IMSA VIR: Hawksworth and Vasser Sullivan Lexus earn pole

Hawksworth and fellow Briton Ben Barnicoat will head the pack at the start of Sunday's 160-minute race after outpacing the WeatherTech Racing Mercedes AMG GT3 Evo Daniel Juncadella shares with Jules Gounon by 0.096s.

Halfway through the 15-minute qualifying session, Antonio Garcia in the Corvette Racing C8.R headed the times and reached a 1m45.133s best, but it wasn't enough for a place on the front row.

Hawksworth was the first driver to dip into the 1m44s bracket, clocking a 1:44.780s lap that would stand for his third pole of the year. Juncadella then improved to usurp Garcia before mounting a final effort to snatch pole, falling less than a tenth shy.

"It was hotter than what we had earlier, so the track felt greasy but I felt good," said Hawksworth.

"The balance was good. I just put a clean lap together and the guys obviously gave me a rocket ship.

"Hats off to Vasser and everybody at Lexus. It's been such an amazing season for me and Ben (Barnicoat) and for this whole team. Just gotta keep it rolling into tomorrow."

The five-car GTD Pro field was completed by the Pfaff Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R of Patrick Pilet and Ross Gunn's Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3. 

But the pair were only tenth and 11th fastest overall as GTD polesitter Madison Snow in the Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 went fourth in the outright times.

#1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3: Bryan Sellers, Madison Snow

Photo by: Jake Galstad / Motorsport Images

Snow, who shares the class points lead with team-mate Bryan Sellers, denied VSR a pole sweep as he pipped Aaron Telitz by 0.153s.

Loris Spinelli was third of the GTD runners in the Forte Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo2, ahead of Mike Skeen's Korthoff Motorsports Mercedes.

"It's definitely hot out there, so you want to have the easiest job you can set yourself up for tomorrow," said Snow after snagging the GTD pole.

IMSA SportsCar Championship VIR Qualifying Results:

Cla	Drivers	#		Chassis	Time	km/h
1	JACK HAWKSWORTHBEN BARNICOATVasser Sullivan	14		Lexus RC F GT3	1'44.780	112.350
2	DANIEL JUNCADELLAJULES GOUNONWeatherTech Racing	79		Mercedes AMG GT3	+0.096	112.247
3	ANTONIO GARCIAJORDAN TAYLORCorvette Racing	3		Corvette C8.R GTD	+0.353	111.972
4	BRYAN SELLERSMADISON SNOWPaul Miller Racing	1		BMW M4 GT3	+0.445	111.875
5	FRANKIE MONTECALVOAARON TELITZVasser Sullivan	12		Lexus RC F GT3	+0.598	111.712
6	MIKHAIL GOIKHBERGLORIS SPINELLIForte Racing Powered by USRT	78		Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2	+0.636	111.672
7	MIKE SKEENMIKAEL GRENIERTeam Korthoff Motorsports	32		Mercedes AMG GT3	+0.667	111.639
8	PATRICK GALLAGHERROBBY FOLEYTurner Motorsport	96		BMW M4 GT3	+1.133	111.148
9	ROMAN DE ANGELISMARCO SORENSENHeart Of Racing Team	27		Aston Martin Vantage GT3	+1.138	111.143
10	KLAUS BACHLERPATRICK PILETPfaff Motorsports	9		Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	+1.194	111.084
11	ROSS GUNNALEX RIBERASHeart Of Racing Team	23		Aston Martin Vantage GT3	+1.197	111.081
12	BRENDAN IRIBEFREDERIK SCHANDORFFInception Racing	70		McLaren 720S GT3 EVO	+1.318	110.954
13	RUSSELL WARDPHILIP ELLISWinward Racing	57		Mercedes AMG GT3	+1.491	110.773
14	BILL AUBERLENCHANDLER HULLTurner Motorsport	97		BMW M4 GT3	+2.139	110.102
15	SHEENA MONK KATHERINE LEGGEGradient Racing	66		Acura NSX GT3	+2.724	109.503
16	PJ HYETT SEB PRIAULXAO Racing	80		Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	+2.764	109.462
17	ALAN METNI KAY VAN BERLOKellymoss with Riley	91		Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	+2.855	109.370
18	ALAN BRYNJOLFSSONTRENT HINDMANWright Motorsports	77		Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	+3.267	108.953
19	DAVID BRULEALEC UDELLKellymoss with Riley	92		Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)	+4.450	107.773