Rolex Qualifying: Experience is fastest

[KC]

The overall pole for the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona has been set by James Weaver for the Dyson Racing Ford-powered Riley & Scott. The car and engine package was not expected to be this fast as they are both evolutionary models of a five year old design. Lozano Brothers built the engines for the veteran team that has taken the Rolex in 1997 and 1998 with this same package.


Weaver is teamed with ALMS and USRRC Champion Elliot Forbes-Robinson, owner Rob Dyson, and CART star Max Papis.

Risi Competizione has taken the outside pole position with their venerable Ferrari 333sp with drives Mimmo Schiaterella, Ralf Kelleners, Alex Caffi, and Allan McNish.

In the hotly contested GTO class, Ron fellows set pole in the new Corvette C5R that he will share with Justin Bell and Chris Kniefel. They sit 3.2 seconds ahead of the Team Oreca Viper of Tommy Archer, Marc Duez, and Vincent Vosse.

Porsche protege Dirk Muller set the pole in GTU in a Porsche 911 GT3R and will team with Porsche Cup champo Lucas Luhr and the sportscar legend Bob Wollek. Second in class is the 911 GT3R of Alex Job Racing driven by Mike Conte, Randy Pobst, and Bruno Lambert.

The final class pole was set by Craig Conway in their American GT (AGT) Chevy Camaro tube-frame chassis. He will etam with Todd Flis, Troy Flis, and Doug Goad.

Of the 90+ entries only 80 will be allowed to make the start. Final qualifying for the rear end of the grid will finish today.

[This message has been edited by KC (edited 04 February 2000).]