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Ford Racing Claims Pole for KONI Race

Autoracing1

Magic. That’s the word Dean Martin used to describe his qualifying lap around Daytona International Speedway.

The co-driver of the No. 59 Rehagen Racing Mustang FR500C claimed the top spot for Friday’s season-opening Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series race in Daytona, with a quick lap that even surprised the optimistic driver.

“Getting the pole here in Daytona was our first goal, and of course winning the race tomorrow is our ultimate goal," said Martin. “Our lap out there today was magic. The way our Mustang handled and performed was just perfect. We’ve worked really hard during the off-season and we want to show everybody that we’re the best. I think our team can carry today’s success over into tomorrow’s race."

Martin will co-drive his No. 59 Mustang FR500C with Ken Wilden during Friday's race, on a track that tends to favor Ford’s pony car.

“A Mustang should definitely win and be on the podium tomorrow," continued Martin. “I’ll be honest; I was surprised that we went as fast as we did. I never expected to go that fast. We had been fighting the car all day and it wasn’t so good, but I told the team not to mess with anything and to see what happens. I figured if I ran a two-minute flat lap, we’d be okay. So when I came by the timing light and it came up as a 1:59.60, I just went, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m just going to come in right now.’ I was so excited and just really happy for our team."

“We are so excited about Dean and the Rehagen Racing team putting the Mustang on top of the board today," said Jamie Allison, manager Ford Performance Group. "The FR500C is well suited for the Grand-Am KONI Challenge, because it is a production-based road racing series, one of the best in America. We have some of the most credible and highly regarded handling cars in the world on the track and the Mustang has been able to demonstrate its superiority and accomplishment taking on the best of Porsche and BMW. Dean and Rehagen Racing getting the pole is a pretty stout accomplishment for Mustang and we are very proud them and look to continue that success in tomorrow’s race."

Results

Pos

Num Class Driver Team Car Time Gap Speed
1. 59 GS Dean Martin Rehagen Racing Ford Mustang GT 1:59.555 107.198
2. 91 GS Jeff Segal Automatic Racing BMW M3 Coupe 2:00.169 0.614 106.650
3. 96 GS Matthew Bell Turner Motorsport BMW M3 Coupe 2:00.553 0.998 106.310
4. 61 GS Jack Roush Jr Horsepower Ranch Ford Mustang GT 2:00.651 1.096 106.224
5. 39 GS Duncan Ende TRG Porsche 997 2:00.935 1.380 105.974
6. 60 GS Mike Canney Horsepower Ranch Ford Mustang GT 2:00.956 1.401 105.956
7. 37 GS Bret Seafuse JBS Motorsports Ford Mustang GT 2:00.968 1.413 105.945
8. 79 GS Nic Jonsson Kinetic Motorsports BMW M3 Coupe 2:01.081 1.526 105.846
9. 52 GS Bryan Collyer Rehagen Racing Ford Mustang GT 2:01.318 1.763 105.640
10. 58 GS Glen Reen Rehagen Racing Ford Mustang GT 2:01.409 1.854 105.561
11. 09 GS Charles Putman Automatic Racing BMW M3 Coupe 2:01.626 2.071 105.372
12. 77 GS Daniel DiLeo Maxwell Paper Racing Porsche 997 2:01.696 2.141 105.312
13. 57 GS Roberto Bengoa Rehagen Racing Ford Mustang GT 2:01.847 2.292 105.181
14. 154 GS Nicholas Woodman Hyper Sport Ford Mustang GT 2:02.131 2.576 104.937
15. 54 GS Jim Click Hyper Sport/Jim Click Racing Ford Mustang GT 2:02.263 2.708 104.823
16. 32 GS Glenn Bocchino Kinetic Motorsports BMW M3 Coupe 2:02.381 2.826 104.722
17. 07 GS Terry Heath Cradiosport Racing Porsche 997 2:02.492 2.937 104.627
18. 47 GS Chase Matioli JBS Motorsports Ford Mustang GT 2:02.834 3.279 104.336
19. 28 GS Mark Boden Fall-Line Motorsports BMW M3 Coupe 2:02.858 3.303 104.316
20. 78 GS Russell Smith Kinetic Motorsports BMW M3 Coupe 2:02.886 3.331 104.292
21. 18 GS Tony Buffomante Motorsport Technology Group Porsche 997 2:03.007 3.452 104.189
22. 68 GS Keith Rossberg CA Sport Ford Mustang GT 2:03.104 3.549 104.107
23. 83 GS Tim George Jr BGB Motorsports Porsche Carrera 2:03.230 3.675 104.001
24. 41 GS John Potter TRG Porsche 997 2:03.380 3.825 103.874
25. 80 GS Lance Willsey Kinetic Motorsports BMW M3 Coupe 2:03.388 3.833 103.867
26. 97 GS Chris Gleason Turner Motorsport BMW M3 Coupe 2:03.572 4.017 103.713
27. 46 GS Navid Kahangi Fall-Line Motorsports BMW M3 Coupe 2:04.014 4.459 103.343
28. 2 GS Scott Turner CMA Motorsports Ford Mustang GT 2:04.074 4.519 103.293
29. 88 GS Fraser Wellon Ranger Sports Racing Porsche 997 2:04.198 4.643 103.190
30. 17 GS Scott Panzer CMA Motorsports Ford Mustang GT 2:04.510 4.955 102.931
31. 7 GS Steven Hickham Sr Hickham Motorsports Ford Mustang GT 2:04.649 5.094 102.817
32. 5 GS Tom Nastasi Blackforest Motorsports Dodge Challenger 2:06.439 6.884 101.361
33. 38 GS Joe Masessa BGB Motorsports Porsche Carrera 2:06.916 7.361 100.980
34. 99 GS Mark Hillestad Automatic Racing BMW M3 Coupe 2:07.199 7.644 100.756
35. 111 ST Andrew Aquilante Subaru Road Racing Team Subaru Legacy 2:08.694 9.139 99.585
36. 27 ST David Thilenius Bill Fenton Motorsports Honda Civic SI 2:09.086 9.531 99.283
37. 171 ST Josh Hurley APR Motorsport Volkswagen GTI 2:09.363 9.808 99.070
38. 74 ST Christian Miller Compass360 Racing Honda Civic SI 2:09.398 9.843 99.043
39. 75 ST Peter Schwartzott Compass360 Racing Honda Civic SI 2:09.500 9.945 98.965
40. 76 ST Matt Pritiko Compass360 Racing Honda Civic SI 2:09.653 10.098 98.848
41. 95 ST Don Salama Turner Motorsport BMW 328i 2:09.704 10.149 98.810
42. 01 ST Ashley McCalmont Georgian Bay Motorsports Chevrolet Cobalt SS 2:09.741 10.186 98.781
43. 174 ST Juan Leroux LRT Racing Acura TSX 2:09.848 10.293 98.700
44. 29 ST Rich Cullen Bill Fenton Motorsports Honda Civic SI 2:10.492 10.937 98.213
45. 08 ST Nick Leverone Flatout Motorsports Mazda MX-5 2:11.173 11.618 97.703
46. 145 ST Derek Whitis Freedom Autosport Mazda MX-5 2:11.217 11.662 97.670
47. 30 ST Eric Meyer Meyer Motorsports Mazda RX-8 2:11.361 11.806 97.563
48. 92 ST John Schmitt HART Honda Civic SI 2:11.442 11.887 97.503
49. 23 ST Sam Schultz V-Pack Motorsport BMW Z4 2:11.493 11.938 97.465
50. 138 ST Gunter Schmidt GS Motorsports Chevrolet Cobalt SS 2:11.539 11.984 97.431
51. 181 ST Mike Sweeney APR Motorsport Volkswagen GTI 2:11.586 12.031 97.396
52. 198 ST Adam Burrows RSR Motorsports Mini Cooper S 2:11.800 12.245 97.238
53. 197 ST Randy Smalley RSR Motorsports Mini Cooper S 2:11.922 12.367 97.148
54. 147 ST Mark White Freedom Autosport Mazda MX-5 2:11.945 12.390 97.131
55. 43 ST Will Nonnamaker Team Sahlen/Phoenix Promotions Mazda RX-8 2:12.053 12.498 97.052
56. 00 ST Pat Iannucci Georgian Bay Motorsports Chevrolet Cobalt SS 2:12.364 12.809 96.824
57. 02 ST Kendall Smith Maxwell Paper Racing Mazda RX-8 2:12.871 13.316 96.454
58. 24 ST Roger Burdette V-Pack Motorsport BMW 330 2:12.957 13.402 96.392
59. 48 ST Pete Bovenberg Team Cobalt California Chevrolet Cobalt SS 2:13.854 14.299 95.746
60. 128 ST Squeak Kennedy Next Generation Motorsports BMW 330 2:14.375 14.820 95.375
61. 127 ST Ray Webb Next Generation Motorsports BMW 330 2:16.307 16.752 94.023
62. 55 ST Rick Skelton Hyper Sport Mazda RX-8 2:18.657 19.102 92.430
63. 151 ST Dan Harding Pirate Motorsports Mazda RX-8 2:19.843 20.288 91.646
64. 16 ST Bill Marquardt Meyer Motorsports Mazda RX-8 2:24.377 24.822 88.768
65. 135 ST Andrew Charbonneau Runwhatyabrung Racing Dodge SRT4 2:42.817 43.262 78.714