Tommy Archer took pole by a tiny margin from Jason Daskalos
ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (Aug. 9, 2008) – Tommy Archer, of Duluth, Minn., claimed his second-straight SCCA Pro Racing SPEED GT pole in qualifying for Sunday’s Road America SPEED GT Presented by Remington. Jason Daskalos, of Albuquerque , N.M. , will start second in the Round Five race.
Fresh off a win from pole at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in July, Archer put his No. 13 Foametix Dodge Viper back at the front of the grid at Road America . On his first flying lap around the 4.048-mile, 14-turn road course, Archer entered a time of 2:15.814 (107.299 mph).
“We made a change last night and we changed it back this morning based on what we felt,” Archer said. “It’s slippery out there. I missed one turn, I was surprised I made that lap actually, but I went harder in the next two corners, so I guess I made it up.”
Archer hit the pits to make some changes before returning to the course, but was unable to improve his time.
“I was trying something I wanted to try yesterday, but didn’t have time,” Archer said. “We put it in this morning, but then took it out right before qualifying, because we were scared it wouldn’t work, and it didn’t work, so we’ll take it back out before the race. We just wanted to make sure we knew where we were and it’s a pretty sweet car right now. Yesterday was the first time I’ve ever driven a car that I had to actually think up something that was wrong.”
In the series’ last visit to Road America in 2006, Archer was the polesitter and race winner. He attributes his patient driving style to his success at the famed road course in Wisconsin ’s Kettle Moraine region.
“I was here in ’75, so I’ve been racing for 33 years at Road America . For me, it’s a track where the turns like to suck you in deep, but when you go in too deep, you can’t come out fast, so you have to be very patient and I’ve always been a patient driver.”
Daskalos will start second in the No. 5 Daskalos Developments & Investments Dodge Viper. A lap of 2:15.837 (107.281 mph) earned Daskalos his best grid position in two years of SPEED GT competition. His previous best qualifying effort was eighth.
Representing SPEED GT race sponsor Remington Shaving & Grooming, Andy Pilgrim, of Boca Raton , Fla. , will start third in the No. 8 Remington Shaving & Grooming Cadillac CTS-V. Currently third in the Drivers’ Championship, Pilgrim entered a lap of 2:16.048 (107.115 mph).
Another career-high qualifying effort came from Brain Kubinski, of Shorewood , Ill. Making his first appearance back in the No. 12 Diamond Construction/CRP Chevrolet Corvette since the season opener at Sebring, Kubinski turned a lap of 2:16.115 (107.062 mph) to qualifying fourth on the grid.
Eric Curran, of East Hampton , Mass. , completed the top five his No. 30 Whelen Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette. Curran stopped the clocks with a 2:16.150 (107.034 mph).
Currently second in the Drivers’ Championship, Brandon Davis will start sixth in the Ford Mustang Cobra, followed by Michael McCann in the second Cadillac CTS-V.
Drivers’ Championship leader Randy Pobst will start his Porsche 911 GT3 eighth. The Dodge Vipers of Rob Foster and Cindi Lux completed the top 10.
Sunday’s Road America SPEED GT Presented by Remington is set for 2:45 p.m. (CDT). Live timing and notes will be available on www.world-challenge.com The race will air on SPEED, Wednesday, Aug. 20, at noon (EDT).
The Grid
ELKHART LAKE, Wis. - Starting lineup for Sunday's SCCA Pro Racing SPEED GT Championship Round Six race, part of the Road America SPEED GT Presented by Remington, with position, car number in parentheses, driver, hometown, car, fastest lap time, and speed in miles per hour.
1, (13), Tommy Archer, Duluth , Minn. , Dodge Viper, 2:15.814, 107.299.
2, (5), Jason Daskalos, Albuquerque , N.M. , Dodge Viper, 2:15.837, 107.281.
3, (8), Andy Pilgrim, Boca Raton , Fla. , Cadillac CTS-V, 2:16.048, 107.115.
4, (12), Brian Kubinski, Shorewood , Ill. , Chevrolet Corvette, 2:16.115, 107.062.
5, (30), Eric Curran, East Hampton , Mass. , Chevrolet Corvette, 2:16.150, 107.034.
6, (10), Brandon Davis, Huntington Beach , Calif. , Ford Mustang Cobra, 2:16.538, 106.730.
7, (16), Michael McCann, Canton , Ohio , Cadillac CTS-V, 2:16.689, 106.612.
8, (1), Randy Pobst, Gainesville , Ga. , Porsche 911 GT3, 2:16.879, 106.464.
9, (17), Robert Foster, Phoenix , Ariz. , Dodge Viper, 2:16.972, 106.392.
10, (2), Cindi Lux, Aloha, Ore. , Dodge Viper, 2:17.128, 106.271.
11, (23), Michael Galati, Olmsted , Ohio , Porsche 911 GT3, 2:17.440, 106.030.
12, (66), Tim McKenzie, Madison , Wis. , Porsche 911 GT3, 2:17.496, 105.987.
13, (21), Tommy Milner, Leesburg , Va. , Aston Martin DB9, 2:17.633, 105.881.
14, (06), Joey Scarallo, Smithtown , N.Y. , Pontiac GTO, 2:17.637, 105.878.
15, (14), James Sofronas, Newport Beach , Calif. , Porsche 911 GT3, 2:17.835, 105.726.
16, (34), Tony Gaples, Libertyville , Ill. , Chevrolet Corvette, 2:18.002, 105.598.
17, (4), Dino Crescentini, Manhattan Beach , Calif. , Porsche 911 GT3, 2:18.281, 105.385.
18, (31), Sonny Whelen, Old Saybrook , Conn. , Chevrolet Corvette, 2:18.379, 105.310.
19, (11), Mike Davis, Huntington Beach , Calif. , Ford Mustang Cobra, 2:18.463, 105.246.
20, (57), Stu Frederick(R), Del Mar, Calif. , Dodge Viper, 2:19.581, 104.403.
21, (29), Eric Olberz, La Canada , Calif. , Porsche 911 GT3, 2:19.727, 104.294.
22, (9), Gunter Schaldach(R), Aspen , Colo. , Dodge Viper, 2:20.230, 103.920.
23, (76), John Bourassa, Jupiter Island , Fla. , Porsche 911 Turbo, 2:20.339, 103.840.
24, (24), Sean Allen(R), Manhattan Beach , Calif. , Porsche 911 GT3, 2:22.633, 102.169.
25, (72), Jeff Altenburg, Ellicott City , Md. , Lexus IS, no time.
26, (99), Jeff Courtney, Slinger, Wis. , Dodge Viper, no time.