Angelelli Qualifies 2nd in DP; Taylor 2nd in GT
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 27, 2011) – Max Angelelli and Jordan Taylor paced Chevrolet’s qualifying efforts Thursday in the manufacturer’s first event as an official promotional partner of GRAND-AM Road Racing.
Angelelli, driving the No. 10 SunTrust Racing Chevrolet Dallara, qualified outside front row in Daytona Prototype (DP), and Taylor, in the No. 88 Autohaus Camaro GT.R, qualified second in GT for this weekend’s GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series Rolex 24 at Daytona.
“That was good,” Angelelli said after a fast lap of 1:40.133 (127.990 mph) at Daytona International Speedway. “We have a good car and a good engine…. We’re looking forward to this season. This Chevy-powered car – we’re going to be fast.”
Taylor’s fast lap occurred late in the qualifying session.
“I went out basically to try and get a gap in qualifying just get in clean air, no traffic,” said Taylor (1:48.821, 117.771 mph). “I caught traffic in the middle of the session, but once I got a clear lap on that last lap, it was a really good lap. I got a little bit of a lockup in turn one, but other than that it was a pretty solid lap. We have not had one issue with our Camaro – so, so far, so good for a 24-hour event.”
Chevrolet announced its partnership with GRAND-AM Road Racing and team lineup earlier in the day.
“It is good to see all of the hard work by the Chevy teams during the off season paid off with front row starting positions in both the DP and GT classes,” said Mark Kent, GM Racing Director. “While starting up front in a 24-hour race isn’t critical, it’s definitely a morale boost for our teams.”
Other Team Chevy qualifiers: In DP, Antonio Garcia (No. 90 Spirit of Daytona Chevrolet Coyote), sixth, and Alex Gurney (No. 99 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Chevrolet Riley), 10th. In GT, Robin Liddell (No. 57 Stevenson Motorsports Camaro GT.R), seventh, and Oliver Gavin (No. 07 Banner Racing Camaro GT.R), 19th.
The Rolex 24 at Daytona starts Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
Matt Bell, driver of the No. 9 Stevenson Motorsports Camaro GS.R, qualified fifth in Continental Tire Challenge GS. Other Team Chevy qualifiers in GS: No. 00 CKS Autosport Camaro GS.R, 16th; No. 62 Mitchum Motorsports Camaro GS.R, 21st; No. 6 Mitchum Motorsports Camaro GS.R, 26th; and No. 01 CKS Autosport Camaro GS.R, 27th.
The Continental Tire Challenge GRAND-AM 200 begins Friday at 1:30 p.m.
Note: Team Chevy press releases, high-resolution images, and media kit can be downloaded from the Team Chevy media website:
About Chevrolet: Founded in Detroit in 1911, Chevrolet celebrates its centennial as a global automotive brand with annual sales of about 4.25 million vehicles in more than 140 countries. Chevrolet provides consumers with fuel-efficient, safe and reliable vehicles that deliver high quality, expressive design, spirited performance and value. The Chevrolet portfolio includes iconic performance cars such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long-lasting pickups and SUVs such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers such as Spark, Cruze, Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers “gas-friendly to gas-free” solutions including Cruze Eco and Volt. Cruze Eco offers 42 mpg highway while Volt offers 35 miles of electric, gasoline-free driving and an additional 344 miles of extended range. Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security and convenience technologies including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. More information regarding Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.
