World Challenge - Challenge Poles Go To Skeen, Brown, and Povoledo at Mosport

BOWMANVILLE, May 21, 2011: Mike Skeen, from Charlotte, N.C.., grabbed the Pirelli World Challenge GT and overall pole for Saturday’s Pirelli Grand Prix of Mosport Victoria Day Speedfest Presented by Optima Batteries. Paul Brown, from Covina, Calif., and Aaron Povoledo, from nearby Toronto, earned the GTS and Touring Car class poles, respectively.

Skeen’s pole led a two-row sweep for General Motors machines, putting his No. 2 CRP Racing/Cragar Wheels Chevrolet Corvette on pole with a best lap of 1:19.310 (111.618 mph) in the Canadian sunshine. The pole time shattered the existing GT track record of 1:22.256 (107.620 mph), set by Leighton Reese in a Corvette in 2005.

Joining Skeen on the front row is his CRP Racing teammate, Patrick Lindsey, in the No. 12 Hawk Performance Chevrolet Corvette. Lindsey turned a fast lap of 1:19.768 (110.977 mph) to earn his best career GT start and matching his previous Pirelli World Challenge high, accomplished twice in the Touring Car class.

After some early season struggles, the Cadillac Racing program appears to have begun to hit their stride, with drivers Johnny O’Connell and Andy Pilgrim composing the second row. O’Connell will start third in the No. 3 Cadillac Racing Cadillac CTS-V Coupe after posting a time of 1:20.023 (110.623 mph), with Pilgrim on the outside of row two after qualifying fourth in a time of 1:20.415 (110.084 mph).

Patrick Long, who swept the season-opening doubleheader at St. Petersburg and sits second in the Driver’s Championship despite missing Round Four at Miller Motorsports Park, is fifth in the No. 45 Privacy Star Porsche 911 GT3 with a best time of 1:20.605 (109.824 mph).

Brown led GTS and picked up the 15 championship points that go to the polesitter after a time of 1:26.578 (102.247 mph) in the No. 50 Lucas Oil/K&N Filters Ford Mustang Boss 302S, his third pole in five races this season.

Brown’s pole led a Mustang sweep of the top three positions, followed by Ben Crosland in the No. 25 Interbank FX/RacewithRP.com Ford Mustang FR500S. Crosland turned a lap of 1:27.105 (101.629 mph) to earn the second spot and will start on the outside of row one. Eric Foss earned the third starting position with a time of 1:27.604 (101.050 mph) in the No. 73 Traxxas/St Jude Hospital/SPX Ford Mustang FR500S.

Alec Udell, a 15-year-old rookie making just his third World Challenge start, was the fastest non-Mustang in GTS qualifying. Udell piloted his No. 05 Momentum Autosport Chevrolet Camaro to a best time of 1:28.163 (100.409 mph) to earn the position.

Povoledo, who was quickest in the second practice on Friday but worried about the Honda power here at Mosport, earned the Touring Car pole position with a fast lap of 1:32.204 (96.008 mph) in the No. 88 K-Pax Racing Volvo C30. The fast qualifying session is Povoledo’s first career pole in Pirelli World Challenge, and follows Povoledo’s first career win in Round Four at Miller Motorsports Park.

Hondas will comprise the next two positions on the grid, with Touring Car championship leader Lawson Aschenbach qualifying second with a best time of 1:32.325 (95.883 mph) in the No. 71 Compass360 Racing Honda Civic Si. Qualifying third is Anthony Rapone, the 2010 Canadian Touring Car Champion making his first career World Challenge start in Round Five. Rapone turned a best lap of 1:32.608 (95.590 mph) in the No. 81 Durabond Honda Civic Si.

Tristan Herbert, the Round Two winner, will start fourth in the No. 33 Brimtek Motorsports Volkswagen GTI after a best time of 1:33.056 (95.129 mph) during the 20 minute qualifying session.

A 39-car field will take the standing start on Saturday afternoon for the first of the weekend’s doubleheader just after 1 p.m. EDT.