Cosmo / Baker Monterey Sportscar Championships Qualifying Report
For Immediate Release Contact: johnt@c2group.com Guy Cosmo Puts No. 47 Porsche GT3 Challenge Car On The Pole ORBIT Racing’s Guy Cosmo won his fourth consecutive pole in the first- year Challenge class. He posted a lap of 1:29.546 (89.974 mph) in the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car that he will drive with John Baker. “Qualifying was pretty tame and calm the first few laps for us,” Cosmo said. “You figure that those are the ones where our tires will be at their best. But that’s also the time when the GT2 guys are trying to get their laps. So the race will be pretty exciting. The speed difference around here isn’t all the great so that makes it even busier.” Cosmo outpaced Galen Bieker’s lap of 1:29.844 (89.675 mph) in the P7 Racing that he will share with Robert Rodriquez. Bob Faieta was a further 0.043 seconds back in the Gruppe Orange Porsche that he will drive with Wesley Hoaglund. A season-high total of eight cars are entered in the class for Saturday’s race “There are some really fast drivers in this class this week. It will be tough,” Cosmo said. “My margin of lap time was much smaller than it has been previously. It will be a lot for four hours. We’ll make sure John has a really good stint, then I’ll get in and hopefully not look back.” Reflecting back on his 2005 Rookie of the Year title, Cosmo is actively pursuing a full time seat in the American Le Mans Series. With his prototype experience as a definite plus, Cosmo is confident his background is of value and would fit in with any number of ALMS teams. "I'd really like to have an opportunity to contest the full championship in a prototype or GT car," expressed Cosmo. "These five races participating in the American Le Mans Challenge have been great, but it's hard to be around this paddock just part time. I want to be here full time, to win races and win championships. I'm ready, and the time is now. I hope I can find a program that shares the same goals as mine and get something full-time for 2010." Fans will want to make a point of stopping by to visit with Baker and Cosmo during Saturday's autograph session and pick up the limited edition poster commemorating John's and Guy's 2009 season together. The posters are limited in supply, so fans should come by early. The autograph session is slated to run from 12 noon to 1PM in the ALMS paddock. Guy Cosmo is one of the most successful and versatile young racing drivers of his day. Guy is recognized as a first-class professional racer in the sports car road racing industry, having won the 2005 American Le Mans Series Rookie of the Year award and positioning himself as a proven front-runner in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype category. Guy's success stems from supportive family, friends and fans that have helped him through race wins and championships from Kart Racing, Formula Ford, Formula 2000, Star Mazda and Toyota Atlantic, to his professional endeavors in the Grand-Am and American Le Mans Series. You can find out more about Guy at http://www.guycosmo.com and follow Guy on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/guycosmo Monterey Sports Car Championships Presented by Patron is the season finale for the Challenge class participating with the American Le Mans Series regulars. Earlier this year, IMSA and the American Le Mans Series announced the formation of the Challenge class as an effort to promote the brightest and best of a new generation of sports car drivers. The Challenge class will compete with the American Le Mans Series for five races in 2009. The final race in the 2009 American Le Mans Series is the four-hour Monterey Sports Car Championships at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif. The green flag is scheduled for 2:45 p.m. PT on Saturday, October 10. The race will air on SPEED from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, October 11. PHOTO CREDIT: John Thawley ~ Creative Communications Group