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GT Racing
GT: Phoenix Audi On Bathurst 12H Pole
Christopher Mies, Darryl O’Young and Christer Jons-driven Audi R8 LMS to lead 26-car field to green on Sunday...
Phoenix Racing scored the overall pole for Sunday's Bathurst 12 Hour. (Photo: John Dagys)
Audi heads into the Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour in prime position to defend its 2011 crown, as Phoenix Racing grabbed the pole for Sunday’s around-the-clock Australian enduro.
The No. 1 Phoenix Racing Audi R8 LMS of Christopher Mies, Darryl O’Young and Christer Jons ended the day on top, with the trio combining to complete an aggregate best time of 6:28.65 on the legendary Mount Panorama.
“Last year we started from P2 and won the race,” Mies said. “Now we’re in P1 and have the best opportunity to win the race again. But the competition is much stronger this year. There are two Ferraris and Mercedes. We’re looking forward and have good car so we're in good shape."
The trio edged out Friday’s pace-setting Maranello Motorsport Ferrari F458 Italia GT3 of Allan Simonsen, Dominik Farnbacher, John Bowe and Peter Edwards by 0.96 seconds in the event’s unique qualifying system, which combines each driver’s best lap time over the course of two hours of track time Saturday.
"We have a great team and tomorrow I think we'll play a role in the top-three or four," Farnbacher said. "The car is very well prepared and run by a very professional race team. My teammates have no fear!"
Reigning Asian GT champions Clearwater Racing made it two Prancing Horses in the top-three, with its No. 33 Ferrari of Matt Griffin, Craig Baird and Mok Weng recording a time of 6:29.63.
However, the car will run 50kgs heavier tomorrow, as Baird eclipsed the 2:08 performance benchmark for practice and qualifying, which was imposed by organizers on grounds of safety. Baird's 2:07.520 lap time set in Qualifying 1 was thrown out of the aggregate best for the team.
"It was a complete mistake that cost us a little bit going into the race," Baird said. "But you need a little bit of luck [in this race]. It's like doing two Bathurst 1000's so it's a long way around here. You have to buy a ticket here for the last hour."
The No. 23 JBS Racing Lamborghini Gallardo LP 600 GT3 will roll off from fourth on the grid as the lone-remaining Lambo following a weekend-ending accident by the Consolidated Chemicals entry of Ted Huglin in Qualifying 1.
The morning’s one-hour and 30-minute session also saw two additional red flags for less severe accidents by the No. 10 Simply Sports Cars Lotus Exige and the No. 53 Boss Plaster Holden HSV GTS. Both returned to action during the half-hour long afternoon session.
Completing the top-five overall and in the Class A (GT3) was the sister No. 2 Phoenix Racing Audi of Aussies Craig Lowndes, Warren Luff and Mark Eddy with a 6:32.25.
Teammate O’Young, who along with Mies claimed the Audi R8 LMS car’s first win Down Under, feels confident that a repeat win could be in the cards for tomorrow.
“The preparation is good,” O’Young added. “For Phoenix Racing, it's their first time here. But the car is very comfortable to drive so that's the key point for us. Hopefully we can give Audi a good result again."
Other notable contenders included the No. 20 Erebus Racing Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 of Jeroen Bleekemolen, Tim Slade, Peter Hackett and Bret Curtis, which qualified sixth, ahead of the Mark Patterson, Alain Li and Frank Yu-driven United Autosports Audi in seventh.
The Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour takes the green flag Sunday at 6:15 a.m. local (Saturday, 2:15 p.m. ET).
RESULTS: Qualifying
PHOTOS: Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour
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
The No. 1 Phoenix Racing Audi R8 LMS of Christopher Mies, Darryl O’Young and Christer Jons ended the day on top, with the trio combining to complete an aggregate best time of 6:28.65 on the legendary Mount Panorama.
“Last year we started from P2 and won the race,” Mies said. “Now we’re in P1 and have the best opportunity to win the race again. But the competition is much stronger this year. There are two Ferraris and Mercedes. We’re looking forward and have good car so we're in good shape."
The trio edged out Friday’s pace-setting Maranello Motorsport Ferrari F458 Italia GT3 of Allan Simonsen, Dominik Farnbacher, John Bowe and Peter Edwards by 0.96 seconds in the event’s unique qualifying system, which combines each driver’s best lap time over the course of two hours of track time Saturday.
"We have a great team and tomorrow I think we'll play a role in the top-three or four," Farnbacher said. "The car is very well prepared and run by a very professional race team. My teammates have no fear!"
Reigning Asian GT champions Clearwater Racing made it two Prancing Horses in the top-three, with its No. 33 Ferrari of Matt Griffin, Craig Baird and Mok Weng recording a time of 6:29.63.
However, the car will run 50kgs heavier tomorrow, as Baird eclipsed the 2:08 performance benchmark for practice and qualifying, which was imposed by organizers on grounds of safety. Baird's 2:07.520 lap time set in Qualifying 1 was thrown out of the aggregate best for the team.
"It was a complete mistake that cost us a little bit going into the race," Baird said. "But you need a little bit of luck [in this race]. It's like doing two Bathurst 1000's so it's a long way around here. You have to buy a ticket here for the last hour."
The No. 23 JBS Racing Lamborghini Gallardo LP 600 GT3 will roll off from fourth on the grid as the lone-remaining Lambo following a weekend-ending accident by the Consolidated Chemicals entry of Ted Huglin in Qualifying 1.
The morning’s one-hour and 30-minute session also saw two additional red flags for less severe accidents by the No. 10 Simply Sports Cars Lotus Exige and the No. 53 Boss Plaster Holden HSV GTS. Both returned to action during the half-hour long afternoon session.
Completing the top-five overall and in the Class A (GT3) was the sister No. 2 Phoenix Racing Audi of Aussies Craig Lowndes, Warren Luff and Mark Eddy with a 6:32.25.
Teammate O’Young, who along with Mies claimed the Audi R8 LMS car’s first win Down Under, feels confident that a repeat win could be in the cards for tomorrow.
“The preparation is good,” O’Young added. “For Phoenix Racing, it's their first time here. But the car is very comfortable to drive so that's the key point for us. Hopefully we can give Audi a good result again."
Other notable contenders included the No. 20 Erebus Racing Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 of Jeroen Bleekemolen, Tim Slade, Peter Hackett and Bret Curtis, which qualified sixth, ahead of the Mark Patterson, Alain Li and Frank Yu-driven United Autosports Audi in seventh.
The Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour takes the green flag Sunday at 6:15 a.m. local (Saturday, 2:15 p.m. ET).
RESULTS: Qualifying
PHOTOS: Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour
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
FIA GT Nogaro
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