- PRO-AM Braun, Kurtz Fasest in Practice One
- PRO Harrison, Farnbacher Top PRO Class
- Results
Overcast skies turned sunny for the Fanatec GT World Challenge powered by AWS Practice One session. The premier GT racing series in North America took to the 3.425-mile, 20-turn circuit to shake down their respective machinery in preparation for the qualifying and two-race sessions that await Saturday and Sunday. The series of 17 entries brought the top manufacturers in North America to the grid for an hour-long session.
PRO Class
Ashton Harrison and Mario Farnbacher had a quiet NOLA Motorsports Park result-wise, but they are back up and running. The No. 93 Racers Edge Motorsports Acura NSX GT3 was sixth in fastest overall in Practice One but first in the PRO Class. The duo laid down a 2:04.891 lap time to set the pace for their competitors.
Alessandro Balzan and teammate Manny Franco in the No. 21 Conquest Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 were second fastest in the class, with a best lap of 2:05.117. Seth Lucas and Trenton Estep in the No. 53 MDK Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R sat ninth in the session and third in the class with a 2:05.193 lap. Chandler Hull and Bill Auberlen worked to set up the No. 94 BimmerWorld BMW M4 GT3 setting a best lap of 2:05.468 while in motion. To cap off the field the No. 28 RS1 Porsche 911 GT3 R of Steven McAleer and Eric Filgueiras turned a 2:05.939 best lap time.
PRO-AM Class
The PRO-AM Class proved to be fastest with Colin Braun and George Kurtz topping the session overall with a best lap time of 2:03.956 in the No. 04 CrowdStrike by Riley Mercedes-AMG GT3. Charlie Luck and Jan Heylen in the No. 45 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R showed pace with a 2:04.348 in second overall. They were followed closely by teammates Adam Adelson and Elliot Skeer in the No. 120 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R who had a best lap of 2:04.440.
Justin Wetherill and Ryan Dalziel in the No. 33 Triarsi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3 broke into the mix with a 2:04.576 lap time. Rounding out the top five was Scott Smithson and Brian Sellers in the No. 33 DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 who despite having a lap time removed due to a track limit violation still had a time fast enough to put them at the front of the field with a 2:04.766.
AM Class
Anthony Bartone and Andy Pilgrim of No. 43 RealTime Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 continue designing Bartone’s future in the Am Class. They turned a 2:07.381.
LET’S GO
The final practice of the day for the Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS series takes place today, Friday, May 19 at 3:15 p.m. The drivers and teams use the final practice to setup their machinery ahead of the qualifying and race sessions Saturday, May 20.