Grand Am pole story from Daytona
Practice made perfect for Jack Baldwin Wednesday at Daytona International Speedway. When scattered showers cancelled the evening qualifying session, Baldwin was awarded the Informix Way Fast pole position award for Thursday's Paul Revere 250, based on his lap of 123.228 mph from afternoon practice
This was the first pole position of the season for Baldwin, who co-drives the Informix Riley & Scott-Judd with car owner George Robinson. Four-time 2000 pole winner James Weaver and Andy Wallace will join them on the front row, in the Dyson Racing Riley & Scott-Ford.
"We weren't even thinking about the pole during practice," said Baldwin, who won Grand-Am races at Phoenix and Mid-Ohio this season. "We know we can get better. The team to beat is still James (Weaver) and Andy (Wallace), that's our benchmark."
"We wouldn't have minded holding qualifying in the rain, our car was that good," said Weaver, who holds a five-point lead over Baldwin in the Grand-Am point standings. "Andy (Wallace) actually ran the fastest lap in our car during practice."
The Paul Revere 250 will take the green flag immediately following Thursday's 8 p.m. Bud Pole qualifying for Saturday's Pepsi 400 NASCAR Winston Cup Series race. This will be the first running of the historic event since 1986, with the Paul Revere 250 a holiday classic at Daytona dating back to 1967.
Mimmo Schiattarella and Ralf Kelleners, driving the Risi Competizione Ferrari 333SP, will share the second row with the second Dyson R&S-Ford of Elliott Forbes-Robinson, John Paul Jr. and Rob Dyson.
Starting in row three for the 70-lap, 250 mile race will be the Doran Lista Special of Didier Theys and Ross Bentley, and the R&S-Chevrolet of Tom Volk and Jaret Schroeder.
Larry Oberto and Ryan Hampton won their fifth Informix Way Fast Award for the SportsRacer Lights class. Other class pole winners were the Saleen SR of Terry Borcheller and Ron Johnson, GTO; G&W Porsche drivers Darren Law and Mike Fitzgerald, GTU; and the Spirit of Daytona Camaro of Craig Conway and Doug Goad, American GT.
Thursday's on-track activities begin at 3 p.m. with NASCAR Winston Cup Series practice.
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