Porsche Takes Pole at 2012 Rolex 24

By: Kevin Sims

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Daytona, FL – January 26, 2012 – Brumos Racing continued last year’s GT class championship performance by clinching the GT pole despite a field of new competition from Ferrari and Audi. Andrew Davis navigated the #59 Brumos GT3 through qualify with a blistering 1:49.342 lap time at 117.21 mph, whipping the Ferrari 458s and Audi R8s. Coming in second, Jeff Segal and his #69 AIM Motorsport prancing horse was Ferrari’s quickest with a 1:49.357 lap time at 117.194 mph. While Audi’s best grid position was a dismal 15th with Oryx Racing’s #74 R8 achieving a 1:50.312 lap time nearly a full second behind pole setting Brumos. During the Roar Before the 24 Ferrari had the upper hand, however, fortunes have changed as the qualifying grid’s top 10 included six Porsches to Ferrari’s two. In the GT class experience has its privileges and Porsche is showing its proficiency.

In the DP class, Starworks Motorsport #8 stuns the racing world by overcoming a blown engine early in practice to capture the 50th anniversary 2012 Rolex 24 at Daytona pole position. Earning his first career Rolex Series pole, Ryan Dalziel out piloted the usual band of qualifying aces by dashing off a speedy 1:41.119 lap time at 126.741 mph late in the session. Compared to his mid-field performances during late practice, Ryan dazzled the crowd and dispirited his peers by finding an extra 1.411 seconds during qualify. Max Angelelli placed second driving the #10 Corvette Dallara of Sun Trust Racing. The difference between qualifying times was a meager 0.121 of a second. The #01 BMW Riley of Chip Ganassi Racing took up third place with a time of 1:42.51 piloted by Scott Dixon.

The largest off-season rule changes in the DP class appeared to have made their effect in the Grand Am Rolex series power structure. Starwork’s Rolex 24 qualifying results is evidence to the fact. For nearly half a decade the rules stayed relative stable. Ganassi , Bob Stallings, and Action Express (formally Brumos) were well oiled machines that dominated through consistency and solid organizations. Now, as has been seen up to qualify, we have teams hunting for themselves. Lap times have varied all over the place since testing began in December. Only Sun Trust consistently stayed in the top 5 through the Roar Before the 24 to qualify. Engine failures are on the raises even for previously solid teams. Grenading motors during practice sidelined #5 Action Express, new with Chevy power, and #01 Ganassi from qualifying. Even the pole position winners had their time in the garage transplanting engines. The DP field is scurrying and time is moving too quickly toward Saturday’s 3 PM race start to allow for adjust. AA

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