The GT field sits on pit road as the calm before the storm in qualifying. Photo credit: Rick Dole for Michelin North America

After the nine prototypes, the GT class takes center stage with 15 cars. Michelin technical partner teams will line up in third through eighth on the GT class grid, in what promises to be a competitive and action-packed race.

Flying Lizard Porsche looks to capture its fifth straight win at Lime Rock from the third spot on the grid. Patrick Long, whose last month has been spent at various European race circuits (Le Mans, the Nurburgring and Imola, Italy), set a time at 51.872 seconds. Corvette Racing qualified right behind in fourth and fifth, the No. 4 of Oliver Gavin ahead of Tommy Milner in the No. 3.

Marco Holzer in sixth in the second Flying Lizard Porsche, Anthony Lazzaro in one of the Robertson Racing Doran Ford GT-Rs, and Guy Cosmo in the No. 02 Extreme Speed Ferrari F458 Italia completed that pack of six cars.

Up front, BMW secured a 1-2 on the GT class grid for Saturday’s race. Joey Hand scored his second straight pole after also setting the bar at Long Beach.

“It’s the most balanced, best handling race car I’ve had here,” Hand said. “Give me a comfy race car and I can go kind of crazy with it.”

The pair of BMW M3s lapped the 1.474-mile Lime Rock Park circuit nearly a full second clear of the field. Hand’s time of 50.925 was the only lap under 51 seconds, and a full four tenths faster than the time set in the morning.

While the sister BMW was repaired from its contact in the morning’s practice, Risi Ferrari was not so fortunate, and will start from the rear of the grid for the second race in succession. However, the team drove to a podium finish in third in the GT class at Long Beach, and will look to do likewise this race.