Filgueiras and McAleer Bag Double Poles In NOLA

The team that swept the first GT4 America meeting at Sonoma Raceway have now put themselves in pole position for the doubleheader at NOLA Motorsports Park: Eric Filgueiras and Steven McAleer won pole for both races in the green #18 RS1 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport RS.

Track temperature fluctuated between 32~35°C with ambient temperatures just around 30°C. It was another dry session despite the looming threat of rain.

Filgueiras took the wheel for Qualifying session 1, which sets the grid for this afternoon’s race at 3:10 PM local time. Five minutes into the session, local driver Ross Chouest came to a stop in sector one, bringing out a red flag. There was no damage to the #50 Chouest Povoledo Racing Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4, however, and Aaron Povoledo was able to take the car out for session 2 and qualify 15th for Race 2.

When the session resumed with five minutes left, it was a mad scramble for all the teams to set a flying lap. At the front of the queue, Filgueiras set a 1’43.215 on his first lap – good enough to win pole by a large margin – but he improved once more to take pole for Race 1 with a 1’43.072.

In second was the #120 Premier Racing Porsche of Adam Adelson who set a 1’44.046, followed by the #34 Conquest Racing/JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4 of Gavin Sanders in third, and the #52 AutoTechnic Racing BMW M4 GT4 of Tom Capizzi in fourth.

NOLASPORT got pole for the Am Cup in Race 1, as Sam Owen qualified fifth in the #7 Porsche. He’ll share the third row with the #51 AutoTechnic M4 GT4 (Austen Smith) who qualified sixth.

2021 Am Cup champion Kevin Conway (#68 Smooge Racing Toyota GR Supra GT4) was seventh, Ryan Dexter (#112 Dexter Racing GR Supra) was eighth, Scott Noble (#47 NOLASPORT Porsche) was ninth, and Rob Walker (#53 AutoTechnic M4 GT4) was tenth in Qualifying 1.

GT4A QUALIFYING 1 – PROVISIONAL RESULTS >>

Qualifying 2 began soon after. The #15 BSport Vantage GT4 of Kenton Koch got out of the gate strong, setting a 1’43.093 on his first flying lap. But just as he did for Race 2 in Sonoma, McAleer jumped to provisional pole position, setting a 1’42.761, the fastest time of the weekend. Elliott Skeer (#120 Premier Racing Porsche) slotted into second with a 1’42.844 behind him.

With less than four minutes to go, the session was red-flagged after the #80 Rooster Hall Racing M4 GT4 of Johan Schwartz came to a stop in sector two. The session was not resumed, and McAleer’s Silver Cup and overall pole position was made official, with Skeer in second, taking a clean sweep of Pro-Am Cup poles for Premier Racing.

Koch finished in third, then it was the Invitational category #49 Team Saleen S1 of Eric Curran which was fourth overall. 2021 Pro-Am Cup champion Jason Hart was fifth in the #47 NOLASPORT Porsche, followed by Michai Stephens (#34 Conquest/JMF AMG GT4) in sixth.

Ian James (#24 Heart of Racing Vantage GT4) was seventh, Zac Anderson (#51 AutoTechnic M4 GT4) was eighth, John Geesbreght (#68 Smooge Racing GR Supra) was ninth, and Andy Lee (#8 Flying Lizard Motorsports Vantage GT4) completed the top ten in Race 2.

16th on the overall grid for Race 2 was the Am Cup pole winning #83 RS1 Porsche of Juan Martinez (with Nelson Calle).

GT4A QUALIFYING 2 – PROVISIONAL RESULTS >>

Sunday’s GT4 America Race 2 is scheduled to start at 11:00 AM local time.

Images © Brian Cleary / SRO Motorsports Group America