30.01.2004 SECOND QUALIFYING AT DAYTONA SEES REMAINING FERRARI AND MASERATI ENTRANTS SAFELY THROUGH TO THE RACE

Risi Competizione Maserati GT Light. Click to enlarge.

Second qualifying took place earlier today for the Daytona 24 Hours which kicks off tomorrow. With the first thirty positions on the grid decided yesterday after the conclusion of the first qualifying sessions, today saw the remaining runners jockey for the lower order starting positions.

Aside from a sole Daytona Prototype, the action was between GT and Cup class contenders. The Orbit Racing Porsche GTS RS led the GT runners, followed by three more identical cars from the Racers Group.

Fastest of the Italian runners was the BE Racing Ferrari 360 Modena which posted a fastest lap of 01:54.629. The driver line-up of three Austrians, Klaus Engelhorn, Phillipp Peter and Dieter Quester, and one Italian, Andrea Montermini, were just over a second shy of the fastest GT time. Engelhorn, Peter and Montermini have formed an efficient team, having late last year taken part together in the Le Mans 1000 kms and the Bathurst 24 Hours in Australia. Veteran sportscar racer Dieter Quester brings a wealth of experience to the squad.

Just over three tenths further back was the JMB Racing USA Ferrari 360GT with its Daytona rookie driver partnership of Edi Gay, Iradj Alexander, Diego Alessi, Maurizio Mediani and Paul Dana.

Final Italian car in amongst the hordes of GT class Porsche entrants was the second Maserati GT Light, the Risi Competizione no30 car of American racer Anthony Lazzaro, German Ralf Kelleners and Italian 2003 FIA GT Champion Matteo Bobbi. Their best lap of 01:56.882 good enough to claim 7th fastest time of the GT runners.

SECOND QUALIFYING  ROLEX 24 HOURS OF DAYTONA DAYTONA 30.01.2004
Pos. No. Class Pos. Driver Team Time Speed
1 27 DP 17 Didier Theys, Scottsdale, Ariz.; Fredy Lienhard, Switzerland; Jan Lammers, Netherlands; Marc Goossens, Belgium Doran Lista Racing / Lexus Doran 01:47.751 118.941
2 44 GT 13 Mike Fitzgerald, Fountain Hills, Ariz.; Joe Policastro, Greensburg, Pa.; Jay Policastro, Greensburg, Pa.; Robin Liddell, Scotland; Johnny Mowlem, England Orbit Racing / Porsche GT3 RS 01:53.543 112.874
3 66 GT 14 Kevin Buckler, Sonoma, Calif.; Timo Bernhard, Germany; Jorg Bergmeister, Germany; Patrick Long, Westlake, Calif. The Racers Group / Monster Cable / Porsche GT3 RS 01:53.543 112.874
4 68 GT 15 Ian James, Kissimmee, Fla.; RJ Valentine, Hingham, Mass.; Chris Gleason, Johnstown, Pa.; Abraham Zimroth, New York, N.Y.; Bohdan Kroczek, Winnetka, Ill. The Racers Group / Monster Cable / Porsche GT3 RS 01:53.660 112.757
5 67 GT 16 Robert Nearn, England; Pierre Ehret, Santa Rosa, Calif.; Jim Matthews, Chapel Hill, N.C.; Lars Nielsen, Denmark The Racers Group / Monster Cable / Porsche GT3 RS 01:54.268 112.157
6 73 GT 17 Philipp Peter, Austria; Klaus Engelhorn, Austria; Dieter Quester, Austria; Andrea Montermini, Italy Red Bull BE Racing / Ferrari 360 Modena 01:54.629 111.804
7 11 GT 18 Iradj Alexander, Switzerland; Edi Gay, New York, N.Y.; Diego Alessi, Italy; Maurizio Mediani, Italy; Paul Dana, Indianapolis, Ind. JMB Racing USA / Ferrari 360GT 01:54.963 111.479
8 60 GT 19 Anthony Puleo, St Augustine, Fla.; Robert Dubler, Switzerland; Squeak Kennedy, Daytona Beach, Fla.; Joe Evans, Xtreme Racing Group / Corvette 01:56.649 109.868
9 30 GT 20 Anthony Lazzaro, Hickory, N.C.; Ralf Kelleners, Germany; Matteo Bobbi, Italy; Risi Competizione / Maserati Light GT 01:56.882 109.649
10 13 SGS 3 Andrew Davis, Athens, Ga.; Michael Cawley, Atlanta, Ga.; Charles Espenlaub, Winter Park, Fla.; Joe Foster, Lawrenceville, Ga. Foxhill Racing / Porsche GT3 Cup 01:57.025 109.515
11 97 GT 21 Robert Orcutt, Santa Cruz, Calif.; Ken Dobson, Sonoma, Calif.; Kurt Teal, ; Paul Jenkins, Chicago, Ill. Graham Nash Motorsport / Porsche GT3 RS 01:57.114 109.432
12 98 GT 22 Ron Zitza, Maitland, Fla.; Marc Feinstein, Somerville, Mass.; Bill Riddell, Jacksonville, Fla.; Hartmut Von Seelen, Greenwood, S.C.; Carlos de Quesada, Miami, Fla. GT Technologies / Porsche GT3 Cup 01:57.222 109.331
13 91 SGS 4 Jean-Francois Dumoulin, Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada; Robert Julien, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Greg Pootmans, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Marc Lieb, Germany Doncaster Racing / Porsche GT3 Cup 01:57.837 108.760
14 14 SGS 5 Cory Friedman, Charleston, S.C.; Lynn Wilson, Westport, Conn.; Bransen Patch, Matthews, N.C.; Adam Merzon, Greenwich, Conn.; Mike Smith, Panama City, Fla. Autometrics Motorsports / Porsche GT3 Cup 01:58.906 107.783
15 41 SGS 6 Joe Nonnamaker, Massillon, Ohio; Will Nonnamaker, North Canton, Ohio; Charlie Menard, Eau Claire, Wis.; Paul Menard, Eau Claire, Wis.; Wayne Nonnamaker, North Canton, Ohio Orison-Planet Earth Motorsports / Porsche GT3 Cup 02:00.635 106.238
16 00 SGS 7 Dwain Dement, Laguna Hills, Calif.; Steve Bernheim, North Hollywood, Calif.; Doug Baron, Pacific Palisades, Calif.; Dennis Puddester, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. Team Vision / Porsche GT3 Cup 02:00.727 106.157
18 86 SGS 8 Tracy Krohn, Houston, Texas; Andres Van Der Dys, Houston, Texas; Mae Van Wijk, Kingwood, Texas; Armando Trentini, Houston, Texas; Ron Forristall, G&W Motorsports / Porsche GT3 Cup 02:04.426 103.001
19 71 SGS 9 Dave Lacey, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Greg Wilkins, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Mark Wilkins, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Tom Nastasi, Stamford, Conn.; Kenny Wilden, Oakville, Ontario, Canada Doncaster Racing / Porsche GT3 Cup 02:06.401 101.392