IMSA Lime Rock: Heart of Racing Aston and Korthoff Mercedes claim poles

The Northeast Grand Prix will feature the entire GT field, but no prototypes at the tight Connecticut road course.

The 15-minute qualifying session was frantic with traffic becoming an issue for several drivers.

Antonio Garcia in the Corvette C8.R was aggressive from the get-go, and the GTD Pro driver asserted himself with an early time good enough to top the charts. He was the first driver under the 51-second bracket as the track record was swiftly broken.

However, he would not be the last as several others began to put down impressive lap times. Both Jack Hawksworth in the Lexus No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 and Ross Gunn in the Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 would eclipse him. Gunn ended up fastest of all with a 50.593s lap, almost two tenths clear of the championship-leading Lexus..

It was Gunn's second career IMSA pole.

#32 Team Korthoff Motorsports Mercedes AMG GT3: Mike Skeen, Mikael Grenier (Photo by: Jake Galstad / Motorsport Images)

Mike Skeen topped the GTD runners, trailing just behind the five Pro entries. His fast lap was 51.157s, but the No. 70 Inception Racing McLaren 720S GT3 EVO of Frederik Schandorff got within 0.007s of the pole-sitting No. 32 Korthoff Motorsports Mercedes AMG GT3.

You'd have to go deep down the order to find the GTD points leader with the No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 set to start 14th overall in Saturday's 20-car field.

Although there were no crashes, there was a minor incident in Turn 1 as the No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 of Patrick Gallagher was forced to utilize the run-off at Turn 1

The No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R also had a bit of a moment over the curbs through the chicane, but Patrick Pilet managed to keep the car on course.

Cla	Drivers	#	Class	Chassis	Laps	Time	Interval	km/h
1	ROSS GUNNALEX RIBERASHeart Of Racing Team	23	GTD PRO	Aston Martin Vantage GT3	9	50.593		105.169
2	JACK HAWKSWORTHBEN BARNICOATVasser Sullivan	14	GTD PRO	Lexus RC F GT3	9	+0.191	0.191	104.773
3	ANTONIO GARCIAJORDAN TAYLORCorvette Racing	3	GTD PRO	Corvette C8.R GTD	12	+0.304	0.113	104.541
4	DANIEL JUNCADELLAJULES GOUNONWeatherTech Racing	79	GTD PRO	Mercedes AMG GT3	10	+0.339	0.035	104.469
5	KLAUS BACHLERPATRICK PILETPfaff Motorsports	9	GTD PRO	Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	10	+0.481	0.142	104.178
6	MIKE SKEENMIKAEL GRENIERTeam Korthoff Motorsports	32	GTD	Mercedes AMG GT3	7	+0.564	0.083	104.009
7	BRENDAN IRIBEFREDERIK SCHANDORFFInception Racing	70	GTD	McLaren 720S GT3 EVO	11	+0.571	0.007	103.995
8	MIKHAIL GOIKHBERGLORIS SPINELLIForte Racing Powered by USRT	78	GTD	Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2	11	+0.591	0.020	103.954
9	ROMAN DE ANGELISMARCO SORENSENHeart Of Racing Team	27	GTD	Aston Martin Vantage GT3	8	+0.690	0.099	103.754
10	FRANKIE MONTECALVOAARON TELITZVasser Sullivan	12	GTD	Lexus RC F GT3	9	+0.807	0.117	103.518
11	PATRICK GALLAGHERROBBY FOLEYTurner Motorsport	96	GTD	BMW M4 GT3	10	+0.826	0.019	103.479
12	BILL AUBERLENCHANDLER HULLTurner Motorsport	97	GTD	BMW M4 GT3	11	+0.876	0.050	103.379
13	ALEC UDELLJULIEN ANDLAUERKellymoss with Riley	92	GTD	Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	17	+0.883	0.007	103.365
14	BRYAN SELLERSMADISON SNOWPaul Miller Racing	1	GTD	BMW M4 GT3	9	+1.050	0.167	103.030
15	RUSSELL WARDPHILIP ELLISWinward Racing	57	GTD	Mercedes AMG GT3	12	+1.165	0.115	102.801
16	PJ HYETT SEB PRIAULXAO Racing	80	GTD	Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	10	+1.241	0.076	102.651
17	JARETT ANDRETTIGABBY CHAVESAndretti Autosport	94	GTD	Aston Martin Vantage GT3	14	+1.437	0.196	102.264
18	ALAN METNI KAY VAN BERLOKellymoss with Riley	91	GTD	Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	16	+1.458	0.021	102.223
19	ALAN BRYNJOLFSSONTRENT HINDMANWright Motorsports	77	GTD	Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	13	+1.502	0.044	102.136
20	SHEENA MONK KATHERINE LEGGEGradient Racing	66	GTD	Acura NSX GT3	16	+2.039	0.537	101.094