Honda beats Alfa Romeo in Daytona Qualifying

Robert Noaker drove his Atlanta Speedwerks Honda Civic Type R to set pole position for the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge’s opening round at Daytona at the end of a close and exciting fight with Tim Lewis in the KMW Motorsport Alfa Romeo Giulietta.
Rory Van der Steur was the first leader of the Qualifying when he drove the Hyundai Veloster N run by his own team to set a provisional fastest lap of 1:59.428, but the second part of the 15-minute session was a two-way fight between Lewis and Noaker. 
Lewis was the first driver to break the 1:59 wall, setting two consecutive fastest laps of 1:58.918 and 1:58.880. 
Noaker responded with a lap of 1:58.631, but Lewis improved further to 1:58.555 and eventually Noaker settled the matter clocking a 1:58.530 that was worth the pole by only 25 thousandths of a second.
Ven der Steur retained the third place, while William Tally qualified the JDC-Miller Motorsports Audi RS 3 LMS in fourth position, making four different brands filling the first two rows of the grid.
Harry Gottsacker qualified the debuting Bryan Herta Autosport’s Hyundai Elantra N with the tenth fastest lap, while the sister car of Parker Chase and Ryan Norman missed the session due to engine problems.
The 4-hour race will start tomorrow at 13:35 local time (19:35 CET).

IMSA Daytona – Qualifying
1:58.530 Noaker/Henderson (Atlanta Speedwerks, Honda Civic Type R)
1:58.555 T. Lewis/Block (KMW Motorsports, Alfa Romeo Giulietta)
1:59.428 Ven der Steur/Dupont (Van der Steur Racing, Hyundai Veloster N)
1:59.449 Tally/Miller/Taylor (JDC-Miller Motorsports, Audi RS 3 LMS)
1:59.691 González/Iglesias (VGMC Racing, Honda Civic Typer R)

Picture: IMSA/LAT Images