Hindman/Blackstock take Acura NSX GT3 to Top of GT World Challenge America Charts in Second Practice in Indy

Hindman/Blackstock take Acura NSX GT3 to Top of GT World Challenge America Charts in Second Practice in Indy

Indianapolis, Ind. - The driver team of Trent Hindman and Shelby Blackstock topped the charts in the second GT World Challenge America powered by AWS Series practice session at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, early Saturday morning. Patrick Gallagher took his Aston Martin Vantage to the top of the GT4 charts. 

Held under cloudy and cool conditions (48-degrees Fahrenheit), the 90-minute session saw all 22-cars, piloted by some of the world's top international GT and GT4 drivers, take to the 2.439 mile, 14-turn road course circuit for the combined GT World Challenge America, Indianapolis 8 Hour practice.

Early on, drivers worked, because of cool weather conditions, to bring tires up to their optimal operating range. Italian Alessandro Balzan went to the top in the opening minutes with a 1:25.445 in the Squadra Corse #1 Ferrari 488 GT3. A couple of laps later he went quicker to 1:24.443. American Hindman, behind the wheel of the #93 Acura-Honda NSX GT3 Evo, slotted into second early on with a 1:25.756. Ben Keating, in the DXDT Racing's #04 Mercedes-AMG GT3 then went to the top with a 1:24.351. Balzan and Hindman then traded the top spot, Balzan posted a 1:24.257, and was bested by Hindman (1:23.425).
 
Balzan passed the reins to Fuentes from Mexico who closed the gap with a 1:23.904. With under 20 minutes remaining in the session, Blackstock who took over from Hindman then rocketed to second overall on the charts and solidified the top GT World Challenge time with a 1:22.891. Hindman jumped back in the seat of the #93 machine for a few laps before the checkered, and impressively topped the overall GT World Challenge America and Indianapolis 8 Hour charts with a 1:22.736.

In the GT4 class, Tim Barber in the #25 CCR Team TFB BMW M4 GT4 posted the early fast time with a 1:32.333. Then Jonathan Taylor in the #33 Notlad Racing by RS1 Aston Martin Vantage GT4 went to the top with a 1:31.239, followed by Bill Auberlen in the #82 Bimmerworld BMW M4 GT4 (1:31.467). Auberlen then bested the field momentarily with a 1:31.114, only to have Andrew Davis in the #2 GMG Racing Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS MR move to the top (1:31.069). Near the end of the session, Patrick Gallagher, now behind the wheel of the #33 machine posted the quickest GT4 time of the session with a 1:30.305.

Drivers now get set for Saturday's qualifying sessions to determine the grid for Sunday's final race of the 2020 season as well as the Indianapolis 8 Hour lineup. Qualifying is scheduled to go green at 12:10 pm Eastern. Follow all of the action at www.gt-world-challenge-america.com.

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