Cole Loftsgard Secures Pole Position for Season Opener at Sebring
Sebring, FL – Cole Loftsgard, driving the #42 Round 3 Racing Mustang, clinched pole position for the inaugural race of the 2026 Ford Mustang Challenge, recording a lap time of 2:12.622. Loftsgard’s performance, which included the fastest lap in both practice sessions, signals his strong debut in the series.
“I found what the Dark Horse R likes; it’s really enjoyable and rewarding to put a lap together,” Loftsgard stated. “Round 3 Racing did a phenomenal job with the setup. The Mustang’s fast, so we’ll see what we can do in the races.”
Loftsgard was followed by Devin Anderson in the #22 TechSport Racing car, who qualified second, and series newcomer Michael Tosi, driving the #77 Wheelhouse Motorsports entry, in third. Will Lucas secured fourth in the #34 Wheelhouse Motorsports Mustang, with Sandy Satullo rounding out the top five in the #7 Wheelhouse Motorsports car.
In the DHL class, reigning champion Alex Bachoura set a competitive time of 2:15.009, placing him first in class and showcasing the capabilities of the #33 Spark Performance machine. Bachoura emphasized the strength of his car and his goal for the season: “I think we can have great races. My goal is to win in the Legends class, but I also want to finish in the top four or five overall.”
Chris Clarke, in the #9 Paley Motorsport with AAG Racing Mustang, qualified second in the DHL class, just 0.507 seconds behind Bachoura. Tom Tait, in the #8 Wheelhouse Motorsports entry, secured third.
Notably, both classes featured competitors who failed to set a time in qualifying, including Ford CEO Jim Farley and Bruce Griffin, who crashed during Practice 2, resulting in a red flag.
Race 1 of the 2026 Ford Mustang Challenge is scheduled to commence on March 19th at 1:05 PM (ET), and will be broadcast live on IMSA’s official YouTube channel.
UNOFFICIAL DH CLASS TOP-FIVE QUALIFIERS:
- Cole Loftsgard – #42 Round 3 Racing
- Devin Anderson – #22 TechSport Racing
- Michael Tosi – #77 Wheelhouse Motorsports
- Will Lucas – #34 Wheelhouse Motorsports
- Sandy Satullo – #7 Wheelhouse Motorsports
UNOFFICIAL DHL CLASS TOP-FIVE QUALIFIERS:
- Alex Bachoura – #33 Spark Performance
- Chris Clarke – #9 Paley Motorsport with AAG Racing
- Tom Tait – #8 Wheelhouse Motorsports
- Joseph Dederichs – #63 Wheelhouse Motorsports
- Nicholas Smither – #58 Nick Smither Racing
This event marks an exciting beginning for the 2026 season, as drivers prepare to battle for position on the historic Sebring circuit.
