Watkins Glen has become Ricky Taylor’s personal playground. Taylor has taken the pole position for a GRAND-AM race for the third time in his last four race weekends at the legendary New York State track.
Running on the Watkins Glen 2.45 mile short course, Taylor piloted his SunTrust Corvette DP to fastest lap of the day clocking in at 1:06.039 (133.557). For Taylor, the feat marks his second TOTAL Pole Award of the season and the 10th of his career. It will also be the first time the SunTrust Corvette will strat from the pole since New Jersey Motorsports Park in May, which he and co-driver Max Angelelli went on to win.
“We have good cars here every time,” Taylor said. “Every single year, I feel like we have awinning car.”
Sharing the front row with Tayor will be Antonio Garcia in the No. 90 Spirit of Daytona Racing Corvette DP. The Spaniard turned in a best lap of 133.249 mph (1:06.192) in the car he codrives with Richard Westbrook to give the Corvette DPs a front-row sweep.
Fresh from a victory in the inaugural Brickyard Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last month, Alex Popow will start third in the No. 2 Soloson Ford/Riley with a lap of 133.026 (1:06.303). Popow shares the car with Sebastien Bourdais, with whom he co-drove to the Indy victory.
Completing a Corvette qualifying sweep was Boris Said who scored the GT class TOTAL Pole Award with a speed of 121.364 mph (1:12.674) in the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Chevrolet Corvette he co-drives with Eric Curran. Second in GT qualifying was John Edwards at 120.240 mph (1:13.353) in the No. 57 Stevenson Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro GT.R. Edwards’ co-driver is Robin Liddell. Eric Foss will start third in the No. 73 Neo Synthetic Oil/Carbotech Brakes Porsche GT3 he co-drives with Patrick Lindsey. Foss’ best speed was 120.132 mph (1:13.419).
“The Whelen car has been fast all year and here it’s just really good,” Said commented. “Plus, I love this place. It feels good to get the pole. I’d sure like to do it in the Cup car tomorrow.”
The Continental Tire 250 takes the green flag at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday evening. The race will be televised live on SPEED and also airs live on MRN Radio.