AUSTIN, Texas – GMG Racing’s James Sofronas and Racers Edge Motorsports’ Trent Hindman earned the pole positions for the opening two rounds of the GT World Challenge America season Saturday at Circuit of the Americas.

The 30-minute qualifying session was split into two 15-minute segments to determine the grids for rounds one and two. Light precipitation was falling throughout the session.

Early in the first 15-minute segment, Sofronas topped the charts in his No. 14 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R with a lap of 2:29.440. Sofronas then bettered his time a couple of laps later with a 2:28.928. As the clock expired to end the session, the Southern California native’s time held for the overall and Pro/Am division pole.

Starting alongside the GMG Racing pilot will be Silver category competitor Shelby Blackstock in the No. 93 Racers Edge Motorsports Acura NSX GT3, who posted the second quickest time with a 2:29.917 lap. Martin Fuentes will start third overall and second in Pro/Am in his No. 1 Squadra Corse Ferrari 488 GT3. David Ducote posted the quickest Am category time of 2:40.669 in the No. 73 Park Place Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R.

Teams then changed out drivers for the second session. Early on, Ryan Dalziel posted a 2:18.478 behind the wheel of his No. 63 DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 to jump to the top, with Blackstock’s teammate Hindman now behind the wheel of the No. 93 Racers Edge Motorsports Acura NSX GT3 slotting into second on the charts with a 2:19.169.

A flurry of action occurred with under four minutes remaining as several competitors set fast times. Matteo Cressoni in the TR3 Racing No. 24 Ferrari 488 GT3 jumped to the top with a 2:16.281. Then, on his last flying lap, Hindman took the overall pole and tops in the Silver category with a 2:15.013 lap.

Cressoni also posted a fast time on his last flying lap with a 2:15.917 and will start second, first in the Pro/Am category. Ducote’s teammate Alan Metni will start on pole in the Am division.