Gurney Sets Pace
Alex Gurney turned the quickest lap in the GAINSCO machine during today's dual practice sessions, running a fast lap of 2:39.459 (101.277 mph). Teamed with co-driver Jon Fogarty, the pair currently lead the Daytona Prototype championship by just one point over Scott Pruett and by three points over Max Angelelli. Vasser will join the GAINSCO duo in the No. 99 machine for Saturday's race.
Each of the five fastest laps were turned during the morning session. Ryan Hunter-Reay, co-driving with Marc Goossens and Jim Matthews in the No. 91 Riley-Matthews Motorsports Pontiac Riley, turned the day's second-fastest lap in 2:40.760 (100.458 mph).
Pruett, chasing Gurney and Fogarty for the championship, was third quickest in the morning session and for the day at 2:41.036 (100.286 mph). Pruett will pilot the No. 01 TELMEX/Chip Ganassi Racing Lexus Riley with Memo Rojas and Salvador Duran. Jan Magnussen, teammate to championship contender Angelelli, was fifth quickest in the day's session with a time of 2:41.600 (99.936 mph).
Sandwiched between Pruett and Magnussen was No. 60 Michael Shank Racing Lexus Riley driver Oswaldo Negri, who turned in a time of 2:41.432 (100.040 mph).
Like the Daytona Prototypes, the quickest times in the GT sessions were turned in the morning session. Paul Edwards turned a fast lap of 2:54.557 (92.518 mph) in the No. 07 Banner Racing/Banner Engineering Pontiac GXP.R. Edwards will race in Saturday's Sunchaser 1000 with Kelly Collins and Andy Pilgrim.
Following Edwards on the time sheets is championship leader Dirk Werner. Werner, driving with Bryce Miller and Wolf Henzler in the No. 87 Farnbacher Loles Motorsports Marquis Jet/IPC Porsche GT3 Cup, turned a lap of 2:54.822 (92.377 mph). The duo's session ended prematurely after getting off track in Turn 16.
Andrew Davis in the No. 81 Synergy Racing EMC Mechanical/Gamewell Mechanical Porsche GT3 Cup also turned a top-three time, running a lap of Miller Motorsports Park in 2:55.599 (91.969 mph). Davis will co-drive with Steve Johnson and Cort Wagner.
Championship contending team TRG spent both of today's practice sessions working on race set-up for the seven hour race and fell well down the scoring charts.
The Rolex Series Championships will be decided on Saturday, Sept. 15 at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah, in a 1000k endurance race to the checkered flag. Qualifying is scheduled for 1:45 p.m. Friday. The race's start will air live on SPEED at 1 p.m. ET, with the action continuing to the checkered flag beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET. Grand-Am