The GTLM battle was a Dirk versus Dirk battle this morning at Watkins Glen with BMW’s Dirk Werner holding off his fellow German racer Dirk Mueller’s Ford in this morning’s opening practice.

Werner stopped the clocks in his stars and stripes retro liveried BMW No.25 at 1:43.574 – a remarkable .001 of a second faster than the Le Mans winner Mueller’s Ford.

Richard Westbrook was third fastest ahead of Giancarlo Fisichella’s Ferrari and John Edwards’s BMW.

While the Ford, Ferrari and Corvette boys were busy in France at Le Mans, BMW has been busy here in the US testing in preparation for the second half of the IMSA season.

The past two championship winners – Porsche and Corvette – actually filled the final four spots on the timing sheet.

In the Prototype ranks Ozz Negri topped the timesheet for Michael Shank Racing aboard his LM P2-style Ligier Honda.

The Corvette crew filled the next three spots with Max Angelelli (Wayne Taylor Racing) topping Dane Cameron (Action Express No.31) and Christian Fittipaldi (Action Express No.5).

Scott Sharp and the Patrón Racing ESM return for their first IMSA race this weekend since winning back-to-back enduros at Daytona and Sebring.

Johannes van Overbeek was fifth fastest this morning as the team switch back to Honda power this weekend. The team use the Nissan LM P2 engine in the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Other class leaders this morning included Colin Brown (CORE autosport) in PC and Andrew Davis for Stevenson Motorsports in the Audi R8 in GTD.

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