SCCA PRO (ROAD ATLANTA) - Pobst on SPEED GT Pole at Road Atlanta
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Sleeping in your own bed during the race week must do wonders, as Pobst sliced 0.722-second off the current SCCA SPEED GT qualifying record at Road Atlanta, putting his No. 22 K-PAX Racing LLC/Jim Haughey Porsche 911 GT3 on pole for Friday's race. The Georgian clocked a time of 1:25.689 (106.711 mph) on his first flying lap around the 2.54-mile road course to capture his 20th career-pole.
"I am lucky to be on such a good team here at K-PAX, 3R Racing," Pobst said. "It was a bit of a struggle [to get on the pole], because we weren't quick in the last practice. But, we learned a lot. Will Moody and I sat down and had a long talk and he made some decisions last night that really worked today. He pulled a rabbit right out of the hat. I am very happy and cannot wait for the race to start. I think sleeping 20 minutes away also helps!"
Last year's race winner, Pilgrim, slotted into the second spot on the grid with a time of 1:25.917 (106.428 mph) in his No. 8 XM/Mobil 1/Motorola/Bose Cadillac CTS-V. Pilgrim's time was also under the previous qualifying record of 1:26.441 (105.783 mph).
Pobst's teammate Michael Galati, of Olmstead, Ohio, qualified third on the grid for Friday's SCCA SPEED GT race after putting his Mazda 6 on pole for the SCCA SPEED Touring Car Race. Galati entered a time of 1:26.036 (106.281 mph), also under the previous record, in his No. 23 K-PAX Racing LLC/Jim Haughey Porsche 911 GT3.
Defending SCCA SPEED GT Champion Lawson Aschenbach, of W. Palm Beach, Fla., qualified fourth in his No. 1 XM/Mobil 1/Motorola/Bose/Cadillac CTS-V, stopping the clocks at 1:26.551 (105.648 mph). Michael McCann, of Canton, Ohio, completes the top five in his No. 82 McCann Plastics/K&N Filters Dodge Viper with a time of 1:26.714 (105.450 mph)
Ron Fellows (Cadillac CTS-V), Jeff Courtney (Dodge Viper), James Sofronas (Porsche 911 GT3), rookie Tim McKenzie (Porsche 911 GT3) and Cindi Lux (Dodge Viper) complete the top ten.
Friday's SCCA SPEED GT Round Nine race will launch from a standing start at 4:55 p.m. (EDT). The race will be broadcast on SPEED, Saturday, October 13, at 3:00 p.m. (EDT). Live timing and lap notes are available on www.world-challenge.com
Starting lineup for Friday's SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge GT Championship Round Nine race, part of the 10th Anniversary Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta, with position, car number in parentheses, driver, hometown, car, fastest lap time, and speed in miles per hour.
1, (22), Randy Pobst, Gainesville, Ga., Porsche 911 GT-3, 1:25.689,
106.711.
2, (8), Andy Pilgrim, Boca Raton, Fla., Cadillac CTS-V, 1:25.917,
106.428.
3, (23), Michael Galati, Olmsted, Ohio, Porsche 911 GT-3, 1:26.036,
106.281.
4, (1), Lawson Aschenbach, W. Palm Beach, Fla., Cadillac CTS-V,
1:26.551, 105.648.
5, (82), Michael McCann, North Canton, Ohio, Dodge Viper, 1:26.714,
105.450.
6, (16), Ron Fellows, Mississauga, Ontario, Cadillac CTS-V, 1:26.797,
105.349.
7, (99), Jeff Courtney, Slinger, Wis., Dodge Viper, 1:26.911, 105.211.
8, (14), James Sofronas(T), Newport Beach, Calif., Porsche 911 GT-3,
1:26.953, 105.160.
9, (66), Tim McKenzie(R), Madison, Wis., Porsche 911 GT-3, 1:27.009,
105.092.
10, (2), Cindi Lux(R), Aloha, Ore., Dodge Viper, 1:27.297, 104.745.
11, (3), Scotty B. White, Puyallup, Wash., Dodge Viper, 1:27.475,
104.532.
12, (12), Brian Kubinski(R), Plainfield, Ill., Chevrolet Corvette,
1:27.505, 104.496.
13, (17), Rob Foster(T), Phoenix, Ariz., Chevrolet Corvette, 1:27.509,
104.492.
14, (31), Sonny Whelen(T), Old Saybrook, Conn., Chevrolet Corvette,
1:27.548, 104.445.
15, (13), Jeff Altenburg, Blair, Neb., Dodge Viper, 1:27.598, 104.386.
16, (05), Jason Daskalos(R), Albuquerque, N.M., Dodge Viper, 1:27.724,
104.236.
17, (87), Aaron Baumbach(R), Rochester Hills, Minn., Chevrolet Corvette,
1:27.857, 104.078.
18, (21), Gerardo Bonilla, Orlando, Fla., Pontiac GTO, 1:27.905,
104.021.
19, (34), Tony Gaples, Libertyville, Ill., Chevrolet Corvette, 1:28.018,
103.887.
20, (20), Dane Moxlow(R), Grosse Ile, Mich., Pontiac GTO, 1:28.599,
103.206.
21, (18), Jason Foster, Phoenix, Ariz., Dodge Viper, 1:28.921, 102.832.
22, (7), Brett Pearson, Orlando, Fla., Dodge Viper, 1:28.981, 102.763.
23, (76), John Bourassa(T), Jupiter Island, Fla., Porsche 911 Turbo,
1:29.427, 102.251.
24, (6), Jeffrey Robbins(R), Southfield, Mich., Dodge Viper, 1:29.836,
101.785.
25, (30), Eric Curran, East Hampton, Mass., Chevrolet Corvette,
1:26.451, 105.770.
26, (28), Lou Gigliotti, Dallas, Texas, Chevrolet Corvette, 1:26.747,
105.410.
Note: No. 30 and No. 28 moved to the back of the grid for technical non-compliance