GRAND AM: Dyson Fastest in Sun Automotive 200 Practice

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

April 21, 2001

PHOENIX, Ariz. - The Dyson Racing Team continued its stronghold on the field today during the first three practice sessions for this Saturday's Sun Automotive 200 at Phoenix International Raceway. Drivers James Weaver and Butch Leitzinger piloted the #16 Ford Riley & Scott around the 1.51-mile road course in 53.790 seconds at 101.060 mph. The time is more than 0.5 second faster than current track record set by Weaver at last year's Sun Automotive 200.

Dyson will not be the only team in contention to break the SportsRacing Prototype track record during Friday's qualifying, as Intersport Racing's #37 was also 0.2 seconds faster than current record with a 54.121 lap. Last year's champions, the #74 Robinson Racing Team, had the fourth-fastest time of the day in their Judd Riley & Scott, clocking a 54.937 lap, while Doran Lista Racing found some more speed in their new Judd Crawford to take the third-fastest time of 54.477 seconds.

Archangel Motorsport Services led the SportsRacing Prototype II class with a 56.812-second lap, nearly four seconds faster than the current record set by Martin Snow last year. In a testament to improvement in the class, all three of the SPRII cars that took to the track for practice sessions recorded faster times than current record, almost assuring that a new record will be set on Friday.

The Fordahl Motorsports Saleen S7R continued its run at a second-straight victory by leading the GTS class with a 59.729 lap at 91.011 mph, while the Schumacher Motorsports, which currently is leading the team championship standings, recorded the second-fastest time of the day in the class at 1:00.247.

G&W Motorsports grabbed the top GT-class time with a 1:00.873 lap, while Fordahl Motorsports/Crazy Redhead Racing, with the only female driver entered in the race, clocked a 1:01.321 for second in class. New-father Terry Borcheller, who missed afternoon sessions to be at the birth of his first son, recorded the fastest GT lap in the night session at 1:01.571, giving the JET Motorsports team the third-fastest time in the GT class for the day.

The #09 Flis Motorsports/Team X-1R Corvette lead the pack of American GT cars during today's practice sessions with a 1:01.429 lap, followed by the Hamilton Safe Motorsports Camaro with a 1:02.842 time.

Rolex Sports Car Series teams will have one practice at 11:45 a.m. (PDT) on Friday before qualifying begins at 3:25 p.m. (PDT). The Sun Automotive 200 will be start at 7 p.m. (PDT) on Saturday and will be series first night race since it kicked off the season at the Rolex 24 At Daytona. The Sun Automotive 200 will be broadcast live on Speedvision.

Text provided by Christie Hyde

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