DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – In a nail-biting finish to qualifying for the 63rd Rolex 24 at Daytona, Dries Vanthoor delivered a sensational lap to secure pole position for BMW M Team RLL, marking the first-ever IMSA pole for the BMW M Hybrid V8 in the GTP class.
With icy conditions at Daytona International Speedway and a chaotic six-minute sprint after a red flag, Vanthoor clocked an electrifying 1m33.895s in his final attempt, snatching pole from Acura’s Nick Yelloly and showcasing why he’s one of the brightest stars in endurance racing.
GTP: Vanthoor leads as chaos reigns
The red flag, caused by Sheldon van der Linde’s No. 25 BMW stopping on his out-lap, compressed the field and set the stage for a dramatic finale. Tom Blomqvist in the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura seemed poised for pole but was thwarted by contact with Mirko Bortolotti’s No. 63 Lamborghini, leaving Blomqvist sixth.
Yelloly secured a front-row start for Acura with a 1m34.186s, followed closely by reigning GTP champion Felipe Nasr in the No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963. Cadillac’s Jack Aitken ensured four manufacturers occupied the top four positions with an impressive run in the No. 31 Whelen Engineering entry.
LMP2: Goldburg dethrones Keating
Daniel Goldburg ended Ben Keating’s five-year dominance in LMP2 qualifying with a stellar 1m38.690s lap in the No. 22 United Autosports ORECA 07. Keating, driving the No. 52 PR1 Mathiasen car, settled for second, three-tenths behind. A late spin by PJ Hyett in the No. 99 disrupted proceedings, elevating Nick Boulle to third in class.
GTD PRO: Ford Mustang GT3 locks out front row
Ford Multimatic Motorsports made a commanding statement in GTD PRO as Mike Rockenfeller piloted the No. 64 Ford Mustang GT3 to its maiden pole with a 1m45.523s lap. Frederic Vervisch completed a Ford 1-2, while BMW’s Dan Harper placed third in the No. 48 Paul Miller Racing M4 GT3 EVO.
GTD: Elliott Skeer edges fierce competition
In the ultra-competitive GTD class, Elliott Skeer grabbed his first career IMSA pole for Wright Motorsports, setting a 1m46.634s in the No. 120 Porsche. He narrowly held off reigning champion Philip Ellis in the No. 57 Winward Mercedes-AMG and Trent Hindman in the No. 45 Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini, with just 0.024 seconds separating the top three qualifiers.
What’s next?
The stage is set for one of endurance racing’s most iconic battles, as the Rolex 24 kicks off with a stacked field and multiple manufacturers vying for glory. With dramatic qualifying sessions hinting at intense on-track action, all eyes are on Daytona to see who will emerge victorious.
