Connolly Motorsports GTOP.R top Pontiac GT qualifier
The GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Pontiac Daytona Prototype (DP) will start second for tonight’s running of round eight of the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 going off at Daytona International Speedway. The Matt Connolly Motorsports GTO.R was the top qualifying Pontiac GT car and will start seventh.
Jon Fogarty was at the wheel of the No. 99 GAINSCO Pontiac DP car in qualifying. Fogarty posted a time of 1:41.627. The team from Texas are the defending Daytona July race winners and are looking to repeat. Fogarty is joined by co-driver Alex Gurney and the pair are also the 2007 series champions as well as the victors from the last race at Mid-Ohio.
"We are happy with our starting position," Fogarty said. "We would like to get a win and keep the steam rolling from Mid-Ohio. We are ahead of the 01 car which is our competition for the championship. We are liking where we are at. We also have the possibility of rain for the race, which wouldn’t be that bad."
In GT Ryan Phinny drove the Matt Connolly Motorsports Pontiac GTO.R to a seventh place qualifying position. The time of 1:52.618 represents the top Pontiac qualifying time in GT. Phinny joins Connolly regular Diego Alessi in the two year old No. 21 Pontiac. Since the Lime Rock Park round Pontiac GT competitors have been saddled with a 100lb. weight increase and no more than 49% weight balance on the rear of the car.
"The car is running well," Phinny said. "I am not that happy with qualifying. The weight of the car is really slowing us down on the banking. We are doing as good as we can with the weight and balance we are mandated to run by Grand-Am. This is my first time running here and I have had to get up to speed quickly. We will go back and look at the data and see where maybe we can improve."
The race from Daytona will be televised live on the Speed Channel, tonight starting at 8:00 p.m. ET.
Grand-Am Top Ten Daytona Prototype Top Ten Daytona Qualifiers:
1. Wilkins, Frisselle, Ford Dallara 1:41.223
2. Gurney, Fogarty, Pontiac Riley 1:41.627
3. Valiante, Angelelli, Pontiac Riley 1:41.881
4. Pruett, Rojas, Lexus Riley 1:41.927
5. Donohue, Law, Porsche Riley 1:42.422
6. Jaeger, Gidley, Ford Dallara 1:42.983
7. Auberlen, Hand, Porsche Crawford 1:43.206
8. Patterson, Negri, Ford Riley 1:43.257
9. Taylor, Frisselle, Ford Dallara 1:43.488
10. Pew, James, Ford Riley 1:43.633
*
11. Matthews, Goossens, Pontiac Riley 1:43.654
13. Jonsson, Zonta, Pontiac Lola 1:44.022
17. van de Poele, Krohn, Pontiac Lola 1:46.874
18. Kimber-Smith, Garcia, Pontiac Coyote 1:47.053
Top 10 Grand-Am GT Daytona Qualifiers:
1. Ham, Trembly, Mazda RX8 1:50.621
2. Miller, Werner, Porsche GT3 1:50.850
3. Segal, Assentato, Mazda RX8 1:51.580
4. Smith, Stone Mazda RX8 1:51.613
5. Gue, Bucknum, Corvette 1:51.966
6. Lux, Keen, Porsche GT3 1:52.328
7. Phinny, Alessi, Pontiac GTO.R 1:52.618
8. Davis, Liddell, Pontiac GXP.R 1:52.719
9. Nastasi, Dumoulon, Ford Mustang 1:52.785
10. Collins, Edwards, Pontiac GXP.R 1:53.308
*
13. Borcheller, Lewis, Pontiac GXP.R 1:53.949
16. Bunting, Aschenbach, Pontiac GXP.R 1:54.385
Pontiac Powered DP and GT Cars Entered for Daytona:
10 SunTrust, Pontiac Riley, Max Angelelli, Michael Valiante
16 Cheever Racing, Pontiac Coyote, Antonio Garcia, Matteo Bobbi
75 Krohn Racing, Pontiac Lola, Tracy Krohn, Eric van de Poele
76 Krohn Racing, Pontiac Lola, Nic Jonsson, Ricardo Zonta
91 Riley Matthews, Pontiac Riley, Jim Matthews, Marc Goossens
99 GAINSCO Bob Stallings, Alex Gurney, Jon Fogarty
06 Banner Engineering Pontiac GXP.R, Leighton Reese, Marc Bunting,
Lawson Aschenbach
07 Banner Engineering Pontiac GXP.R, Kelly Collins, Paul Edwards
21 Connolly Motorsports Pontiac GTO.R, Matt Connolly, Diego Alessi
57 Stevenson Motorsports Pontiac GXP.R, Andrew Davis, Robin Liddell
72 Autohaus Motorsports Pontiac GXP.R, Tim Lewis Jr., Terry Borcheller
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-Kyle Chura ,Jim Hopson -also photo
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