USA: Indianapolis qualifying notes

Rookie Gutierrez Scores a Record Fifth and Sixth Pole Positions

Indianapolis, Ind. - June 15, 2007-- Esteban Gutierrez (Autotecnica), of Monterrey, Mexico, stayed as hot as today's bright summer sun and scored a record fifth and sixth consecutive pole positions in today's qualifying for Rounds 5 and 6 of the 2007 Formula BMW USA Championship at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Gutierrez's best two laps of 1:38.406 and 1:38.597 minutes around the 2.605-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway Grand Prix circuit bested the 18-car field in the 30- minute session. 15-year old Gutierrez won Round 2 and leads the Rookie point standings.

Maxime Pelletier (HBR Motorsport Team USA), a second-year Formula BMW USA driver, will start Rounds 5 and 6 second for the 16-year old Canadian's career best Formula BMW USA qualifying effort.

Daniel Morad (Eurointernational), the 2006 Formula BMW USA Rookie champion and winner of three of this year's previous four races, will start third in both races. Morad, who has never qualified less than third this year, leads the Overall point standings.

Ricardo Favoretto (HBR Motorsports Team USA) will start from his best qualifying this season in fourth in Round 5 and Philip Major (Autotecnica) took fourth for Round 6.

Alexander Rossi (Hearn Motorsports) grabbed the fifth starting position in both Rounds 5 and 6.

In Round 5, the first 10 cars of the 18-car field qualified within one second of Gutierrez's pole time, with three Rookies in the top-10.

The Round 5 race is scheduled to start at 11:25 a.m. tomorrow. Sunday's Round 6 race is scheduled to start at 9:40 a.m.

"Since I starting karting in Mexico I was coached to find the limit of new tires as quickly as I could and that is why I believe I qualify so well," said Gutierrez. "I like this track, but in many of the corners you have to go from the inside to the outside and not from the outside to the inside like most other circuits. Drafting did not seem to make me faster in qualifying, but I know it will be much more important in the race."

"Well first of all, I went on the track early and had a great lap which had me in position one and I hoped to keep that until someone passed me," stated Pelletier. "I went back out on track and when I went by I thought this is probably the last lap, let's relax and not stress and when I passed on the straight, I was excited because I realized my time I must be second for sure. I am so happy."

"The beginning of the session was pretty good, I think I was at the top of the chart until midway through when I got bumped back to fifth or sixth and by then I started concentrating and tried to click off fast laps," claims Morad. "It is unfortunate because I did not get a drafting partner, which I think was a big factor here especially with the long straights. I am looking forward to the race, Esteban has been doing a great job in qualifying and we have been racing clean so it is going to be exciting."

-credit: bmw.usa