Angelelli puts No. 10 Chevrolet Corvette on outside pole for 50th anniversary race
Earnhardt Childress Racing (ECR) Engines
WELCOME, N.C. (January 27, 2012) – ECR Engines earned four of the top seven spots during today’s qualifying for the 50th Anniversary Rolex 24 at Daytona endurance race at Daytona International Speedway.
Max Angelelli drove the No. 10 SunTrust Racing Chevrolet Corvette Daytona Prototype to the second spot with a lap of 1:41:240 minutes on the 3.56-mile, 12-turn road course. The Wayne Taylor Motorsports entry was a mere 0.121-of-a-second slower than surprise pole winner Ryan Dalziel.
“The speeds of the ECR Engines cars are really good, in the dry and in the rain,” said Richie Gilmore, general manager of ECR Engines. “The No. 8 car just snuck up and grabbed the pole. Everyone seems to be very excited about the new Chevrolet Corvette so, now, it’s all about survival, lasting all 24 hours of the race.”
The No. 99 Gainsco/Bob Stallings Racing Chevrolet Corvette, with Alex Gurney at the controls, qualified fourth with a lap of 1:41:519 minutes. The No. 90 Spirit of Daytona Racing Corvette, with Antonia Garcia driving, was fifth with a lap of 1:41:611 minutes and Joao Barbosa was seventh with a lap of 1:42:657 minutes in the Action Express Racing No. 9 Corvette. The No. 9 Action Express Chevrolet did not make a qualifying attempt and will be the 14th and final Daytona Prototype entry on the starting grid.
“I cannot hide my disappointment, obviously, leading free practice through this and I’m P2,” Angelelli said. “I was not expecting P2 in the end but I still feel our car is really good and really fast. I still feel that we’ll be the car to beat for the 24-hour (race).”
The 50th Anniversary Rolex 24 at Daytona is scheduled to take the green flag Saturday, January 28, at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
About ECR Engines
ECR Engines is a high performance engine production and research and development company. ECR provides engines for NASCAR teams like Richard Childress Racing, Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, Kevin Harvick Incorporated and others. ECR also produces engines used in the ARCA Racing Series, SCCA, dirt and asphalt short track, and sprint car racing. ECR Engines earned 50 victories in 2010, including the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 and all four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series restrictor-plate races. Based in Welcome, N.C., ECR Engines earned the 2010 Race Engine of the Year award by magazine.
Source: Richard Childress Racing, Press Release
