Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti has not had a successful season, but the excitement was palpable as Filipe Albuquerque secured pole position for today’s race. Albuquerque expressed his love for the sport and his desire to win, emphasizing the dedication and sacrifices required. He believes in celebrating even the small victories as they provide motivation for future challenges. While pole position may not hold much significance, Albuquerque remains happy and determined to continue working hard. WTRAndretti Acura ARX-06s will also start on the front row, adding to the team’s celebration. Albuquerque’s impressive quarter-second lead over teammate Jordan Taylor further highlights his skill and passion for qualifying.
PJ Hyett, on the other hand, has faced challenges in converting his pole starts into victories for the No. 99 AO Racing ORECA in the LMP2 category. Start penalties in previous races have hindered his progress, but he is determined to avoid penalties this time. Hyett acknowledges the difficulties of starting in LMP2, particularly when dealing with the GTPs on cold tires. His focus is on avoiding mistakes, staying out of trouble, and maintaining a front position throughout the race.
Road America has yet to release attendance figures, but the crowd for the IMSA SportsCar Weekend appears to be larger than last year’s record-breaking attendance. The No. 24 BMW M Team RLL M Hybrid V8 had a significant incident when Jesse Krohn slid off the track in The Kink. Although he managed to avoid contact with the wall, the rough ride through the grass led to his evaluation at the infield care center. The team missed qualifying while repairing the rear end of the car.
Teams in the GTP and LMP2 categories have three sets of hard-compound Michelin tires for qualifying and the race, out of a total allocation of six sets. GTD PRO and GTD teams also have a maximum of six sets of tires for the entire weekend. The minimum drive time for LMP2 is 60 minutes, while GTD requires a minimum of 45 minutes. GTP and GTD PRO have a minimum drive time of 10 minutes.
Photo from Filipe Albuquerque Instagram
