BRASELTON, GA – If the 24th annual Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta is the last hurrah for the BMW M8 GTE, Jesse Krohn gave the Munich missile a fast final ride.
Krohn drove the No. 24 BMW Team RLL to the GT Le Mans class pole position for the 10-hour endurance race that wraps up the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. And he did it with style.
The 31-year-old Finn was in a class by himself in GTLM qualifying, turning a lap timed at 1 minute, 15.226 seconds (121.553 mph), more than half a second up on Matt Campbell in the No. 79 WeatherTech Racing Porsche 911 RSR-19. Krohn and his team were so confident the time would stand up that they parked the BMW with several minutes remaining in the 15-minute session.
“I knew it was going to be the last qualifying with this car, and this beast with low fuel and new tires is just a pleasure to drive,” Krohn said. “I was trying to enjoy every moment, and I went out there just thinking, ‘Just have fun and see where we end up.’
“Clearly, it wasn’t too bad.”
Krohn believes the cool conditions forecast for the race could benefit the BMWs, which are the largest and heaviest cars in GTLM class. BMW is seeking its 13th GTLM class win since the class was introduced in 2014.
“Obviously qualifying doesn’t mean the most for a 10-hour race, but we’re still happy to be here and we think we have a good race car,” he said. “We hope it’s going to be just as quick, but obviously it’s a long race and there are more cars here than probably ever. It’s going to be about keeping out of trouble.
“The cool weather helps on tire deg(radation), and it helps the balance,” he added. “I think it’s a good weekend to go racing.”
Antonio Garcia drove the No. 3 Corvette Racing C8.R to third on the GTLM grid with a 1:15.930 lap. Joined this weekend by Nicky Catsburg, Garcia and his full-season Corvette teammate Jordan Taylor will clinch the GTLM championship by simply starting Saturday’s race.
GTD
Madison Snow earned the Motul Pole Award in GT Daytona qualifying in the No. 1 Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini Huracán GT3, increasing the drama for the class championship for Sunday’s Motul Petit Le Mans season finale at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
It was a dramatic lap in every sense with Snow edging Benja Hites in the No. 42 NTe Sport Audi R8 LMS GT3 by a slight 0.001 seconds for the lead position, with a lap of 1:19.272 (115.349 mph). Robby Foley was third quickest in the No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M6 GT3.
The Paul Miller Racing team – with drivers Snow, Bryan Sellers and Corey Lewis – arrived at Michelin Raceway trailing the No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R by 50 points for the season title.