SCC: Daytona: Turner Motorsport qualifying report

Turner Motorsport Ready to Race After Qualifying At Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, FL 28 January 2010--With a two-car GRAND-AM Continental Tires Sports Car Challenge campaign and a debut Rolex Sports Car Series GT-Class outing, Turner Motorsport is starting the 2010 racing season off with a significant effort at the Daytona International Speedway this weekend.

The team got things off to a quick start on Thursday as as both series featured practice sessions ahead of qualifying to set the grids for Friday's Fresh From Florida 200 Continental Tire event and Saturday's Rolex 24 At Daytona.

With ace Turner Motorsport driver Joey Hand at the wheel, the No. 94 NorthWest/Turner Motorsport BMW M6 set a fast lap time of 1:50.063-seconds around the 3.56-mile infield road course to score a spot on the fifth row of the 45-car combined Daytona Prototype and GT-class grid.

The checkered flag on the intense 15-minute GT qualifying hardly spelled the end of the day for Turner Motorsport, as the team was quickly back in action for the Grand Sport (GS) class qualifying for Friday's Fresh From Florida 200. Paul Dalla Lana led the two-car effort as he scored tenth on the 81-car field with his fastest lap of the day. Dalla Lana will open the 2.5-hour race from behind the wheel before turning the controls over to Auberlen, who will look to defend his race-winning effort at the track from last year.

"It's amazing how quickly the tires go away when you're going right at the edge," said Dalla Lana. "I had a 2:00.9 showing on the dash and then I just didn't get everything that I could going into Turn 1. I started pushing and it just went away from me from there. It's too bad. I was happy with that, but there's more here with this car. The guys made some good changes to the car, and it is very nice to drive. "

The qualifying session also marked the professional qualifying debut for TMS pilot Michael Marsal, who will co-drive the No. 97 BMW M3 with Joey Hand during the 2010 season. While he was able to take a spot in the eighth row, Marsal had been hoping to go even better.

"It was good, I could have done better. On my best lap, I got held up by the 41 car, but 16th is not bad for an old car in my first time qualifying. I can't complain. I could do better. I could do a lot better, but hey man, I'm pumped. This is cool for my first time for sure. It was fun to qualify-you have 15 minutes to think about absolutely nothing and just drive the car, and then you can think about whatever you want after that. If we finish the race in 10th, I'd be really happy," said Marsal. "I just want to get my points and get out of here. I can't wait to get into the new car. A tenth of a second a lap, each tenth of a second would have gotten me one full position higher. Tomorrow, our goal is to maintain and get some points to start the year off on the right foot."

-source: turner motorsport