The Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R will start tomorrow’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Sportscar weekend at Road America from the pole position.
Felipe Nasr had the controls of the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R for the 15-minute qualifying session this afternoon. The Action Express Racing team had to change the No. 31 Cadillac over to a wet setup for the Brazilian for the run. A steady sprinkle of rain covered the 4-mile, 14-turn circuit making it tricky for the DPi field. Nasr posted a time of 2:07.919 that was good for pole position for tomorrow’s two-hour-and-forty-minute race that takes the green at 1:40 p.m. CT. He and teammate Pipo Derani will pace the field to the green.
“It was awesome,” Nasr said. “Rain conditions, just how I like it (laughing). I don’t think we have had a wet qualifying session for some time. This track is very tricky. We managed to put a lap together. I was able to get some clear laps and get the peak tire performance for that one lap. The 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac felt pretty good. It is always great to be up front. I couldn’t be happier for the team.”
Kevin Magnussen drove the No. 01 V Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R to a second row starting position in fourth with a time of 2:09.194. Magnussen and teammate Renger van der Zande are looking for a second win on the season.
“It’s hard to be satisfied when you qualify fourth,” Magnussen said. “The rain was pretty consistent in the session. The race is tomorrow. Usually we have good race pace compared to qualifying, so that is what we are hoping. We will try to drive a good race with good strategy tomorrow.”
The No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R was piloted by Tristan Vautier in the rainy qualifying session. The Frenchman posted a time of 2:10.497 that will have him starting fifth. He and teammate Loic Duval had a fast car in the morning session, ending that practice in third.
Cadillac IMSA Road America Qualifying Results:
1. No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R, Felipe Nasr, Pipo Derani, 2:07.919
4. No. 01 V Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R, Renger van der Zande, Kevin Magnussen, 2:09.194
5. No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R, Tristan Vautier, Loic Duval, 2:10.497
Source. Kyle Chura/Cadillac Racing
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