Qualifying report
IMSA Road America
IMSA Road America: Derani puts Cadillac on pole
The Cadillac domination we saw in practice continued into qualifying with Pipo Derani taking pole position in the No. 31 Action Express Cadillac.
Nick DeGroot
Edited: Aug 5, 2023, 9:31 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Derani lapped the newly repaved Road America course in 1:47.730s, earning pole position for the first time since Sebring.
It looked like it could be a front row lockout for Cadillac with Sebastien Bourdais trailing Derani for some time, but Matt Campbell would make a late push for pole that very nearly succeeded.
The No. 7 Penske Motorsport Porsche ended up second, just 0.068s off pole. Bourdais was third in the No. 01 Ganassi Cadillac.
"We used the second half of qualifying to try and get one set ready for the race," said Derani after qualifying. "Obviously, we went out there with not a big amount of time to go. So we were just trying to be safe if we had to do another lap. If not, just prepare the tires for the race.
"The V-Series has been perfect today. It's been perfect the whole week. I'm very happy to be able to put the lap. Everyone involved has done a fantastic job so far this year. Just have to thank those guys for the hard work. Honestly, it's not done yet. Qualifying doesn't mean much, but for a few points that could count in the end. But it's always good to start ahead."
#31 Whelen Engineering Racing Cadillac V-LMDh Cadillac V- LMDh: Pipo Derani, Alexander Sims
Photo by: Jake Galstad / Motorsport Images
In LMP2, the No. 04 Crowdstrike Racing by APR ORECA surged to the top of the charts with George Kurtz lapping the course in 1:53.621s. The championship leaders claimed pole position, beating the No. 8 Tower Motorsports ORECA of Rodrigo Sales by 0.508s.
LMP3 wasn't even a competition, with Nico Pino's pole time of 1:57.930 being nearly one-second clear of his closest competitor. The No. 33 Sean Creech Motorsport Ligier was 0.930s ahead of Bijoy Garg in the No. 29 Jr III Racing Ligier.
Pino made the highlight reel, not just for earning pole position, but for catching air after running wide at the exit of Turn 1. He escaped the dramatic moment unscathed, and continued on without any further issues.
GTD Pro driver Alex Riberas and the Heart of Racing team led the entire GT field, taking pole position in their No. 23 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 entry. Fresh off their first win of the year at Lime Rock, he earned the team its second consecutive pole with a 2:02.918s lap.
Daniel Juncadella in the No. 79 WeatherTech Racing Mercedes AMG GT3 will join him on the front row, just 0.057s back of the pole time.
Looking at the non-pro GTD runners, Madison Snow placed the championship-leading No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 on pole for the first time this year. Brendan Iribe put in a valiant effort, getting the No. 70 Inception Racing McLaren 720S GT3 EVO onto the front row and just missing out on pole by 0.091s.
Cla Drivers # Chassis Time Interval km/h 1 
PIPO DERANI
ALEXANDER SIMSWhelen Engineering Cadillac Racing 31 Cadillac V-Series.R 1'47.730 135.272 2 
MATT CAMPBELLFELIPE NASRPorsche Penske Motorsport 7 Porsche 963 +0.068 0.068 135.186 3 
SÉBASTIEN BOURDAIS
RENGER VAN DER ZANDECadillac Racing 01 Cadillac V-Series.R +0.306 0.238 134.888 4 
RICKY TAYLOR
FILIPE ALBUQUERQUEKonica Minolta Acura ARX-06 10 Acura ARX-06 +0.426 0.120 134.739 5 CONNOR DE PHILLIPPINICK YELLOLYBMW M Team RLL 25 BMW M Hybrid V8 +0.489 0.063 134.660 6 TOM BLOMQVISTCOLIN BRAUNMeyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian 60 Acura ARX-06 +0.498 0.009 134.649 7 NICK TANDYMATHIEU JAMINETPorsche Penske Motorsport 6 Porsche 963 +0.825 0.327 134.243 8 
PHILIPP ENGAUGUSTO FARFUSBMW M Team RLL 24 BMW M Hybrid V8 +1.140 0.315 133.855 9 TIJMEN VAN DER HELM
MIKE ROCKENFELLERJDC/Miller Motorsports 5 Porsche 963 +1.482 0.342 133.436 10 HARRY TINCKNELL
GIANMARIA BRUNIProton Competition 59 Porsche 963 +2.239 0.757 132.517 11 GEORGE KURTZBEN HANLEYCrowdstrike Racing by APR 04 ORECA LMP2 07 +5.891 3.652 128.258 12 RODRIGO SALES
LOUIS DELETRAZTower Motorsports 8 ORECA LMP2 07 +6.399 0.508 127.687 13 STEVEN THOMAS
MIKKEL JENSENTDS Racing 11 ORECA LMP2 07 +6.566 0.167 127.501 14 BEN KEATINGPAUL-LOUP CHATINPR1 Mathiasen Motorsports 52 ORECA LMP2 07 +7.055 0.489 126.957 15 DWIGHT MERRIMANRYAN DALZIELEra Motorsport 18 ORECA LMP2 07 +7.140 0.085 126.863 16 DENNIS ANDERSEN
ED JONESHigh Class Racing 20 ORECA LMP2 07 +7.912 0.772 126.016 17 JOHN FALBGIEDO VAN DER GARDETDS Racing 35 ORECA LMP2 07 +9.396 1.484 124.420 18 LANCE WILLSEYJOAO BARBOSASean Creech Motorsport 33 Ligier JS P320 +10.200 0.804 123.572 19
BIJOY GARG
LINUS LUNDQVISTJr III Racing 29 Ligier JS P320 +11.130 0.930 122.605 20 GAR ROBINSONJOSH BURDONRiley 74 Ligier JS P320 +11.494 0.364 122.230 21 
OREY FIDANIMATTHEW BELLAWA 13 Duqueine D08 +11.521 0.027 122.203 22
SETH LUCAS
TONIS KASEMETSAve Motorsports 4 Ligier JS P320 +12.879 1.358 120.827 23 ARI BALOGHGARETT GRISTJr III Racing 30 Ligier JS P320 +12.888 0.009 120.818 24 ANTHONY MANTELLAWAYNE BOYDAWA 17 Duqueine D08 +13.858 0.970 119.854 25
GERRY KRAUT
SCOTT ANDREWSJDC/Miller Motorsports 85 Duqueine D08 +14.177 0.319 119.540 26 ROSS GUNN
ALEX RIBERASHeart Of Racing Team 23 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 +15.188 1.011 118.557 27 DANIEL JUNCADELLAJULES GOUNONWeatherTech Racing 79 Mercedes AMG GT3 +15.245 0.057 118.502 28 ANTONIO GARCIAJORDAN TAYLORCorvette Racing 3 Corvette C8.R GTD +15.413 0.168 118.340 29 BRYAN SELLERSMADISON SNOWPaul Miller Racing 1 BMW M4 GT3 +15.561 0.148 118.198 30 JACK HAWKSWORTHBEN BARNICOATVasser Sullivan 14 Lexus RC F GT3 +15.624 0.063 118.138 31 BRENDAN IRIBEFREDERIK SCHANDORFFInception Racing 70 McLaren 720S GT3 EVO +15.652 0.028 118.111 32 KLAUS BACHLERPATRICK PILETPfaff Motorsports 9 Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) +15.904 0.252 117.870 33 FRANKIE MONTECALVOAARON TELITZVasser Sullivan 12 Lexus RC F GT3 +16.220 0.316 117.570 34 MIKE SKEENMIKAEL GRENIERTeam Korthoff Motorsports 32 Mercedes AMG GT3 +16.592 0.372 117.218 35 ROMAN DE ANGELISMARCO SORENSENHeart Of Racing Team 27 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 +16.667 0.075 117.148 36 MIKHAIL GOIKHBERGLORIS SPINELLIForte Racing Powered by USRT 78 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 +16.689 0.022 117.127 37 PATRICK GALLAGHERROBBY FOLEYTurner Motorsport 96 BMW M4 GT3 +16.700 0.011 117.116 38 BILL AUBERLENCHANDLER HULLTurner Motorsport 97 BMW M4 GT3 +16.995 0.295 116.839 39 RUSSELL WARDPHILIP ELLISWinward Racing 57 Mercedes AMG GT3 +17.150 0.155 116.694 40
SHEENA MONK
KATHERINE LEGGEGradient Racing 66 Acura NSX GT3 +17.751 0.601 116.136 41 MARIO FARNBACHERASHTON HARRISONRacers Edge Motorsports with WTR 93 Acura NSX GT3 +17.882 0.131 116.014 42
ALAN METNI
KAY VAN BERLOKellymoss with Riley 91 Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) +18.766 0.884 115.204 43 PJ HYETT
SEB PRIAULXAO Racing
80 Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) +19.046 0.280 114.949 44 ALAN BRYNJOLFSSONTRENT HINDMANWright Motorsports 77 Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) +19.642 0.596 114.411 45 DAVID BRULEALEC UDELLKellymoss with Riley 92 Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) +20.271 0.629 113.849
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article IMSA Road America: Cadillacs dominate practice
Next article IMSA Road America: Penske Porsche takes victory
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Nick DeGroot
Nick Sanchez will compete for 2027 NASCAR Truck title with McAnally-Hilgemann
NASCAR Truck
NASCAR Truck
Homestead
1 d
Nick Sanchez will compete for 2027 NASCAR Truck title with McAnally-Hilgemann
Austin Cindric wins Ford Veterans Day Classic at Daytona
General
General 1 d
Austin Cindric wins Ford Veterans Day Classic at Daytona
9/11 after 25 years: How NASCAR went back racing following September 11 attacks
Feature
NASCAR Cup
Feature
NASCAR Cup 2 mo
9/11 after 25 years: How NASCAR went back racing following September 11 attacks
Latest news
“I was getting beat up” – How Daniel Ricciardo burned out on ‘humiliating’ F1 return
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1 2 h
“I was getting beat up” – How Daniel Ricciardo burned out on ‘humiliating’ F1 return
Myers Riley Motorsports adds Andretti alongside returning Fraga for 2027 IMSA GTD campaign
IMSA
IMSA IMSA 2 h
Myers Riley Motorsports adds Andretti alongside returning Fraga for 2027 IMSA GTD campaign
Las Vegas GP reveals neon sign-inspired trophy design
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Las Vegas GP
3 h
Las Vegas GP reveals neon sign-inspired trophy design
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe