Van der Zande keeps Tower ahead in second CTMP practice

Tower Motorsports Dominates Practice Sessions at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park

During two pivotal practice sessions leading up to the Chevrolet Grand Prix, Tower Motorsports showcased dominant performance with Renger van der Zande at the helm of the No. 8 Tower ORECA 07. Van der Zande clocked a remarkable 1m08.175s, setting a new unofficial LMP2 course record, edging out the previous benchmark by mere hundredths of a second.

Key Competitors Emerged

The No. 22 United Autosports USA ORECA, with Daniel Goldburg—designated as the team’s Bronze driver—posted a competitive 1m08.500s, placing the car second ahead of Felipe Fraga in the No. 74 Riley ORECA, rounding out the top three. The fourth and fifth positions were occupied by the No. 43 Inter Europol Competition and No. 99 AO Racing entries, respectively.

In GT categories, both Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3s led the field; Aaron Telitz’s No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus topped the GTD PRO class with a lap time of 1m15.270s, followed closely by the Corvette Racing duo of Antonio Garcia in the No. 3 Corvette Z06 GT3.R and teammate Tommy Milner in the No. 4.

In GTD, Jack Hawksworth also delivered a late surge, securing the top time in the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus at 1m15.597s, displacing Robert Wickens, who improved significantly from his earlier session to claim second with a 1m15.985s in the No. 36 DXDT Racing Corvette. Matt Bell in the No. 13 AWA Corvette finished third in the class.

Session Interruptions and Technical Issues

The session experienced a red flag when Casper Stevenson in the No. 27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 encountered a barrier at Turn 9, resulting in left-front damage. Meanwhile, JDC-Miller MotorSports faced an engine failure in their No. 79 ORECA LMP2 after just nine laps, necessitating urgent repairs ahead of qualifying.

Upcoming Broadcast Information

Qualifying for the Chevrolet Grand Prix is scheduled for 4:00 PM ET and will be broadcast live on Peacock in the United States and on the IMSA YouTube channel and IMSA.TV internationally.

Results Summary

LMP2:
1. No. 8 Tower ORECA 07 – Renger van der Zande – 1m08.175s
2. No. 22 United Autosports ORECA – Daniel Goldburg – 1m08.500s
3. No. 74 Riley ORECA – Felipe Fraga
GTD PRO:
1. No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus – Aaron Telitz – 1m15.270s
2. No. 3 Corvette Z06 GT3.R – Antonio Garcia
3. No. 4 Corvette Z06 GT3.R – Tommy Milner
GTD:
1. No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus – Jack Hawksworth – 1m15.597s
2. No. 36 DXDT Racing Corvette – Robert Wickens – 1m15.985s
3. No. 13 AWA Corvette – Matt Bell