Gentilozzi wins 29th Trans-Am pole
Tomy Drissi qualified second in the No. 5 Supercross – The Movie Jaguar XKR, ahead of points leader Randy Ruhlman (No. 49 Preformed Line Products Canada Chevrolet Corvette). Greg Pickett (No. 6 Cytomax Jaguar XKR) and Joey Scarallo (No. 06 Group A Wheels/AutoTrend/Toyo Tires Chevrolet Corvette) completed the top five. Scarallo will start first and Pickett will roll off second tomorrow due to Trans-Am’s Fast Five® Qualifying format, which inverts the top five in qualifying.
Gentilozzi earned three bonus championship points for the pole and also wins the Jaguar Pole Award, which goes to any pole-winning Jaguar this season. Gentilozzi will start fifth tomorrow.
“We really weren’t trying for the pole," said the four-time Trans-Am champion. “We were looking for fifth. First of all, the engine in my car hadn’t even been started before qualifying. I needed to go out, put some easy laps on it and get it up to temperature. Then I had a really good lap going, and I came up on a slower car. Then I had another good lap, and they said I was sixth. Pickett and I then had a battle going for fifth. Then, I just had to go. So I went, and as I went around the final turn, the car just quit for a second. Then it straightened out and it got going again. I ran out of gas on my fast lap.
“It was just a comedy," added Gentilozzi. “We’re not bragging about it but we’re happy to win the pole on an empty tank."
Drissi earned on bonus point for the outside pole, and will start fourth tomorrow.
“The track is fast," said Drissi. “In fact, I think it’s a lot faster than we’re willing to go right now. The car is good. I went out and I had an oil pressure problem, so I came in and they fixed that. I only really got five good laps in. I thought I had the pole at the end, so I came in and then the boss took two points from me."