Backstretch Motorsports

Two years ago, AIM Autosports debuted in Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 competition at Daytona International Speedway for the Brumos Porsche 250. Thursday, Mark Wilkins gave the team its first pole position, winning the pole for the Brumos Porsche 250.

“This is great for the team,” said the 25-year-old Canadianm who ran a lap of 1:41.223 (126.612 mph). “This has been a tough year for the team, and this pole has been a long time coming. We’ve been working very hard, and it feels great to get that pole. Now, we want our first win. We’ve been running out front and finally got our pole. Now we need to win.”

Wilkins, who shares the No. 61 AIM Autosport Ford Riley with Brian Frisselle, will be joined in the front row by Jon Fogarty. The winner of the most recent Rolex Series race at Mid-Ohio, Fogarty ran a lap of 1:41.627 (126.108 mph) in the No. 99 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Pontiac Riley he co-drives with fellow defending Daytona Prototype co-champion Alex Gurney.

Michael Valiante timed in third fastest in the debut of the No. 10 SunTrust Pontiac Dallara, 1:41.881 (125.794 mph). That car replaces the team’s original Dallara that was destroyed in a highway transporter fire in May. He will be joined in the front row by Rolex 24 At Daytona winner Memo Rojas, who ran a lap of 1:41.927 (125.737 mph) in the No. 01 TELMEX Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Lexus Riley he co-drives with Scott Pruett. The two have four 2008 Daytona Prototype victories and share the point lead.

Rounding out the top 10 qualifiers were David Donohue, Brad Jaeger, Bill Auberlen, Ricky Taylor and John Pew.

July 3, 2008
Brumos Porsche 250
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona Beach, FL
Staring Grid

POS NO. CLASS CLASS POS. DRIVER TEAM/CAR TIME SPEED SPONSORS
1 61 DP 1 Frisselle / Wilkins AIM Autosport / Ford Riley 1:41.223 126.611 Exchange Traded Gold, Mike Direct Connect
2 99 DP 2 Fogarty / Gurney GAINSCO/ Bob Stallings Racing / Pontiac Riley 1:41.627 126.108 GAINSCO Auto Insurance
3 10 DP 3 Angelelli / Valiante SunTrust Racing / Pontiac Dallara 1:41.881 125.793 SunTrust
4 01 DP 4 Pruett / Rojas Chip Ganassi with Felix Sabates / Lexus Riley 1:41.927 125.737 TELMEX
5 58 DP 5 Donohue / Law Brumos Racing / Porsche Riley 1:42.422 125.129 Brumos Porsche, Kendall
6 77 DP 6 Gidley / Jaeger Doran Racing / Ford Dallara 1:42.983 124.447 Kodak
7 23 DP 7 Auberlen / Hand Alex Job Racing / Porsche Crawford 1:43.206 124.178 Ruby Tuesday
8 60 DP 8 Negri / Patterson Michael Shank Racing / Ford Riley 1:43.257 124.117
9 47 DP 9 Frisselle / Taylor Doran Racing / Ford Dallara 1:43.488 123.840 Miracle Sealants, CDOC
10 6 DP 10 James / Pew Michael Shank Racing / Ford Riley 1:43.633 123.667
11 91 DP 11 Goossens / Matthews Bob Stallings/ Riley-Matthews / Pontiac Riley 1:43.654 123.642 Riley-Matthews Motorsports
12 3 DP 12 Lester / Lewis Southard Motorsports / Lexus Riley 1:43.790 123.480
13 76 DP 13 Jonsson / Zonta Krohn Racing / Pontiac Lola 1:44.022 123.204
14 7 DP 14 Plumb / Sigal Rum Bum Racing / BMW Riley 1:44.165 123.035 Rum Bum, Big Vision Miami, Caramba Tequila
15 09 DP 15 Camirand / Cosmo Spirit of Daytona Racing / Porsche Coyote 1:44.331 122.839
16 59 DP 16 Barbosa / France Brumos Racing / Porsche Riley 1:44.521 122.616 Brumos Porsche, Kendall
17 75 DP 17 Krohn / van de Poele Krohn Racing / Pontiac Lola 1:46.874 119.916
18 16 DP 18 Garcia / Kimber-Smith Cheever Racing / Pontiac Coyote 1:47.053 119.716 Crown Royal Cask No. 16
19 2 DP 19 Dalziel / Zogaib SAMAX / BMW Riley 1:47.944 118.728
20 70 GT 1 Ham / Tremblay SpeedSource / Mazda RX-8 1:50.641 115.834 Castrol Syntec, Mazda
21 87 GT 2 Miller / Werner Farnbacher Loles Racing / Porsche GT3 Cup 1:50.850 115.615 Marquis jet, Resorts International, PowerPlus-Porsche Performance Systems, IPC, Modified Luxury & Exotics Magazine, Total Lubricants
22 69 GT 3 Assentato / Haskell / Segal SpeedSource / Mazda RX-8 1:51.580 114.859 FXDD
23 30 GT 4 Smith / Stone Racers Edge Motorsports / Mazda RX-8 1:51.613 114.825 Makson Construction
24 19 DP 20 Beyer / Taylor Beyer Racing / Ford Crawford 1:51.769 114.665
25 97 GT 5 Bucknum / Gue / Stevenson Stevenson Motorsports / Corvette 1:51.966 114.463
26 86 GT 6 Keen / Lux Farnbacher Loles Racing / Porsche GT3 Cup 1:52.328 114.094
27 21 GT 7 Alessi / Connolly Matt Connolly Motorsports / Pontiac GTO.R 1:52.618 113.800 Barbetti, Erremme, APCO, Lucy Plast, P1 Groupe, Pacific Teaze
28 57 GT 8 Davis / Liddell Stevenson Motorsports / Pontiac GXP.R 1:52.719 113.698 Stevenson Auto, Bryan Mark Financial
29 15 GT 9 Dumoulin / Nastasi Blackforest Motorsports / Ford Mustang 1:52.785 113.632 USG, Guardian, DeWalt
30 07 GT 10 Collins / Edwards Banner Racing / Pontiac GXP.R 1:53.308 113.107
31 67 GT 11 George Jr / Pumpelly TRG / Porsche GT3 Cup 1:53.640 112.777 Johnny Love Vodka, 944 Magazine, Gleukos
32 66 GT 12 Ballou / Lally TRG / Porsche GT3 Cup 1:53.679 112.738 Mitchell Rubber
33 72 GT 13 Borcheller / Lewis Jr Autohaus Motorsports / Pontiac GXP.R 1:53.949 112.471 Autohaus Motorsports
34 40 GT 14 Dempsey / Foster Hyper Sport / Mazda RX-8 1:54.069 112.353
35 14 GT 15 Friedman / McGehee Autometrics Motorsports / Porsche GT3 Cup 1:54.158 112.265 Mac Papers, Mac Business Products
36 06 GT 16 Aschenbach / Bunting / Reese Banner Racing / Pontiac GXP.R 1:54.385 112.042
37 34 GT 17 Riolo / Willsey Orbit Racing / Porsche GT3 Cup 1:54.862 111.577
38 33 GT 18 Bowman / Said Orbit Racing / Porsche GT3 Cup 1:56.132 110.357
39 68 GT 19 Sellers / Valentine TRG / Porsche GT3 Cup 1:56.727 109.794 CRG, Maxter, Rotex, MBA Group, F1 Air
40 65 GT 20 Maher / Stanton TRG/Riegel Autosport / Porsche GT3 Cup 1:57.007 109.531 Mike Wiegel Helicopter Skiing, Total-R Insulation Solutions
41 74 GT 21 Patch / Safina / Skea GTS Racing with Mitchum Motorsports / Porsche GT3 Cup 1:58.017 108.594 Churchill Transport, BL Patch and Associates
42 63 GT 22 Lowe / Pace JLowe Racing / Porsche GT3 Cup 1:59.080 107.625 Porsche Of The Main Line
43 26 GT 23 Jacalone / Jacalone Gotham Competition / Porsche GT3 Cup 1:59.171 107.542 Jacalone & Sons
44 55 GT 0 Tucker / Zabinski Level 5 Motorsports / Ferrari 430 Challenge - - Priority

* - Withdrew