Brichacek, Workman Win Poles For COTA VP Challenge Races

IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge Qualifying Report

Circuit of The Americas, Austin, TX — At the DuraMAX Grand Prix this weekend, two drivers emerged victorious in qualifying, claiming pole positions for both races in their respective classes.

Wyatt Brichacek secured his first pole in the LMP3 class, driving the #30 Toney Driver Development Ligier JS P325 with an overall fastest lap of 1:28.856. Accustomed to challenges, Brichacek, who replaced Brady Golan earlier this week, expressed his excitement for the upcoming night race, stating, “These cars are awesome at night… they really come alive.”

Brichacek’s performance shattered the previous P3 track record of 1:30.042, set by Valentino Catalano last year, by a remarkable 1.156 seconds. Although he encountered a minor mistake during practice that caused minor damage, his team swiftly made repairs allowing him to excel in qualifying.

Óscar Tunjo will join Brichacek on the front row after recording a best lap of 1:29.433 in the #1 Gebhardt Motorsports Duqueine D08. Tunjo leads the championship standings in the P3 class, having won both races at the season opener in Daytona.

Local driver Danny Soufi will start third, posting a best lap of 1:29.835 in the #11 Pinaxis-Zone 4 Racing Duqueine.

In the GSX class, Westin Workman continued his dominance, earning his third and fourth poles of the season with a best lap of 1:39.034 in the #8 RAFA Racing Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2. Despite troubleshooting a misfire throughout practice, Workman showcased exceptional skill to maintain his perfect record for 2026 following victories at Daytona.

Courtney Crone will start second in the GSX category with a best lap of 1:40.758 in the #35 CarBahn Motorsports BMW M4 GT4 EVO. She aims to achieve her first podium of the season after a top-four finish last round.

Jon Brel and Marc Austin follow close behind, starting third for Race #1 and Race #2, respectively, with best laps of 1:42.021 and 1:42.422.

Both races will take place Saturday, the first at 11:30 a.m. CT and the second at 5:30 p.m. CT, and will be broadcasted live on Peacock and the IMSA YouTube Channel.

Qualifying Results:

LMP3:
- 1. Wyatt Brichacek (#30 Ligier) – 1:28.856
- 1. Óscar Tunjo (#1 Duqueine) – 1:29.433
- 1. Danny Soufi (#11 Duqueine) – 1:29.835
GSX:
- 1. Westin Workman (#8 Toyota) – 1:39.034
- 1. Courtney Crone (#35 BMW) – 1:40.758
- 1. Jon Brel (#81 Toyota) – 1:42.021 (Race #1) / Marc Austin (#22 Mercedes) – 1:42.422 (Race #2)