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Pruett Sets Record In Rolex Series Qualifying At The Glen

Watkins Glen, N. Y. – Scott Pruett broke the track record at Watkins Glen International with a blistering lap of 121.716 miles per hour to gain the pole position for the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen. His fast lap erased his 2009 standard of 121.496 mph.

The seasoned veteran drove the TELMEX BMW Riley fielded by Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. For Pruett, he scored his 12th career Daytona Prototype pole and his fourth at the Glen. For the championship team, it took fast-qualifying honors for the 30th time overall and the second time this season.

The six-hour race will mark the sixth of 12 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series events in 2010.

Discussing his fast lap, Pruett said, “There are a couple of tracks that suit our car and drivers or the way we set up the car, and this is one of them. We were already pretty optimistic that we could run pretty strong here, and it is good to be able to start up front.”

Commenting on the race, Pruett stated, “Six hours is a long race and with rain possibly coming in, anything can happen.”

Five days ago, Pruett and teammate Memo Rojas were involved in a first-lap accident at Lime Rock Park that seriously damaged the car, and Pruett congratulated his team for their rebuilding effort.

“It was a horrific accident, and the damage to our car was unbelievable,” said Pruett, who attributed the damage to the track layout. “My guys worked very hard to fix the car.”

Pruett and teammate Memo Rojas are seeking their third consecutive victory in the second-longest race of the season.

Jon Fogarty, the other driver in the Lime Rock accident, qualified for the outside of the front row with a speed of 120.898 mph in the GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Chevrolet Riley.

“I am pleased with the result and the car felt good,” Fogarty said. “Obviously, it wasn’t good enough for the pole. I am very happy with our qualifying effort as it is one our best efforts in some time.”

The two drivers sought to downplay the accident, saying it was history.

“We both want to finish the races and that’s our objective,” Fogarty said. “The destruction that occurred to their car nobody would have foreseen, and the result certainly wasn’t in line with the intent.”

Said Pruett, “It is all in the mirrors now, and we came here to focus on this race. You never see in a situation where you get caught up in an altercation that plays to anyone’s favor, except for the fans.”

Alex Gurney and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson will share driving duties with Fogarty.

Johnson has raced at the Glen often but never on the 3.4-mile long course, which is why he is dividing his weekend assignments between Watkins Glen and the nearby Pocono Raceway. On Friday, Johnson flew back and forth twice, practicing in the morning at the Glen, qualifying in the afternoon at Pocono and returning to the Glen for night practice where he set the second fastest time.

Said Johnson, “It was a lot of fun. The areas of the track that I’ve run here in the Cup car are so different in this car. Then you go to the Boot – what a neat place to drive down there. It’s too bad we can’t run the Cup cars through there. It’s a whole different challenge, and I feel like I’ve actually finally experienced this track right for the first time.”

Burt Friselle and Mark Wilkins qualified third in the AIM Ford Riley with Buddy Rice and Antonio Garcia fourth in the Spirit of Daytona Porsche Coyote.

Oswaldo Negri Jr. and John Pew were fifth in the Michael Shank Racing Ford Riley and Lime Rock winners Max Angelelli and Ricky Taylor along with Wayne Taylor will start sixth in the SunTrust Ford Dallara.

Twelve Daytona Prototypes qualified with a 13th car expected to start the race on Saturday.

In another record-setting run, Craig Stanton took the GT qualifying honors with a speed of 111.058 mph in the Magnus Racing Porsche GT3 Cup entry. The previous record was set a year ago by Dirk Werner at 110.623 mph.

Chalking up his fifth consecutive front-row effort was Jordan Taylor in the Racers Edge Mazda RX-8. “I was a little nervous going into qualifying, but we made a few changes and picked up a lot of time,” the second-generation driver said.

Paul Edwards, Scott Russell and Leighton Reese will start third in the Banner Racing Corvette.

In total, 17 GT cars will start the six-hour race.

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