Laguna Seca qualification: Series leaders head the grid.

Overall points leaders in prototypes and GT, Dyson Racing and Rahal Letterman Lanigan set the best times of the qualifying sessions of the penultimate round American Le Mans Series 2011.

Lola, the sole manufacturer involved in LM P1, takes the first four places of the grid: Guy Smith (Dyson Racing Lola-Mazda) took the pole position ahead of the sister car of Steven Kane and Humaid Al Masaood. Both Lola-Aston Martin are the second row. The factory car in Gulf colors of Adrian Fernandez, Stefan Mücke and Harold Primat above that of Klaus Graf and Lucas Luhr (Muscle Milk AMR), still fighting for the ALMS 2011 title with Smith and Dyson. Guy Smith (#16-LMP1 Lola B09 86/Mazda): “This is a great circuit and one of those places that drivers either love or hate. Fortunately for me, I really enjoy it and it suits my driving style. I scored my first ALMS pole here last year and there is no better place to do it with a Mazda engine.”

Already three time winners this season in the GT class and strong points leaders in the standings, Dirk Müller and Joey Hand's BMW M3 set their third pole of the year, ahead of the the Corvette of their rivals Oliver Gavin and Jan Magnussen. Joey Hand (#56-GT BMW M3 GT): “This is definitely my home track. Some of my closest friends own the Baja Cantina in downtown Monterey. I have so many family and friends here. I know the outskirts of the track better than the paddock because I’ve been around so much. Regarding the circuit, a lot of people would say the Corkscrew is the best corner but I really like Turn 9 and Turn 10."

In addition to Smith, another former winner of the Le Mans 24 Hours has distinguished himself in LM P2: the Christophe Bouchut set the best performance at the wheel of the HPD ARX-01g of Level 5 Motorsports. Christophe Bouchut (#055-LMP2 Lola Honda): “It’s a six-hour race and it is a good chance to gain some really good information for Petit Le Mans. I am very confident but it’s very challenging in all the corners.”

Jean-Philippe Doret

Photo: MONTEREY, California (United States), LAGUNA SECA, QUALIFICATION, September 16, 2011. For the first race of their new car, Level 5 Motorsports will start from pole position of the LM P2 category.