PJ Hyett Pilots "Spike" to CTMP Pole

Words by Matthew Boyce

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PJ Hyett claimed his third consecutive LMP2 class pole Saturday posting the fastest time in a red-flag-filled qualifying session for Sunday's Chevrolet Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Hyett's time of 1:09.582 was good enough to secure the pole 0.090 seconds ahead of the No. 22 United Autosports Racing Oreca 07 Gibson of Daniel Goldburg.

The first red flag of the session came at the hands of Dennis Anderson in the No. 20 MDK by High Class Racing entry. After cleanup, and the green flag flew again, both Hyett and Goldburg set their quick times in the session before the second red flag flew. At turn three, Luis Perez Companc crashed the No. 88 AF Corse Oreca bringing out the red flag and ending the session. With only a minute left, teams and drivers were unable to improve on their times set, handing the pole to Hyett. Gar Robinson drove his No. 74 Riley Oreca to third place on the grid alongside Nick Boulle in the No. 52 Inter Europol by PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports Oreca. Steven Thomas rounded out the top five in the No. 11 TDS Racing Oreca.

Jake Galstad/IMSA

With the GTP class off this weekend, the LMP2 class is the headline class of the weekend. Four GTP regulars are taking part in this weekends race, sharing driving duties in four different LMP2 class cars. Louis Deletraz, who will share the No. 99 AO Racing Oreca 07 Gibson with pole sitter PJ Hyett, is the highest starting GTP regular in the field. Felipe Albuquerque will share the No. 22 United Autosports entry with Daniel Goldburg, who qualified in second. Renger van de Zande and Pipo Derani will also contest tomorrow's race in Canada.

Sims, Montecalvo Secure GT Class Poles

Jake Galstad/IMSA

Alexander Sims, driving the No. 3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R, secured the GTD-Pro class pole position while the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 of Frankie Montecalvo claimed the pole in the GTD class. Sims' fast lap of 1:14.373 was three tenths clear of the No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus of Jack Hawksworth. Montecalvo will line up third overall, just ahead of the No. 4 Corvette of Tommy Milner.

Breaking the Corvette and Lexus stranglehold on the top five was the No. 64 Ford Mustang GT3 of Harry Tincknell just ahead of the No. 1 Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 driven by Madison Snow. In all, the top ten combined times in both GT classes were seperated by less than a second.

The Chevrolet Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park kicks off Sunday morning at 11:05 AM EDT.