-
Home
-
Latest Headlines
-
- TV Shows
-
TV Schedule
-
SPEED Showcase
-
- NASCAR
-
Latest Headlines: NASCAR
-
-
Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
-
Latest Headlines: Moto-Racing
-
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Games
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
- Home
- TV Shows
-
TV Schedule
-
SPEED Showcase
-
- NASCAR
- Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
GRAND-AM
GRAND-AM: Fogarty On COTA Pole
GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing take pole on home soil for Saturday's GRAND-AM of The Americas...
Jon Fogarty claimed pole for Saturday's GRAND-AM of The Americas. (Photo: John Dagys)
Jon Fogarty had to save the best for last in qualifying, as the GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing driver snatched pole for Saturday's inaugural GRAND-AM of The Americas (5:30 p.m. ET, SPEED).
With just seconds left on the clock, Fogarty reeled off a 2:00.179 in his No. 99 Corvette DP. It was good enough to bump Memo Rojas from the top spot in dramatic fashion, in what began as a hectic first few laps for the two-time Daytona Prototype champion.
"We thought we were going to get out at the front of the field and that was going to give us ample time to get temps and pressures in our tires," Fogarty explained. "But pretty quickly, I found myself mired in with a bunch of other cars. I had to circulate two laps at slow place to try and find clear running.
"It wasn't until my last lap and I don't think my tires were all the up [to temperature] at that point, but just enough to get the pole."
Fogarty extended his record to 24 career Rolex Series poles at a remarkable 15 different venues, which now includes the new Circuit of The Americas.
Friday's pole run was extra special for the Texas-based squad, racing on home soil for the first time.
"When you start putting your head down and getting to work on trying to make the car faster, it's always the same problems, just a different place," said Fogarty, who will share the wheel with longtime co-driver Alex Gurney.
"The big challenge for this [track] is trying to find out the difference between qualifying the car and racing the car. There's several sections of the track where if you get stuck behind a GT car, you're going to be stuck there for a while. It's a huge balancing act."
Jordan Taylor, who held provisional pole for the majority of the 15-minute session, wound up second, thanks to a 2:00.239 lap time in his No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Corvette DP, which bumped defending series champion Rojas to third in the closing moments.
Corvettes took four of the top-five starting positions. Burt Frisselle slotted in fourth aboard his No. 9 Action Express Racing entry, with the Spirit of Daytona machine of Ricky Taylor less than three-tenths behind.
It will be an all-Ferrari front row in GT, with Alessandro Balzan taking pole for Scuderia Corsa.
The Italian turned a best lap of 2:08.846 in his Prancing Horse, edging out the No. 61 AIM Autosport entry of countryman Max Papis by 0.359 seconds.
Balzan and co-driver Alessandro Pier Guidi will be looking for their first class victory on Saturday, as the California-based team embarks on its first full season of Rolex Series competition.
"When I [drove] yesterday for the first time, I felt at home," Balzan said. "I have [limited] experience on U.S. circuits, like Laguna, Lime Rock and Daytona. But here, you really feel at home because you have a lot of runoff area. The curbs here are like the ones in Europe. A lot of the tracks in Europe are similar to this.
"Of course, I think it was a little advantage for me but maybe not for the team. Because when the racetrack is completely new, it's difficult. They did a very good job choosing the setup and everything."
Lining up third in GT will be the No. 59 Brumos Racing Porsche, ahead of the No. 57 Stevenson Motorsports Camaro GT.R in fourth.
Top qualifying honors in GX went to Dr. Jim Norman in the No. 38 BGB Motorsports Porsche Cayman, who was 0.435 seconds faster than the improving No. 00 Visit Florida Racing/SpeedSource Mazda6 of Tristan Nunez in second.
The GRAND-AM of The Americas takes the green flag Saturday at 4 p.m. ET. Catch the race on SPEED beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET.
RESULTS: Qualifying
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
With just seconds left on the clock, Fogarty reeled off a 2:00.179 in his No. 99 Corvette DP. It was good enough to bump Memo Rojas from the top spot in dramatic fashion, in what began as a hectic first few laps for the two-time Daytona Prototype champion.
"We thought we were going to get out at the front of the field and that was going to give us ample time to get temps and pressures in our tires," Fogarty explained. "But pretty quickly, I found myself mired in with a bunch of other cars. I had to circulate two laps at slow place to try and find clear running.
"It wasn't until my last lap and I don't think my tires were all the up [to temperature] at that point, but just enough to get the pole."
Fogarty extended his record to 24 career Rolex Series poles at a remarkable 15 different venues, which now includes the new Circuit of The Americas.
Friday's pole run was extra special for the Texas-based squad, racing on home soil for the first time.
"When you start putting your head down and getting to work on trying to make the car faster, it's always the same problems, just a different place," said Fogarty, who will share the wheel with longtime co-driver Alex Gurney.
"The big challenge for this [track] is trying to find out the difference between qualifying the car and racing the car. There's several sections of the track where if you get stuck behind a GT car, you're going to be stuck there for a while. It's a huge balancing act."
Jordan Taylor, who held provisional pole for the majority of the 15-minute session, wound up second, thanks to a 2:00.239 lap time in his No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Corvette DP, which bumped defending series champion Rojas to third in the closing moments.
Corvettes took four of the top-five starting positions. Burt Frisselle slotted in fourth aboard his No. 9 Action Express Racing entry, with the Spirit of Daytona machine of Ricky Taylor less than three-tenths behind.
It will be an all-Ferrari front row in GT, with Alessandro Balzan taking pole for Scuderia Corsa.
The Italian turned a best lap of 2:08.846 in his Prancing Horse, edging out the No. 61 AIM Autosport entry of countryman Max Papis by 0.359 seconds.
Balzan and co-driver Alessandro Pier Guidi will be looking for their first class victory on Saturday, as the California-based team embarks on its first full season of Rolex Series competition.
"When I [drove] yesterday for the first time, I felt at home," Balzan said. "I have [limited] experience on U.S. circuits, like Laguna, Lime Rock and Daytona. But here, you really feel at home because you have a lot of runoff area. The curbs here are like the ones in Europe. A lot of the tracks in Europe are similar to this.
"Of course, I think it was a little advantage for me but maybe not for the team. Because when the racetrack is completely new, it's difficult. They did a very good job choosing the setup and everything."
Lining up third in GT will be the No. 59 Brumos Racing Porsche, ahead of the No. 57 Stevenson Motorsports Camaro GT.R in fourth.
Top qualifying honors in GX went to Dr. Jim Norman in the No. 38 BGB Motorsports Porsche Cayman, who was 0.435 seconds faster than the improving No. 00 Visit Florida Racing/SpeedSource Mazda6 of Tristan Nunez in second.
The GRAND-AM of The Americas takes the green flag Saturday at 4 p.m. ET. Catch the race on SPEED beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET.
RESULTS: Qualifying
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
Road Atlanta
LATEST HEADLINES: AUTO-RACING
-
PHOTOS: Indy 500 Carb Day 2013
Enjoy a selection of photos from Indy 500 Carb Day, including the… -
VIDEO: Amazing 4-Wide Finish To Indy Lights Freedom 100
Ireland's Peter Dempsey came from fourth at Turn 3 on the last lap… -
INDYCAR: Pagenaud Leads Indy 500 Carb Day Practice
After getting whooped in qualifying, Honda turns up the wick for… -
INDYCAR: Miller's Mailbag, 5.24
It's time for SPEED.com's weekly IndyCar Q&A with Robin Miller's… -
USAC: Honda To Sponsor National Midget Championship
Honda announced it would be the title sponsor for USAC’s National… -
GRAND-AM: Valiante Joins 8Star For Mid-Ohio
Daytona Prototype ace to sub for Stephane Sarrazin in next month's… -
MILLER: My Annual Indy 500 Quiz
It’s time for Robin Miller's annual Indy 500 quiz. - More News
