MAX ANGELELLI/No.10 Sun Trust Ford Dallara Daytona Prototype has the pole position for the 2010 Rolex 24 at Daytona. His lap was 140.681/127.283 mph/204.843 kph. He upset the streak that Michael Shank Racing had in the first two practice sessions for the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No.16 at Daytona International Speedway.
This is Angelelli’s first Rolex 24 pole and his second in the Rolex Series. He won the 2005 Grand-Am prototype category championship.
Angelelli said he “was pretty confident” in Qualifying. It was his last lap that set the pole. “I know the car was good. It is important for us to start on pole. Good for morale, and the prestige. Every magazine has a photo of the pole sitter. And we wanted it. Now that the car has been developed (after last year’s debut of the Dallara chassis), we can concentrate on setups and going fast. Being on the pole definitely is an advantage. We can’t change the car for the race now (strategy wise). We know it could rain before or during the race, but we’ve setup for what we expect to be a dry finish. I’m not going to worry about the weather because there’s nothing I can do about it.”
OSWALDO NEGRI/No.60 Michael Shank Racing Ford Riley DP is starting on the front row. He said “we have a good driver lineup. We’re not giving up seat comfort in the car.”
Third through fifth qualifiers were No.6 MSR Racing, and the two Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates BMW Rileys – No.01 and No.02.
The top three DP’s are Fords. Second through fifth have Riley chassis. The front row drivers feel the Daytona Prototype field of 15 cars has quality not quantity for this year’s race – a very good field.
Twelve of the fifteen DP’s qualified. Not going out was the late entry No.2 Beyer Racing Chevrolet Crawford; one of the two Crown Royal/NPN Racing BMW Rileys-No.95; and No.99 GAINSCO Chevrolet Riley, which crashed earlier in the day.
The latest news from GAINSCO owner BOB STALLINGS is that the chassis was not twisted. There are two cracks in ‘the brain’ which exists on a removable part in the car. That has been removed and new parts will be welded in. To do this, Riley Technologies in North Carolina will send the new part and a jig to hold it during the welding process. Stallings said the work will be done at a nearby shop in Daytona.
After Angelelli got out of his car and was receiving congratulations, one of the first to give Angelelli a high five was Stallings. He did the same for team owner, WAYNE TAYLOR, along with a congratulatory hug.
The DP Qualifying record is still held by last year’s pole sitter and winner, DAVID DONOHUE/Brumos Racing at 1:40.540/127.472 mph/205.146 kph. His teammates were ANTONIO GARCIA, DARREN LAW and BUDDY RICE. Donohue and Law are still together in No.59 Brumos Racing Porsche Riley DP. Garcia and Rice are running this year with No.90 Spirit of Daytona Racing Porsche Coyote with co-drivers DARREN MANNING and PAUL MENARD.
Law/Brumos Racing qualified seventh and Rice/Spirit of Daytona will start tenth.
MICHAEL VALIENTE/No.6 Michael Shank Racing Ford Riley Daytona Prototype was the fastest in the second practice.
It was 64 degrees F/17.77 C for the 3:45 PM EST qualifying session.