Derani lapped his #31 Action Express-run Cadillac V-Series.R in 1m11.388s around the 1.9-mile temporary circuit.
The GTP class is using Michelin’s soft-compound tyre at Long Beach for the first time outside of Daytona night running, but times were way off last year's qualifying session on harder rubber – pole being a 1m09.909s by Filipe Albuquerque’s Acura.
Derani laid down an early marker of 1m11.388s, three tenths clear of Jordan Taylor in the #40 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Acura ARX-06.
Nick Yelloly grabbed second in the#25 RLL BMW M Hybrid, just 0.009s off Derani’s fastest time. Nobody else could top Derani’s benchmark, but that didn’t stop him from trying to improve.
Derani crashed at Turn 9 but managed to extricate himself from the tyrewall before any other drivers on hot laps arrived on the scene, thus avoiding a penalty. He was forced to drag his car back to the pits with a shattered nose.
“I put the lap in early, which was enough,” said Derani. “I tried it [again] in case I need an extra gap but I locked up and went straight into the barrier. I knew I needed to get out quickly, to avoid a red flag.
“I know we can swap out the nose.”
Having opted for a late run, FP2 pacesetter Sebastien Bourdais (Chip Ganassi Cadillac V-Series.R) managed to get stuck behind Mike Rockenfeller, who has joined Gianmaria Bruni this weekend in Proton’s 963. Once released by the German, Bourdais caught a BMW on his final flyer and had to settle for third, 0.023s off pole.
Porsche Penske Motorsport’s Nick Tandy and Dane Cameron were next up, ahead of Jordan Taylor in the best-placed Acura, Tijmen van der Helm (JDC Porsche 963), Albuquerque, Philipp Eng in the #24 BMW, and Rockenfeller.
Lexus dominates GTD
In GTD, Parker Thompson (who shares with Pro class ace Ben Barnicoat this weekend) aced the class with a lap of 1m17.357s in the #89 Lexus RC F, 0.262s ahead of class stable-mate Frankie Montecalvo (who shares with Jack Hawksworth) in the #12 Lexus.
Albert Costa placed third in the #34 Conquest Racing Ferrari 296 from Roman De Angelis (Heart of Racing Aston Martin) and FP2 pacesetter Danny Formal in WTRA’s #45 Lamborghini.
Saturday’s 100-minute race starts at 1:35pm local time (4:35pm ET).
