HOMESTEAD, Fla.— Rain came down hard halfway through morning practice session for the Rolex Sports Car Series Grand Prix of Miami, leaving large puddles around the track and making driving treacherous.
The drivers pressed on regardless, gaining valuable information about how their cars worked in the wet, in case it rains for tomorrow’s race.
The showers blew through shortly after practice ended, letting the sun start to evaporate some of the puddles before the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge cars took the track for their pre-race practice. With a strong chance of rain for their afternoon race, the Continental Tire teams needed the wet-weather data as much as the Rolex teams.
Luckily for the spectators, the temperature remained comfortably close to 80 degrees, so they could stay in the stands in their ponchos and watch all the action. With the sun returning, a slight breeze served to keep the heat from growing uncomfortable.
The rain returned shortly before Rolex qualifying, soaking the track all over again[etssp 553]
Ozz Negri in the #60 Shank Riley Ford Daytona Prototype was the fastest in the session, ahead of Memo Rojas in the #01 Telmex-Ganassi Riley-BMW and Alex Gurney in the #99 Gainsco Riley-Corvette.
Guy Cosmo, who was fastest in the dry in the #03 Extreme Speed Motorsport Ferrari 458 led the GT class in the wet as well. Andrew Davis in the #59 Brumos Companies Porsche GT3 was second in class, followed by Dion von Moltke in the #51 APR Audi R8 Grand Am.
The Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Kia 200 starts at 2:45 p.m. EDT. With 67 cars taking the green flag, the action will be non-stop and intense; if the track is wet, it will be even more exciting.
Qualifying for the Rolex Series race starts at 12:45 p.m. The Rolex Grand Prix of Miami starts at 1 p.m. Sunday, April 29.
Tickets to the race weekend can be purchased through the Miami-Homestead Speedway website.
Tickets to the race weekend can be purchased through the Miami-Homestead Speedway website.
The Rolex Grand Prix of Miami will be televised live on Speed TV starting at 1 p.m. EDT, Sunday, April 29. The CTSCC Kia 200 will air on Speed on May 12 at 12 noon EDT.
