GRAND AM (TROIS RIVIERES) - Foster and Wittmer Fastest Qualifiers for Grand-Am KONI Challenge Races

Hyper Sport Racing principal Joe Foster held onto a wild ride during this morning’s qualifying session for the Grand Prix of Trois-Rivieres. Pushing the No. 55 Hyper Sport/Supercuts Mustang to the limits, and the wall, Foster managed to turn the fastest lap of the weekend at 1:12.149 (75.893 mph) and lose his mirror on the same lap. Sitting on the pole for the second time this season, Foster and Canadian co-driver Scott Maxwell will lead the field in tomorrow’s Grand-Am KONI Challenge GS class race.

“From what I understand, the people watching the JumboTron said my fastest lap didn't look that clean because I hit the wall. I knew going into Turn 6 that I was carrying a lot of speed and fortunately it was a good lap up to that point. Oh well, we have more mirrors on the truck,” Foster said. “Being on the pole for tomorrow’s race is great because we have Supercuts guests coming as a part of a nationwide promotion so we definitely want to put on a good show for the sponsor.”

As the session progressed and tires warmed up, the lap times continued to fall. Less than a second separated the top eleven cars in the field at the end of qualifying. Defending Street Tuner class champion Will Turner will start the No. 97 Turner Motorsport BMW M3 from the outside pole tomorrow after turning the second-fastest lap of 1:12.529 (75.495 mph) on the final lap. Another last lap flyer was turned by Todd Snyder aboard the No. 137 JBS Motorsports Mustang GT, putting his machine in third position with a lap time of 1:12.564 (75.459 mph).

In the ST class, Quebec local Nick Wittmer showed his abilities in the No. 31 i-MOTO Racing Acura TSX, posting the fastest lap of the weekend for his class in just his third lap. The lap time of 1:14.944 (73.063 mph) proved to be enough for Wittmer, who will co-drive with his brother Kumo in today’s ST class race, to hold off the competition and claim the pole. Matt Plumb will start from the outside pole after turning the No. 127 Fountain Motorsports BMW 330i around the circuit in 1:15.723 (72.311 mph). Third fastest in qualifying was the No. 86 Classic BMW – Plano BMW Z4 piloted by Toby Grahovec, who posted a lap time of 1:15.822 (72.217 mph).

The green flag for today’s ST class race will drop at 1:30 p.m., and the weekend will wrap up with the GS race on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. Following this weekend’s event, the Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series will appear again at Miller Motorsports Park for a combined race on August 14, and will conclude the 2007 season with split six-hour races at Virginia International Raceway on October 6 and 7.