Cadillac will lead the field to the green flag on Sunday in America’s biggest sportscar classic of the season, which kicks off the 2024 IMSA SportsCar Championship.
Action Express Racing’s Pipo Derani beat Chip Ganassi Racing’s Sebastien Bourdais to pole by smashing the track record for prototypes around the 3.56-mile road course in cool track conditions.
But Porsche’s Felipe Nasr was best of the rest, despite a quick spin in his 963, and his Penske team-mate Tandy will start from seventh.
“Cadillac was incredibly strong, which surprised me a little,” said Tandy. “Still, we want to win the race – not the qualifying.
“In Daytona, it’s all about being the fastest in the final and decisive phase next Sunday. We’re contesting an endurance race here, and the focus is always on reaching the finish.
“Our cars are running flawlessly. We’ve worked hard over the winter and we’re seeing the results. I’m heading into the upcoming race week feeling good.”
Nasr added: “Third place is okay. I got everything I could out of our car. I’m totally convinced that we’re contesting the race with a strong package.
“We’ll continue to focus on working on consistency over long distances in the upcoming practice sessions starting on Thursday. We need to be perfectly prepared to be in the fight for victory.”
Source: Autosport