Chevrolet Racing CTSC Lime Rock Post-Qualifying Report

Matt Bell drove his Stevenson Motorsports No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28.R to a third pole position of the season and 12th of his career in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge on Friday at Lime Rock Park. The team’s two Camaro Z/28.Rs will line up behind each other for Saturday’s 10 a.m. ET start for the sixth round of the 2015 Grand Sport (GS) championship.

Bell’s best lap was a 57.654 (95.535 mph) effort in the Camaro Z/28.R that he shares with Lawson Aschenbach. Bell had the two fastest laps in qualifying, and his quickest gave him a 0.101-second gap back to second-fastest qualifier Hugh Plumb. The Bell/Aschenbach pairing is third in GS points and hopes to nab their first victory together this weekend.

Andrew Davis in the Stevenson Motorsports No. 6 Camaro Z/28.R qualified third in class at 57.908 (95.116 mph). He and Robin Liddell lead the GS championship with three victories.

“Congratulations to Matt Bell and the crew of the No. 9 Stevenson Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro Z/28.R on today’s pole position,” said Jim Lutz, said Jim Lutz, Chevrolet Program Manager for the Camaro Z/28.R. “Because of the short lap and close-quarters racing, qualifying at Lime Rock Park is critical - more so than any other event on the schedule. Having the two Camaro Z/28.Rs first and third is important, and hopefully that carries over to tomorrow’s race.”

Chevrolet leads the GS Manufacturer standings by 17 points as the season enters its second half at Lime Rock. Stevenson Motorsports has finished on the GS podium at Lime Rock each of the last two seasons.

Mantella Autosport’s two Camaro Z/28.Rs qualified ninth and 10th in class Friday. Martin Barkey led the team’s qualifying efforts with a 58.922 (93.480 mph) in the No. 80 MBRP Camaro Z/28.R that he drives with Kyle Marcelli.

The Camaro Z/28.R won five times during its 2014 debut season. It is based on the road-going Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, and the two share considerable traits:

-Engine and displacement (7.0-liter V-8, 427 cubic inches)

-Front splitter and rear spoiler with wickerbill

-Hood extractor vent

-Rockers, wheel-house extension and front tire deflectors

-Belly pan

The Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge from Lime Rock Park is set for 10 a.m. ET on Saturday, July 25 with live coverage on IMSA.com. Television coverage on FOX Sports 1 is scheduled for noon ET on Sunday, Aug. 2.

“I don’t remember this track going this slick as quickly as it did today. It was a little difficult for us to chase that, and I knew I wanted to get out and do it in that one lap. After that first lap, everything starts to get loose on you. It was a good call to go out and get it done.”

2015 Camaro Z/28.R Lineup – Lime Rock Park

Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge – Grand Sport Standings (Through six of 10 races)

CTSCC at Lime Rock Park – Grand Sport (all times ET)

[if !supportLists]·        [endif]Race: 10 a.m., Saturday, July 25 (IMSA.com)

[if !supportLists]·        [endif]TV: Noon, Sunday, Aug. 2 (FOX Sports 1)

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About Chevrolet

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