Motorsport News

Tom Blomqvist Quickest In Early Sebring Practices

Helio Castroneves practicing for the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring, 3/16/2023 (Photo: Courtesy of IMSA)

IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship teams took to the 3.74-mile Sebring International Raceway Wednesday (March 16) for multiple practice sessions. Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian’s Tom Blomqvist was fastest overall in early practice with a lap at 125.774 mph.

Practice No. 1

In the first practice of the weekend, there were a series of issues. Both BMW M Team RLL’s Sheldon van der Linde and Blomqvist stopped on course to draw red flags. Performance Tech Motorsports’ Robert Mau also spun off the circuit and required assistance, drawing a third red flag.

Winward Racing’s Indy Dontje also crashed in turn 5, but he was able to drag his Mercedes back to the pits, preventing a red flag. In and around Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport’s Filipe Albuquerque was quickest with a lap at 124.318 mph in his Acura ARX-06.

Albuquerque’s lap was .133 seconds quicker than the Cadillac of Chip Ganassi Racing’s Renger van der Zande. Action Express Racing’s Jack Aitken was third fastest, then BMW M Team RLL’s Connor de Phillippi and Philipp Eng.

In LMP2, Era Motorsport’s Christian Rasmussen was fastest with a lap at 121.378 mph, good for eighth overall. Rasmussen’s lap was .214 seconds faster than TDS Racing’s Giedo van der Garde. Crowdstrike Racing by APR’s George Kurtz was third as he continues to get used to the ORECA 07, followed by TDS Racing’s Scott Huffaker. PR1 Mathaisen Motorsports’ Paul-Loup Chatin was fifth.

In LMP3, MRS-GT Racing failed to show up in Sebring, dropping the class down to nine entries. Of those nine teams, Jr III Racing’s Dakota Dickerson was fastest in class with a lap at 115.721 mph, good for 17th overall.

Dickerson’s lap was .068 seconds faster than Riley Motorsports’ Felipe Fraga. Andretti Autosport’s Gabby Chaves was third, then Andrew Wojteczko Autosport’s Nico Varrone in the best Duqueine. JDC-Miller MotorSports’ Tijmen van der Helm was fifth.

In the GT ranks, the increased air restrictor size did wonders for Porsche. Wright Motorsports’ Trent Hindman was fastest of all GT drivers with a lap at 111.188 mph, good for 26th overall.

Hindman ended up .102 seconds faster than the Acura of Racers Edge Motorsports with WTR’s Kyle Marcelli. VasserSullivan’s Parker Thompson was third in his Lexus, then Team Korthoff Motorsports’ Mikael Grenier. Magnus Racing’s Andy Lally was fifth in the best Aston Martin.

GTD Pro was led by VasserSullivan’s

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