Richard Westbrook was never satisfied with his pole lap, besting it several times to lead the GTLM class to the green for Sunday’s Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen.
With the completion of qualifying, Ford Chip Ganassi Racing have swept the top two positions in all of the weekend’s sessions. Joey Hand’s #66 will start alongside Westbrook’s #67, as Westbrook posted the top three fastest laps of the session.
“This place is good for me, for sure,” Westbrook told IMSA Radio, before downplaying the advantage of the start. “It’s qualifying. It’s a six hour race, a lot could happen.”
“I’m just delighted to start my favourite track on the pole.”
Much of the session’s battling was between the Porsche GT and Corvette Racing, constantly vying throughout the session to line up on the second row behind the leading Fords. It was the Corvettes who were ultimately successful, as Tommy Milner and Antonio Garcia swept the second row on a last-second flying lap to start P3 and P4.
The Porches of Earl Bamber and Patrick Pilet round out the third row.
With the near identical paces of Westbrook and Hand, it would appear that both cars ran an identical setup. However, Westbrook maintains each Ford maintains the respective driver’s personal touch.
“We go our different directions,” he said. “This car is really sensitive. It’s down to driver feel and what you feel more comfortable with.”
“When it’s go time, like in qualifying, it’s always that bit closer.”
That said, Hand was Westbrook’s top target to beat in qualifying.
“He’s beaten me too many times in qualifying in the last year, so it was time we got back at him.”
The #67 Ford Chip Ganassi Racing team will lead the GTLM class to green in Sunday’s Sahlens Six Hours of the Glen. The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship takes to the track Sunday, at 9:30 a.m. ET.
