Johnson Quickest in Opening Daytona Practice
Ford, Porsche headline top five as practice for Michelin Pilot Challenge opener kicks off at Daytona...
Photo: Jake Galstad/IMSA
Billy Johnson set the fastest time in opening practice for the BMW M Endurance Challenge at Daytona, the opening round of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season.
Johnson steered the No. 59 KohR Motorsports Ford Mustang GT4 to a best lap of 1:53.153, outpacing the No. 28 RS1 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS CS of Luca Mars by 0.109 seconds.
Morgan Burkhard went third fastest in the No 67 Czabok-Simpson Motorsport Porsche, ahead of KohR’s second Ford in the hands of Marco Signoretti.
Gregory Liefooghe made it three Fords in the top five behind the wheel of the No. 19 Stephen Cameron Racing entry, ahead of the fastest McLaren, Accelerating Performance’s No. 44 Artura GT4 of Michael Cooper, in sixth.
McCumbee McAleer Racing’s Jenson Altzman slotted into seventh, leading BGB Motorsports driver Andy Lally and Mikey Taylor for JDC-Miller Motorsports.
Bryce Ward completed the overall top ten at the wheel of the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4.
In TCR, Hyundai led Audi as Mark Wilkins set the pace aboard the No. 33 Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai Elantra N TCR, reeling off a 1:58.157.
Celso Neto was just 0.042 seconds back in the No. 7 Precision Racing LA Audi RS3 LMS TCR, while BHA entries made the remainder of the top five in class.
Denis Dupont went third in the No. 75 car, ahead of the No. 9 of Suellio Almeida and the No. 98 of Harry Gottsacker.
Running was interrupted by red flags three times, most notably when a building in the paddock caught fire around the halfway point of the session.
Before that, a spin for Eric Rockwell’s No. 10 Audi spun at Turn 6 triggered a stoppage, while a third red flag was caused by debris on track at Turn 5 with under ten minutes to go.
Pilot Challenge track action continues with second practice, scheduled for Thursday at at 8:45 a.m. ET.
RESULTS: Practice 1
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