Capello Wins Sears Point Pole

CAPELLO TAKES SEARS POINT POLE IN AUDI R8

SONOMA, Calif. -- American Le Mans Series point leader Rinaldo Capello took the pole position Saturday for Sunday's The X-Factor Grand Prix of Sonoma at Sears Point Raceway, the first race for the series in four months.

The Italian drove an Audi R8 Prototype to a lap of 110.979 mph (1:21.745) around the 2.52-mile, 12-turn track, the fastest of 26 cars that will start the race. The sports car endurance race will go for two hours and 45 minutes.

Capello, who has been a part of the winning team in both American Le Mans Series races run this year, will co-drive with Denmark's Tom Kristenen. He won last year's race for the series at Sears Point with co-driver Allan McNish.

"When I did my first two laps, I didn't expect the track to be so slippery," said Capello. "I missed the apex in one of the turns three times in a very quick part of the track. I wasn't sure if I got the pole because I felt that I could go quicker."

The second Audi factory car qualified second-fastest at 110.068 and will be co-driven by Frank Biela of Germany and Emanuele Pirro of Italy, who co-drove with Kristensen to victory in last month's 24 Hours of Le Mans. Former Formula One star Johnny Herbert of England will start third in his American Le Mans Series debut, co-driving an Audi R8 with England's Andy
Wallace.

Terry Borcheller of Phoenix led GTS-class qualifying with a lap of 99.776 mph in a Saleen S7R. He will co-drive with German Franz Konrad. Dirk Muller of Germany, the all-time leader in pole positions in the ALMS, set a GT class record in a BMW M3 GTR with a lap of 96.755. Muller has won the pole all three years the ALMS has competed at Sears Point, and has won the GT class in both races.

The new LMP 675 class was led by the Dick Barbour Racing Reynard 01Q-Judd driven by John Graham of Canada, who turned a lap of 99.396. His co-drivers will be Didier de Radigues of Belgium and Milka Duno of Venezuela.

The X-Factor Grand Prix of Sonoma will be televised live by NBC Sports at 4 p.m. (EDT). The live race broadcast by the American Le Mans Series Radio Web can be heard online at www.americanlemans.com.

SONOMA, Calif. -- Starting lineup for Sunday's American Le Mans Series The X-Factor Grand Prix of Sonoma sports car endurance race at 2.52-mile Sears Point Raceway showing drivers, hometown or country, type car, qualifying speed in miles per hour and qualifying time:

1. Rinaldo Capello, Italy; Tom Kristensen, Denmark; Audi R8, 110.979 (1:21.745) (Did not break track record of 112.440 mph set 7/00 by Allan McNish, Scotland, Audi R8).
2. Frank Biela, Germany; Emanuele Pirro, Italy; Audi R8, 110.068 (1:22.422).
3. Andy Wallace, England; Johnny Herbert, England; Audi R8, 109.351 (1:22.962).
4. David Brabham, Australia; Jan Magnussen, Denmark; Panoz LMP-1, 109.157 (1:23.110).
5. Emmanuel Collard, England; Christophe Tinseau, France; Cadillac LMP 01, 108.299 (1:23.768).
6. Max Angelelli, Italy; Wayne Taylor, Altamonte Springs, Fla.; Cadillac LMP 01, 108.256 (1:23.801).
7. Jon Field, Dublin, Ohio; Rick Sutherland, Los Gatos, Calif.; Lola B2K-Judd, 106.439 (1:25.232).
8. Franck Lagorce, France; Klaus Graf, Germany; Panoz LMP-1, 102.341 (1:28.645).
9. Terry Borcheller, Phoenix; Franz Konrad, Germany; Saleen S7R, 99.776 (1:30.924).
10. John Graham, Canada; Didier de Radigues, Belgium; Milka Duno, Venezuela; Reynard 01Q-Judd, 99.396 (1:31.271).
11. Ron Fellows, Canada; Johnny O'Connell, Flowery Branch, Ga., Chevrolet Corvette C5-R, 98.926 (1:31.705).
12. Andy Pilgrim, Aventura, Fla.; Kelly Collins, Corona del Mar, Calif.; Chevrolet Corvette C5-R, 97.485 (1:33.060).
13. Dirk Muller, Germany; Fredrik Ekblom, Sweden; BMW M3 GTR, 96.755 (1:33.768).
14. Bill Auberlen, Hermosa Beach, Calif.; Niclas Jonsson, Sweden; BMW M3 GTR, 96.603 (1:33.910).
15. Hans Stuck, Austria; Boris Said, Carlsbad, Calif.; BMW M3 GTR, 96.358 (1:34.149).
16. Jorg Muller, Germany; JJ Lehto, Finland; BMW M3 GTR, 96.053 (1:34.448).
17. Randy Pobst, Melbourne, Fla.; Christian Menzel, Germany; Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 95.191 (1:35.303).
18. Shane Lewis, Jupiter, Fla.; Jeff Altenburg, Cantonsville,. Md.; Dodge Viper GTS-R, 94.803 (1:35.693).
19. Lucas Luhr, Germany; Sascha Maassen, Germany; Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 94.618 (1:35.880).
20. Kevin Buckler, Sonoma, Calif.; Tyler McQuarrie, Walnut Creek, Calif.; Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 94.296 (1:36.208).
21. Timo Bernhard, Germany; Johnny Mowlem, England; Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 93.695 (1:36.825).
22. Joe Foster, Atlanta; Kye Wankum, Canada; Jeff Pabst, Canada; Porsche 911 GT3 R, 90.773 (1:39.942).
23. Philip Colin, Lincolnshire, Ill.; Tony Burgess, Canada; Porsche 911 GT3 R, 90.357 (1:40.402).
24. Vic Rice, San Rafael, Calif.; Robert Orcutt, Santa Cruz, Calif.; Porsche 911 GT3 R, 90.040 (1:40.755).
25. Grady Willingham, Birmingham, Ala.; Randy Wars, Mexico; David McEntee, Novato, Calif.; Porsche 911 GT3 R 87.129 (1:44.121).
26. Tom Weickardt, Whitefish Bay, Wis.; Gene Martindale, Vincennes, Ind.; Dana Brewer, San Diego; Dodge Viper GTS-R, no speed.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Andy Hall, American Le Mans Series Director of Media & Communications (707) 939-6383.