ROLEX 24: Wet track conditions, cautious qualifying at Rolex 24

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida - February 1, 2001 - Team manager Brad Kettler summed it up best as he explained why the Champion Racing Lola/Porsche did not participate in today's rainy first qualifying session for the 2001 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona.

"We have spent months setting the car up in dry conditions, and dry conditions are forecast for the race on Saturday, so we would learn nothing by trying to go fast on a wet track," said Kettler, who star drivers - Bob Wollek, Sascha Maassen, Hurley Haywoo d, and Dorsey Schroeder - were seventh overall in an earlier practice session.

"Besides, qualifying positions - not that important in a 24-hour event - will be determined in a second session tomorrow," he said.

In the GTS class, where there are several Porsche GT1s and Porsche 911 Turbos, teams had a mixed approach to the session. The Gunnar Jeannette/Paul Newman/Michael Brockman/Terry Jackson Porsche GT1, which was fourth in class in the morning practice session behind the two factory Corvettes and the Saleen Mustang, also opted to sit out the qualifying session, but the Bytzek Racing Porsche GT1 took a different approach