Maxwell Takes TOTAL Pole Award In Qualifying At Circuit Of The Americas

Subtitle:Piscitell Wins Fifth ST Pole, Fifth For Alara Racing

One race after seeing his new No. 15 Multimatic Motorsports Ford Shelby GT350R-C sidelined in an incident during practice last month at VIRginia International Raceway, Scott Maxwell went out in a rebuilt car on Thursday and captured his third TOTAL Pole Award of the season to lead Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge qualifying at Circuit of The Americas.

Maxwell paced the Grand Sport (GS) session with a lap of 2:23.232 (85.456 mph) to give Multimatic Motorsports its fourth pole of the season. The team was forced to have a backup car – a Ford Mustang Boss 302R – shipped from the team’s shop in Toronto so the team could compete at VIR, where Maxwell and Billy Johnson finished sixth. It took them more than three weeks to repair the damaged vehicle.

“It was a big deal going out with a rebuilt car, because with this type of car you don’t just drop parts off and put new ones on,” Maxwell said. “But the guys did a phenomenal job, with a lot of sleepless nights. The proof is in the pudding – they gave us a great car. I really thought we had a shot at qualifying in the top three today. Winning the pole is a bonus, but we haven’t won a race from the pole this year – it would be nice to do the double.”

Hugh Plumb qualified second in the No. 13 Billfish Foundation/Rum Bum Film & HD Studios/RumBumGear.com Porsche 911, posting a lap of 2:23.443 (85.330 mph). Hugh Plumb and his brother, Matt, enter the race trailing Stevenson Motorsports drivers Andrew Davis and Robin Liddell by 10 points, 251-241, with two races remaining. Davis will start Friday’s race in the fifth position, qualifying at 2:24.154 (84.909 mph) in the No. 6 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28.R.

Doran Racing Nissans swept the second row. Nicolas Hammann was third in the No. 41 Nismo GT Academy Nissan 370Z he co-drives with Nick McMillen, turning in a best lap of 2:23.742 (85.153 mph). Brad Jaeger was fourth in the team’s No. 14 entry co-driven by BJ Zacharias, with a lap of 2:24.144 (84.915 mph).

Piscitell Wins Fifth ST Pole, Fifth For Alara Racing

Justin Piscitell captured his fifth TOTAL Pole Award in Street Tuner (ST) qualifying, running a lap of 2:30.272 (81.452 mph) in the No. 34 Alara Racing Mazda MX-5 he shares with Christian Szymczak. It was his seventh front-row start in seven qualifying attempts, including the pole at Daytona substituting for Jeff Mosing at Murillo Racing. It was also the fifth pole for Alara Racing, with Devin Jones fastest for the team at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

“I really wanted to win this pole – I couldn’t sleep last night,” Piscitell said. “My girlfriend’s father passed away on Sunday, and I really wanted the pole for the family. Qualifying was a bit of a nail-biter. The team changed engines last night, and the car was a bit of a struggle this morning. The crew tried everything right before qualifying, and I went out and it worked. The five poles and seven front-row starts is mainly due to how hard these guys work. They never give up.”

Austin-based CJ Wilson Racing took the next two positions. Tyler McQuarrie was second with a lap of 2:30.728 (81.206 mph) in the No. 3 ZoomZoomNation/Motor Oil Matters Mazda MX-5 co-driven by Marc Miller. Chad McCumbee was third in the No. 5 ModSpace Mazda MX-5, 2:30.802 (81.166 mph). McCumbee and co-driver Stevan McAleer trail Andrew Carbonell by only three points in the ST standings, 212-209. Carbonell drives the No.26 Freedom Autosport SemperFiFund.org Mazda MX-5 with Liam Dwyer, who quailed 12th on Thursday with a lap of 2:33.389 (79.797 mph).