IMSA: Porsche’s Tandy, Miller Audi’s von Moltke score VIR Poles

Qualifying for Sunday's Oak Tree Grand Prix at Virginia International Raceway produced incredibly close results in IMSA's TUDOR United SportsCar Championship GT Le Mans and GT Daytona categories.

Le Mans winner Nick Tandy led a Porsche North America 1-2 in GT Le Mans as the Briton set a new track record (1:42.532) in the No. 911 Porsche 911 RSR while edging Jorg Bergmeister (1:42.629) in the sister No. 912 entry.

"I'm very happy," said Tandy. "It's not just us up at the front; our teammate's next to us. Obviously we're working very well in these hot conditions. We went faster than expected."

Using Michelin's newest compound, Tandy's Porsche lowered the previous GTLM record of 1:43.797 by a staggering 1.265 seconds. Risi Competizione's Pierre Kaffer, who led every practice session prior to qualifying, fought an ill-handling No. 62 Ferrari F458, but still managed to take third on the grid (1:43.122).

Paul Miller Racing's Dion von Moltke secured Paul Miller Racing's third pole position of 2015 in the No. 48 Audi R8 LMS GT Daytona entry with a lap that was just 0.010 seconds faster than Patrick Lindsey in second place. Von Moltke (1:49.255) eclipsed Lindsey's No. 73 Park Place Motorsports Porsche 911 GT America (1:49.265) and Scuderia Corsa's Bill Sweedler who completed the top-3 in his No. 63 Ferrari F458 (1:49.512).

"I've been saying all year we have the best team here," said DvM. "I don't know what it is with close qualifying this year. It speaks to the competition. Tomorrow's going to be a battle."

The only drama during GTD qualifying took place when championship leader Christina Nielsen oversteered off the track after posting her first flying lap in the No. 007 TRG-AMR Aston Martin V12 Vantage. A light meeting with the tire barrier did not result in significant damage, but it did end the Danish driver's session, leaving the 23-year-old fifth on the grid.

Sunday's race starts at 1 p.m. ET and airs on FOX Sports 1.