Corvette Racing has bounced back into contention in the GTLM class after Antonio Garcia scored the pole at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

The pole effort was the first for Corvette Racing since Daytona last year and the first for the No.3 car and Garcia since Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, 2014.

Garcia recorded a lap of 1:15.198 to topple the Fords of Dirk Mueller and Richard Westbook.

Lucas Luhr and Bill Auberlen’s BMWs were fourth and fifth ahead of Oliver Gavin in the second Corvette.

“It’s always important to be up front and luckily to be competitive again,” said Garcia who will join forces with regular team mate Jan Magnussen in tomorrows two hour, 40 minute race.

“The car felt pretty decent all year long, but at some points we were lacking some speed. We seem to like this track a lot. It suits Corvette Racing and we have that on the record books that we are always competitive here.

“We won two years ago with Jan and a scored a podium last year. Luckily in qualifying, we were able to beat the Ford. We know it’s a long race and everything can change. Track position is really important here.

Balance of performance changes this week combined with the Corvette being well suited to the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park layout has pushed the C7.R back into contention.

“It’s always been the same, we saw that almost everywhere else and every other race,” Garcia said.

“We just need to do our job and if we’re up front we just need to execute and do our everything in the right way make sure our driver changes are perfect.

“I’ll be pleased if I come out of here doing everything 100% and if that’s good enough for  a race win, that’s great. I think we are in a strong position for that.”

Pole in the GTD class went to Alex Riberas aboard “The Heart of Racing” Porsche from Andrew Davis’s Audi and Spencer Pumpelly’s Lamborghini.

#GTLM pole-winner @AntonioGarcia_3!! #Corvette #C7R #Mobil1SCGP @TeamChevy pic.twitter.com/dXs0VKDiac

— Corvette Racing (@CorvetteRacing) July 9, 2016

Hey @AntonioGarcia_3 – how close was it in qualifying today? pic.twitter.com/QCvxr7YvPb

— Jan Magnussen (@janmagnussen) July 9, 2016

#FordIMSA @muellerdirk qualifies p2, @RWestbrook1 p3 at @CTMPOfficial #IMSA pic.twitter.com/hSKpUNDSJN

— Ford Performance (@FordPerformance) July 9, 2016

//results.imsa.com/Results/16_2016/11_Canadian%20Tire%20Motorsport%20Park/01_IMSA%20WeatherTech%20SportsCar%20Championship/201607091540_Qualifying/03_Results.PDF