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AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES |
08/08/2004 |
Corvette Qualifies 1-2 In GTS |
Oliver Gavin Sets A New Track Record |
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Corvette Qualifies 1-2 In GTS For Mosport Oliver Gavin Sets A New Track Record In The No.4 Corvette C5-R
The General Motors Chevrolet Corvette Racing team will start Sunday's American Le Mans Series race from the GTS pole position after Oliver Gavin set the fastest time this afternoon in qualifying at Mosport International Raceway. Gavin posted a time of 1:13.317 with Ron Fellows close behind at 1:13.329. Both factory Chevrolets bested the previous track record by over one second.
"Mosport is Ron Fellows' home track and both our teams know that," said Doug Fehan, program manager for Corvette Racing. "Both teams, naturally, made an extra effort to qualify in front and we had two great performances from our drivers. This was the closest qualifying session we've had all year and it should be a very interesting race."
This weekend returned to the "new" style of qualifying for American Le Mans Series teams. The format is designed to increase the drama of competition by giving drivers more of an opportunity to post their best lap times on a track clear of traffic. Unlike single-car qualifying formats used in many other forms of racing, the format for the ALMS has multiple cars on the track at the same time, dispatched individually at specific intervals timed to maximize the opportunity for each car to have clear track. Chevrolet driver Oliver Gavin was able to capitalize on the clear track, although Ron Fellows' time came within 12 one-thousandths of one second.
"It was close racing as always with Ron Fellows," said Oliver Gavin, pole sitter in the No.4 Corvette C5-R. "It's going to be very close tomorrow. Conditions had improved throughout the course of the day and we found the track to be quicker during qualifying. I am looking forward to the race."
Fan favourite Ron Fellows came close to Gavin's time and credited the team for preparing the cars.
"I was disappointed not to get the pole position," said Fellows. "But, coming across the line and seeing a time in the 1 minute, 13-second range is remarkable for the Corvette team. Those are like Formula 1 times at this track in the 1970's. That is a remarkable feat for our car and it is a testament to the hard work and engineering expertise we have at Corvette Racing."
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