Jon Fogarty made the best of a bad situation during Thursday’s opening day of Round 9 for the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 at Watkins Glen International. During practice for the Crown Royal 200 at The Glen, Fogarty put together five laps before bringing the No. 99 GAINSCO Pontiac Riley to the pits for a brake system change. During qualifying, Fogarty snatched a track record of 1:05.069 (135.548 mph) to give him and the team their third pole position of the season.
The pole is a good omen for Fogarty and co-driver Alex Gurney at The Glen. Their two victories in 2007, in the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen and Crown Royal 200, both came from the front starting position. If the duo is to leave Watkins Glen with the point championship lead, a victory would certainly do it. The two are tied with Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas with 216 points.
While Gurney and Fogarty had a solid 2007 season at The Glen, Pruett has been solid at WGI much of his career. He is tied with Terry Borcheller for most Rolex Series overall victories at The Glen with four, and Pruett and Rojas won the most recent race at Watkins Glen in June – the Sahlen’s Six Hours. During that race, Gurney collected David Donohue in Turn 8 of the long course during the final third of the six-hour enduro. Rojas, who sought his series-leading fourth pole of 2009, came close, but will start second after claiming a time of 1:05.315 (135.038 mph). The championship almost could not be any closer between the top three teams, and all three qualified first, second and third. Brian Frisselle was third in the No. 10 SunTrust Ford Dallara with a time of 1:05.326 (135.015 mph).
In GT, Leh Keen captured his second consecutive pole position with a time of 1:11.788 (122.862 mph) in the No. 87 Farnbacher Loles Racing Porsche GT3. Keen and co-driver Dirk Werner, point co-leaders by 25 (247-222) over Kelly Collins and Paul Edwards, are seeking their season-leading fourth triumph of 2009. Their three-race winning streak, which started in June’s Sahlen’s Six Hours, came to a conclusion at Barber Motorsports Park last month, but the two have not finished outside the top 10 this season, owing to their efforts.
Sharing the front row will be Andrew Davis (1:12.576; 121.528 mph) in the No. 57 BryanMark Financial/Stevenson Motorsports Pontiac GXP.R he shares with Robin Liddell.
Two drivers who have ran atop the standings for much of the season will not compete this weekend. Edwards was injured in a mountain biking accident and will be replaced by team owner Leighton Reese in the No. 07 Drinkin’ Mate Pontiac GXP.R. Spencer Pumpelly will not drive the No. 66 Mitchell Rubber Porsche GT3, as the car is not entered. Instead, Andy Lally and Justin Marks have moved from the No. 67 Construct Corp./No Fear Energy Drink Porsche GT3 to the No. 66 Porsche GT3, utilizing the same sponsors.
Source : Grand-Am