Mazda will start on the pole position Saturday in the starting lineup for the IMSA Acura Sports Car Challenge at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
Harry Tincknell claimed the top spot in WeatherTech SportsCar Championship qualifying with a 1-minute, 10.027-second lap around the 13-turn, 2.258-mile track in the No. 55.
The DPi track record (breaking the mark set in May 2019 by Mazda’s Oliver Jarvis, Tincknell’s teammate) beat the No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Acura of Felipe Albuquerque (1:10.122). The No. 31 Action Express Cadillac of Pipo Derani will start third (1:10.432).
STARTING GRID: Click here for the Acura Sports Car Challenge starting lineup
SUNDAY’S RACE: Details for watching IMSA at Mid-Ohio
The No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura turned the third-quickest lap (1:10.355) in qualifying but was moved to the back of the class in the sixth position for changing starting tires.
Winning the @motul pole award and leading the grid for the @acura Sports Car Challenge Presented by The TLX Type S at @Mid_Ohio is the No. 55 @HarryTincknell @MazdaRacing.#IMSA / #IMSAatMO pic.twitter.com/34MUA41OTO
— #IMSA (@IMSA) May 15, 2021
“Seventy seconds around Mid-Ohio is really pushing on quite a bit,” Tincknell told the IMSA Wire Service after his first pole position in the series. “It was definitely a roller-coaster ride, but I’m really happy. We didn’t have the fastest car in the first couple races, but we’ve really come out of it well. There’s a long race ahead of us, but we’re really happy to be starting up front.”
Mazda, which is leaving the DPI division after the 2021 season, finished third in the Rolex 24 at Daytona season opener and second at Sebring.
In LMP3, Gar Robinson took the No. 74 RIley Motorsports to the pole position over Jon Bennett (No. 54 CORE autosport), who was ahead of Jarrett Andretti (No. 36 Andretti Autosport).
In GTD, Aaron Telitz put the No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 on pole as he and co-driver Jack Hawksworth seek to defend last year’s Mid-Ohio victory.
Congratulations to all the @motul pole award winners at @Mid_Ohio!
— #IMSA (@IMSA) May 15, 2021
DPi: No. 55 @HarryTincknell @MazdaRacing
LMP3: No. 74 @GarRobinson74 Riley Motorsports
GTD: No. 14 @AaronTelitz @vassersullivan @lexusracingusa #IMSA / #IMSAatMO pic.twitter.com/XVhYKw0GGY
IMSA’s premier division will return after a two-month break Sunday with its first Sprint Cup race of the the season. The two-hour, 40-minute race will begin at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
Click here for the starting grid in the Acura Sports Car Challenge.
QUALIFYING
Click here for the DPi results