The first-ever GTP qualifying session saw the two Acuras on track immediately for a 20-minute session as the others held back just a little.
Ricky Taylor was the first driver up to speed, a 1:34.783 for the #10 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosports Acura ARX06.
That was followed up with a 1:34.295 by Taylor, by far the fastest lap of the weekend thus far.
Tom Blomqvist meanwhile pitted for new tyres, still in the 1:36s in the 360 MSR Acura as the remaining cars (bar the #01 Cadillac) took to the track.
Taylor meanwhile was down to a 1:34.198 in the still session-leading #10 – 9 minutes remaining.
Both Porsches took up the pace chase with Felipe Nasr in the #7 and Nick Tandy in the 36 within 2 and 3 tenths of Taylor respectively before a big off for Nick Tandy in the #6 at the Bus Stop, left front damage but the Englishman bringing the car back as the Red Flags were deployed for the debris.
It would be session over for the car, and with the times lost for causing the red flags, this after Ben Keating had reported after the LMP2 session that the switch from a 10mph headwind to a 20 mph tailwind had caused problems for lost downforce at the same point on the circuit.
Already up to third fastest in the session though had come Alex Lynn in the #02 Cadillac.
The session would go back to green with two and a half minutes remaining the #01 Cadillac in the hands of Sebastian Bourdais without a time having left the pits for the first time just before the red flags.
It would come down to a single flying lap for the remaining field, Nasr edging back Taylor with a 1:34.114 for just a few seconds before being bounced out of the first-ever GTP pole position by a flying Tom Blomqvist in the #60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura – 1:34.031 – three thousandths faster than last years pole position.
Taylor would end the session third with Sebastien Bourdais pulling out a stunner too, fourth fastest on his one and only flyer, just two tenths off pole in a speed across the class covered by 8 tenths.
“I’m so relieved right now and we have to attribute a result like this to HPD, Acura, all the engineers, mechanics and folks at MSR and of course our badass driver Tom (Blomqvist),” said MSR co-owner Mike Shank who captured Rolex 24 Hour overall victories in 2012 and 2022. “To have one lap to do it, we thought we were screwed when the red came out. He’s (Tom Blomqvist) a rock star, and we love having him on board. Winning the pole for this event really matters, we have high stakes in this event.
“Winning pole really matters especially when you have high stakes, OEM racing like this,” continued Shank. “We need to come out here and prove ourselves. We have a lot to do before we get to next weekend, but we know this affirms all the work that David (Salters), Kelvin Fu and all the folks have put in. It’s amazing. This gives me more joy than I felt in a long time. I am really happy.”
It was the fourth career pole for Blomqvist in IMSA’s top class.
“That was a bit wild,” Blomqvist. “I knew I had a good car, but I had no point of reference and had to wing it a bit. If it was under me I knew I had the car to do it, but the tires weren’t even up to temperature. I just had to lick the stamp and send it. MSR, Honda Acura, and Oreca, everyone built a fantastic car. It’s really promising for next weekend, but there are 24 hours of racing before we can set our sights on being up here for another year. I had a lot of confidence here after last year, and the team put a lot of faith in me.”
