Corvette Racing: Magnussen Scores Pole at Long Beach

RSS Feed · 04-19-2008, 03:28 AM

Corvette Racing's #3 C6.R will be sitting on the pole this weekend for the Tequila Patron ALMS race at Long Beach thanks to Jan Magnussen. Magnussen put together a qualifying lap on the temporary circuit Friday at 1:17.059 (91.940 mph) shattering last year's qualifying time by 1.086 seconds. Oliver Gavin and the #4 Corvette C6.R were second in the class with a lap of 1:14.465 (91.458 mph).
Bell Motorsports Aston Martin DBR9 did not have a qualifying time listed on today's results.

"It was a really enjoyable lap ? I was out there close to the walls, braking late, and riding the curbs," Magnussen said after notching his seventh career ALMS pole. "I'm sure I could have massaged the lap a little bit and improved my time, but then you get into the gray area where you might have a faster lap or you might have a broken car. "We've been fast since we got here," said the Dane. "We were faster than last year from the get-go."

Magnussen employed a five lap strategy that appeared to pay off.

"I was very cautious during the first three laps because we'd set the tire pressures a little low to try to have a couple of stabs at the pole," Magnussen explained. "It worked out well ? when the Michelins came in, my Corvette was perfect."

The Tequila Patron ALMS race at Long Beach starts at 4:10 p.m. PT on Saturday, April 19. ABC will broadcast the 100-minute race tape-delayed from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 20.
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