Audi driver Frank Biela, two weeks after
winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the third straight year, set a track
record to take the pole position Saturday for Sunday’s American Le Mans
Series event at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
The German driver, who will co-drive in Sunday’s sports car race with
Emanuele Pirro of Italy, turned the 2.258-mile circuit in 1:14.169 (109.598
mph), beating the record lap of 109.057 mph that was set last year by Tom
Kristensen. The Audi R8 Prototype that Biela and Pirro are using is the same
car that won Le Mans.
"We had a great weekend at Le Mans, but that was two weeks ago and it’s
almost history now," said Biela. "We’re back in America now and we’re
focused on winning more races and making up for the bad luck we had earlier
this year in the series. The team worked hard to get the car ready for
Mid-Ohio and hopefully it has more wins in it."
Jan Magnussen and David Brabham, winner of last year’s American Le Mans
race at Mid-Ohio as well as the most recent series event at California’s
Sears Point Raceway, qualified second in a Panoz LMP-1. The Panoz team car
driven by Bryan Herta and Bill Auberlen was third, followed by the Audi of
Kristensen and Rinaldo Capello.
Jon Field, who lives in nearby Dublin, Ohio, was the fastest qualifier in
the LMP 675 class for smaller Prototypes with a lap of 1:16.559. He will
co-drive with his 19-year-old son, Clint, in a Lola EX257-AER MG.
Ron Fellows of Canada won his third pole in three races this season in the
GTS class, lapping the circuit in a Chevrolet Corvette C5-R at 1:22.066. He
and co-driver Johnny O’Connell have won the GTS class in both events held
this season, as well as in the recent 24 Hours of Le Mans. Fellows only
turned three laps in the 20-minute qualifying session.
Sascha Maassen of Germany only needed two laps to win the pole in the GT
class with a lap of 1:25.838. He will share a Porsche 911 GT3 RS with Lucas
Luhr, the two having won the class in both ALMS races held this season.
Starting Lineup:
1. Frank Biela, Emanuele Pirro; Audi R8 (LMP 900), 1:14.169; 109.598.
2. Jan Magnussen, David Brabham; Panoz LMP-1 (LMP 900), 1:14.841; 108.614.
3. Bryan Herta, Bill Auberlen; Panoz LMP-1 (LMP 900), 1:15.084; 108.263.
4. Johnny Herbert, Stefan Johansson; Audi R8 (LMP 900), 1:15.179; 108.126.
5. Rinaldo Capello, Tom Kristensen; Audi R8 (LMP 900), 1:16.453; 106.324.
6. Jon Field, Clint Field; Lola EX257-AER MG (LMP 675), 1:16.559; 106.177.
7. James Weaver, Chris Dyson, Butch Leitzinger; Riley & Scott MkIIIA-Lincoln (LMP 900), 1:17.275; 105.193.
8. Didier de Radigues, John Graham; Paonoz LMP07-Mugen (LMP 900), 1:18.988; 102.912.
9. Joel Field, Mark Neuhaus; Lola B2K40-Judd (LMP 900), 1:20.399; 101.106.
10. Ron Fellows, Johnny O’Connell; Chevrolet Corvette C5-R (GTS), 1:22.066; 99.052.
11. Chris McMurry, Bryan Willman, Jeff Bucknum; Pilbeam MP84-Nissan (LMP 675), 1:22.161; 98.937.
12. Milka Duno, Scott Maxwell; Panoz LMP07-Mugen (LMP 900), 1:22.189; 98.904.
13. Andy Pilgrim, Kelly Collins; Chevrolet Corvette C5-R (GTS), 1:22.196; 98.895.
14. Emanuele Naspetti, Mimmo Schiattarella; Ferrari 550 Maranello (GTS), 1:22.662; 98.338.
15. Ben Devlin, Bret Arsenault; Lola B2K40-Ford (LMP 675), 1:23.529; 97.317.
16. Franz Konrad, Terry Borcheller; Saleen S7R (GTS), 1:23.643; 97.184.
17. Steve Knight, John Fergus; Lola B2K40-Nissan (LMP 675), 1:23.913; 96.872.
18. Jimmy Adama, Joe Blacker; Pilbeam MP84-Nissan (LMP 675), 1:24.834; 95.820.
19. Tom Weickardt, Marc Bunting; Dodge Viper GTS-R (GTS), 1:25.346; 95.245.
20. Lucas Luhr, Sascha Maassen; Porsche 911 GT3 RS (GT), 1:25.838; 94.699.
21. Randy Pobst, Johnny Mowlem; Porsche 911 GT3 RS (GT), 1:26.272; 94.223.
22. Timo Bernhard, Jorg Bergmeister; Porsche 911 GT3 RS (GT), 1:26.406; 94.077.
23. Dennis Spencer, Rich Grupp; Lola B2K42-Mazda (LMP 675), 1:26.488; 93.988.
24. Jeremy Jackson, Mike Fitzgerald; Porsche 911 GT3 RS (GT), 1:27.375; 93.033.
25. Leo Hindery, Peter Baron; Porsche 911 GT3 RS (GT), 1:27.416; 92.990.
26. Kevin Buckler, B.J. Zacharias; Porsche 911 GT3 RS (GT), 1:27.432; 92.973.
27. Larry Schumacher, David Murry; Porsche 911 GT3 RS (GT), 1:27.788; 92.596.
28. Adam Merzon, Robert Julien; Porsche 911 GT3 RS (GT), 1:28.718; 91.625.
29. Tony Kester, Joseph Policastro, Jr.; Porsche 911 GT3 RS (GT), 1:28.786; 91.555.
30. Shane Lewis, Kevin Allen; Dodge Viper GTS-R (GTS), 1:30.071; 90.249.
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