Michael Valiante has become the fourth driver in as many Grand Am Rolex Series races this season after earning pole for the Bosch Engineering 250 at Virginia International Raceway.
Valiante's time of 1m 43.329s put the #10 SunTrust Racing Pontiac Dallara on pole; the team's first since March 2007 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. It also gives Valiante and co-driver Max Angelelli an advantage as they look to defend the team's Virginia International Raceway Rolex Series triumph.
Valiante inherited the pole after current Rolex Series
Daytona Prototype point co-leader Memo Rojas and the #01 TELMEX Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Lexus Riley failed post-qualifying technical inspection. The #01 and the #99 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing GAINSCO Auto Insurance Pontiac Riley, which was originally qualified fourth by Jon Fogarty, had their times disallowed as the wing measurements were out of Grand-Am rules parameters. Rojas and Fogarty will start at the tail of the field.
The pole for the #10 is also the first for the new Dallara and comes a week after the team suffered extensive damage to the car in an accident in the Mexico City 250. Valiante and Angelelli also hope their efforts reward them after posting back-to-back finishes outside the top 10.
The shuffle moves Brian Frisselle and the #61 AIM Autosport Exchange Traded Gold Ford Riley into the outside front row starting position, the second straight for Frisselle and co-driver Mark Wilkins.
David Donohue will start third in the #58 Brumos Racing Porsche Riley while Joey Hand in the #23 Ruby Tuesday Championship Racing Team Porsche Crawford moved into the fourth starting position. Ricky Taylor, son of SunTrust Racing car owner Wayne Taylor, rounds out the top five in the debut of the #19 Beyer Motorsports Ultimate Linings/Lenox Ford Crawford. All five drivers bested the series' previous track qualifying record set last April by Colin Braun and the #75 Krohn Racing team.
