There was a time not so long ago, when a sub-two minute lap of Sebring International Raceway was but an elusive dream for GT class competitors.

After two years nibbling at the far edges of a sub-two minute lap, Corvette Racing made the breakthrough in 2004 with its historic switch to Michelin tires for the Corvette C5.R in the GTS class.

Meanwhile the more heavily restricted GT2 class, now called GTLM, has relentlessly closed in and now sees cars consistently limbo under the 2 minute mark.

The big factory linked GTLM teams from Porsche North America, Risi Competizione Ferrari, BMW Team RLL and Corvette Racing showed their prowess in Friday morning’s final practice.

The top eight GTLM cars, representing four different manufacturers, all turned best laps between 1:59.023 and 1:59.395, a gap of just 0.373 seconds on the big and bumpy 3.74 mile circuit. The Aston Martin Racing team was  just one second further back.

With a dozen different GTLM drivers claiming the class poles in the first 12 TUDOR Championship races, GTLM Club 1:58, or even 1:57 may well be in the cards for qualifying if track conditions cooperate later today.