McCormick Paces Opening Cayman Interseries Practice

Jim McCormick, in his first race behind the wheel of the No. 6 Porsche Cayman S that pays tribute to the legendary Sunoco/Penske Porsche 917-30, paced the field Friday in the opening day of practice for the Cayman Interseries at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The Cayman class is running in the HSR Homestead Historic Races that are part of the season-ending IZOD IndyCar Series weekend at the South Florida facility.

While the IndyCar and Indy Lights teams are running on the 1.5-mile Homestead-Miami oval, the Cayman Interseries and other HSR competitors are competing on the 2.210-miles road course that combines Turns 3 and 4 of the circle track with a tricky infield section.

“I have never gone around the banking here, which is one of these not-quite-flat sort of bankings, which always makes it that much more interesting," McCormick said. “It gets the adrenaline flowing. This was a day when you really learn that set up matters, because my car was loose in the rear. We were huntin’, and huntin’, and huntin’ for the solution and finally found it, and boy did it make it that much more driveable."

The positive changes allowed McCormick to turn a top Friday lap of 1:29.018 in the second and final session of the day. McCormick normally drives his own No. 44 Martini “Baby" Porsche 935-themed Cayman S but he is moonlighting in the No. 6 this weekend while his primary Porsche is being serviced at Porsche Napleton Racing (PNR) back in Illinois.

“I am delighted to be running faster than anyone so far, but we will see as the weekend plays out," McCormick said. “Generally, I like technical tracks, except Daytona, which is kind of easy flat. It’s like being in your Barcalounger when you’re running around the 34-degree banking there at Daytona. I like the infield part here and I like second-gear corners, so maybe I am a little faster there."

Lee Davis was second fastest Friday in his No. 33 Cayman S that carries the colors of the Advan Porsche 962s and Luna C Clothing. His top lap of 1:29.274 was fastest in the day’s first session. Jim Bacus completed the top three in his No. 3 Cayman S, which is themed after the famous purple and green “Hippy" Porsche 917LH. Bacus turned his quick lap of 1:30.957 in the first practice session.

The Cayman Interseries is scheduled to run the first of two scheduled sprint races Saturday at 11:30 a.m. The race will be preceded by the weekend’s only qualifying session at 8 a.m. Sunday features a 75-minute endurance race at 8 a.m. while the second sprint will conclude the Cayman Interseries Homestead-Miami weekend schedule at 2:30 p.m.