Mosport: Extreme Speed Motorsports qualifying report

EXTREME SPEED MOTORSPORTS QUALIFIES 5th and 11th AT CANADAS GRAND PRIX OF MOSPORT Will Start Tomorrows Race, However, in 4th and 10th Position on the Grid

Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada /// August 28, 2010 /// The Extreme Speed Motorsports team is expected to start tomorrows Mobil 1 Grand Prix of Mosport in the 4th and 10th position in the GT class, though they qualified 5th and 11th. The change is due to an anticipated driver change in the first-place qualifier in the GT class, the No.61 Risi Ferrari, which will put that team at the back of the starting grid.

The 8th round race in the American Le Mans Series Presented by Tequila Patrón the final "sprint" race of the 2010 season takes place Sunday afternoon at Canadas largest motorsports complex, Mosport International Raceway, near Toronto.

Team owner Scott Sharp, who has seven career wins in the American Le Mans Series, guided the 01 Extreme Speed Motorsports Ferrari F430 GT around the 2.459-mile, 10-turn road course for a best lap time of 1:17:726, earning him and co-driver Johannes van Overbeek the official 5th qualifying spot on the grid in the GT class.

The 02 car, qualified for the second time this season by Ed Brown, posted a top lap time of 1:21:771 (his personal best). The 02 ESM Ferrari, with Brown and teammate Guy Cosmo behind the wheel tomorrow, will look to repeat their strong showing last weekend at Road America, where they finished in the Top-5.

"The team has been working hard all weekend, and it definitely shows with this good run we had out there today," said Sharp. "We made some good changes yesterday and today, focusing on the race set-up. Starting 4th is a good spot for us, and Im happy about our set-up should be a great race!"

Added Brown, who ran the fastest lap today hes ever run: "It felt pretty good out there today, and obviously Im very happy with my lap time. Well be ready for tomorrow!"

A total of 65 drivers will battle it out in tomorrows 2-hour 45-minute race at Mosport, considered the fastest and one of the most treacherous tracks in the 9-race Series. Scott Sharp has won the Grand Prix of Mosport for the past two years, driving then in the LMP1 and LMP2 classes with David Brabham. Hes also had a series of Trans-Am victories here.

The Extreme Speed Motorsports Ferraris are running on cellulosic E85R biofuel. The switch to alternative fuels not only helps the performance of the cars, its also in line with the American Le Mans Series global leadership of Green Racing.

-source: esm