Blackstock, Hindman Duo Grab Both Overall GT World Challenge America Poles at VIR

Blackstock, Hindman Duo Grab Both Overall GT World Challenge America Poles at VIR

ALTON, Virginia – The Racers Edge Motorsports team of Shelby Blackstock and Trent Hindman scored both overall and Silver Division GT World Challenge America powered by AWS Series poles for Rounds 3 and 4 of the 2020 championships at VIRginia International Raceway. 

Blackstock will start up front for Round 3, while his teammate will lead the field to the green for Round 4. Winward Racing's Kris Wilson will start second overall and on the Pro/Am pole in Round 3, while Wright Motorsports' Fred Poordad will start third overall, and first in the Am division. For Round 4, DXDT Racing's Colin Braun will start second overall and first in Pro/Am, while Poordad's teammate Max Root will start fourth overall and first in Am.

Saturday morning's 30-minute session, held under sunny 76-degree Fahrenheit conditions, was split into two 15 minute segments with drivers from each team qualifying either in the first heat for Round 3 or the second heat for Round 4.

Early on in the first segment, Pro/Am driver Martin Barkey in the #80 Racers Edge Motorsports Acura NSX GT3 went to the top with a 1:49.115. In the Am division, Poordad in the #20 Porsche 911 GT3 R set an early fast time of 1:53.816, while Blackstock in the #93 Racers Edge Motorsports Acura NSX GT3 posted a 1:50.043 good for second overall at the time.

Poordad then went to the top of the charts with a 1:49.068, but Blackstock eclipsed it with a 1:46.513 shortly after.

On their last flying laps of the session, Blackstock (1:46.237), Wilson in the #33 Mercedes-AMG GT3 (1:46.365) and Poordad (1:46.506) posted their fast times to solidify their grid positions.

Segment two saw a flurry of fast times being set. Early on, Braun, in the #04 Mercedes-AMG GT3, posted a 1:45.244 to top the charts. His DXDT Racing teammate Ryan Dalziel in the #63 Mercedes-AMG GT3 then posted a faster time of 1:44.662. Braun then fired back with a 1:44.525.

Root, who took over for Poordad for the second segment behind the wheel of the #20 Porsche 911 GT3 R then blasted to the top with a 1:44.297. Braun again fired back and into the top with a 1:44.207. 

Root then improved to a 1:44.284, good for the Am pole and fourth overall on the grid.

Hindman, who was now behind the wheel of the #93 Racers Edge Motorsports Acura NSX GT3, secured the overall and Silver Division pole with a 1:43.938. Braun and Dalziel then posted 1:44.075 and 1:44.128 fast laps for second and third overall on the grid, first and second in Pro/Am.

Results are provisional until posted final. GT World Challenge America powered by AWS Series teams and competitors now get set for Saturday afternoon's Race 1 scheduled for a green flag start of 1:45pm local time. Watch the race live on youtube.com/GTWorld, and catch Sunday's recap and live Race 2 coverage on CBS Sports Network.

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QUAL GROUP 1 PROVISIONAL RESULTS - PDF Link

QUAL GROUP 2 PROVISIONAL RESULTS - PDF Link