:44.626s (112.541 mph).