Detroit, Mich. (2 June 2017) – Stevenson Motorsports scored the team’s first ever IMSA WeatherTech TOTAL Pole award with the No. 57 Audi R8 LMS on Friday after Lawson Aschenbach posted a fast lap time of 1:30.200 in qualifying for Saturday’sDetroit Grand Prix. Aschenbach will start the 100-minute race before turning the car over to his Stevenson Motorsportsco-driver, Andrew Davis to take the finish on Saturday.
A jam-packed two-day IMSA WeatherTech event saw the Stevenson Motorsports crew prepare for two 90-minute practice sessions ahead of the 15-minute qualifying session on Friday. The combined practice effort of Aschenbach and Davis landed the sole GTD Audi entry at the top of the time charts for the start of the IMSA Chevrolet Sports Car Classic.
This year marks Stevenson Motorsports’ second season racing in IMSA WeatherTech competition teamed up with Audi Sport customer racing. The team has accumulated 11 TOTAL Pole awards in Continental Tire Sports Car GS Competition and 13 TOTAL Pole awards in GT competition.
Aschenbach – who qualified the car – put together a flawless qualifying run that brought home the Total Pole Award after laying down a 1:30.200.
“The GTD class is the most competitive class in IMSA right now,” said Aschenbach. “There are so many good teams and drivers and to get a pole in this class means so much. I am so proud of these guys at Stevenson Motorsports. We have had our ups and downs this year and we didn’t get to show our potential until now. To come here and get a pole and rebound after the first four races is a testament to this team and the fight that they have in them. Most importantly I have to thank Johnny Stevenson, our team owner. I think this pole is a really great indication of where this team is going to be for the upcoming races.”
Davis, who will share the seat with Aschenbach for Saturday’s race couldn’t be more proud of the team effort to pull out a top qualifying spot.
“I’m really proud of the team today and we rolled off of the trailer with good momentum,” said Davis. “Both Lawson and I have been on the same page for what we want with the car and our engineer Steve Newey and the whole team made it all happen. We were really hoping for a P1 in qualifying and Lawson did a great job to pull out a great lap time in the end. We are really happy with the team and we are looking forward to carrying this momentum into tomorrow.”
Watch as the No. 57 Stevenson Motorsports Audi R8 LMS starts from the front row at the streets of Belle Isle tomorrow at 12:40 PM ET. The race will be broadcasted live on FS2 with coverage beginning at 12:30 PM ET.