Mid Ohio-USRRC Qualifying Update
5 June 1999
WEAVER TOPS LEITZINGER FOR MID-OHIO CAN-AM POLE BARBOSA, MOWLEM SMASH GT QUALIFYING MARKS LEXINGTON, Ohio – James Weaver, of England, took his third-straight USRRC Can-Am Championship pole in record fashion over teammate Butch Leitzinger for Sunday's two-hour, 15-minute U.S. Road Racing Classic at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Joao Barbosa, of Portugal, and Johnny Mowlem, of England, took the GT2 and GT3 poles, respectively. Weaver, driving the No. 16 Goodyear/Bosch/Hella Riley & Scott Ford, turned a lap of 1:16.478 (105.912 mph) to break his 1998 qualifying mark of 1:18.200 (103.580 mph). Weaver edged Leitzinger, of State College, Pa. in the No. 20 entry, who turned a quick time of 1:16.526 (105.846 mph). "We tested here a month ago and the track is a bit slower now than it was then," said Weaver, who teams with Andy Wallace. "I think that is because we're running with the Trans-Am cars. The rubber they put down is not quite compatible with ours. The car has broken on me every race this year. The other team car always finishes, but mine doesn't. I can't figure it out, but I hope we finish tomorrow. As for the two cars racing, there are no team orders. It will be flat out all the way between the two cars." Qualifying third, after finishing third at Lime Rock last weekend, was Scott Schubot in the No. 8 Support Net Riley & Scott Ford with a time of 1:17.701 (104.245), followed by George Robinson's No. 74 Ranch Resort Riley & Scott Chevrolet and Jon Field, of Dublin, Ohio, in the No. 28 Banana Joe's Lola Ford. For the second-straight race, Barbosa earned the GT2 class pole in the No. 30 Mosler Automotive Mosler Intruder. Barbosa smashed Andy Pilgrim's 1998 class qualifying record of 1:28.234 with a lap of 1:22.716 (97.925 mph), topping Larry Schumacher's No. 99 Schumacher Racing Porsche 993 GT2, who turned a 1:27.230 (92.857 mph). "The car is quicker than last week," said Barbosa. "We'll see how the Porsche goes early in the race tomorrow and then decide how we will work our pit stops. I'm very comfortable with the car. I also feel very comfortable with my engineer--we hit it off right away." Driving the No. 02 Reiser/Callas Rennsport Porsche 911 RSR, Mowlem took his first-career pole in the USRRC GT3 class with a time of 1:26.736 (93.306 mph)–breaking Bill Auberlen's 1998 record of 1:28.689 (91.330 mph). Mowlem beat out Darren Law in the No. 07 The Jennifer Fund Porsche 911 RSR, who turned a lap of 1:27.005 (93.078 mph). Andy Pilgrim (No. 51 Aspen Knolls BMW M3) was third with a time of 1:27.516 (92.554 mph). "This is very much a team effort," said Mowlem. "This is the first time I've been to Mid-Ohio. It is a really good track. As far as tomorrow is concerned, I know it is going to be difficult. There are some real good cars out there." LEXINGTON, Ohio -- Starting grid for the two-hour, 15-minute USRRC Can-Am and GT Round Three race, part of the U.S. Road Racing Classic Weekend at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, with starting position, driver(s), hometown(s), class, car, time and speed in miles-per-hour. 1. (16), Dyson Racing Team Inc., Rob Dyson, Pleasant Valley, N.Y., Andy Wallace, England, James Weaver, England, CA, Riley & Scott Ford, 1:16.478, 105.912. 2. (20), Dyson Racing Team Inc., Rob Dyson, Pleasant Valley, N.Y., Elliott Forbes-Robinson, Sherrils Ford, N.C., Butch Leitzinger, State College, Pa., CA, Riley & Scott Ford, 1:16.526, 105.846. 3. (8), Support Net Racing, Henry Camferdam, Indianapolis, Ind., Scott Schubot, West Palm, Fla., CA, Riley & Scott Ford, 1:17.701, 104.245. 4. (74), Robinson Racing, Jack Baldwin, Marietta, Ga., George Robinson, Houston, Texas, CA, R & S Chevrolet, 1:18.601, 103.052. 5. (28), Intersport Racing, Jon Field, Dublin, Ohio, Ryan Jones, Honeoye Falls, N.Y., CA, Lola Ford, 1:18.674, 102.956. 6. (30), Mosler Engineering, Joao Barbosa, Portugal, Loic Depailler, France, Stephane Roy, Canada, GT2, Mosler Intruder, 1:22.716, 97.925. 7. (63), Downing/Atlanta Inc, Jim Downing, Atlanta, Ga., Chris Ronson, Modesto, Calif., CA, Kudzu DLY Mazda, 1:22.791, 97.836. 8. (29), Intersport Racing, Simon Greg, Jacksonville, Fla., John Mirro, Bath, Pa., CA, Riley & Scott Ford, 1:23.324, 97.210. 9. (02), Reiser/Callas Rennsport, Johnny Mowlem, England, David Murry, Lilburn, Ga., GT3, Porsche 911, 1:26.736, 93.386. 10. (07), G & W Motorsports, Darren Law, Phoenix, Ariz., Cort Wagner, Los Angeles, Calif., GT3, Porsche 911, 1:27.005, 93.098. 11. (99), Schumacher Racing, John O'Steen, Cincinnati, Ohio, Larry Schumacher, Cincinnati, Ohio, GT2, Porsche 993 GT2, 1:27.230, 92.857. 12. (51), Aspen Knolls Racing, Shane Lewis, Stewart, Fla., Andy Pilgrim, Cooper City, Fla., GT3, BMW M3, 1:27.516, 92.554. 13. (03), Reiser/Callas Rennsport, Joel Reiser, Mendon, N.Y., Craig Stanton, Seal Beach, Calif., GT3, Porsche 911, 1:28.408, 91.620. 14. (64), Spencer Pumpelly Racing, Spencer Pumpelly, Baltimore, Md., Josh Rehm, Plymouth, Mass., GT3, Porsche 911, 1:31.041, 88.970. 15. (61), Paragon Motorsports, Scott Brunk, Frederick, Md., Keith Fisher, Hamburg, N.Y., GT3, Porsche 964, 1:31.666, 88.364. 16. (57), Kryderacing, Reed Kryder, Canal Fulton, Ohio, Steve Ahlgrim, Elmhurst, Ill., GT3, Nissan 240 SX, 1:35.496, 84.820. 17. (81), Fahlgren Racing, Lester Fahlgren, Schaumburg, Ill., Dick Greer, Columbus, Ohio, GT3, Mazda RX-7, 1:35.996, 84.378. 18. (71), Dura Motorsports, Michael DeFontes, Baltimore, Md., Chris Thompson, Trumbull, Canada, Jerry Thompson, Manhiem, Pa., GT2, Chevrolet Camaro, 1:35.999, 84.375. 19. (12), Team Tech Racing, Scott Bove, Avon Lake, Ohio, GT3, Porsche 993, 1:37.032, 83.477. 20. (08), G & W Motorsports, Danny Marshall, Danville, Va., Steve Marshall, Christiansburg, Va., GT3, Porsche 911, 1:37.086, 83.431. 21. (4), Racing Technologies, Jon Engle, Naples, Fla., Mark Knepper, Forest Lake, Minn., GT2, SSZ Stradale, 1:37.272, 83.271. 22. (3), Toad Hall Motor Racing, Peter Kitchak, Excelsior, Minn., TBA, GT3, Porsche 911 RSR, no time. 23. (95), TRV Motorsports, Jeret Schroeder, Vineland, N.J., Tom Volk, Blissfield, Mich., CA, Riley & Scott Chevrolet, no time.