Denver: Polestar Racing Saturday notes

Sciuto Claims His Best Starting Position So Far This Season at Denver Atlantic driver Sciuto to start 3rd, Polestar teammate Barron grids 11th Denver, Colorado (August 12, 2006) -- Polestar Racing Group driver Alan Sciuto ( ...

Sciuto Claims His Best Starting Position So Far This Season at Denver

Atlantic driver Sciuto to start 3rd, Polestar teammate Barron grids 11th

Denver, Colorado (August 12, 2006) -- Polestar Racing Group driver Alan Sciuto (#12 Sealy/PKV Racing/The RoomStore of Phoenix/W.S. Deans) claimed his best starting position of this year's Atlantic season thus far by virtue of setting the third-fastest time in today's final round of qualifying for tomorrow's Champ Car Atlantic race in Denver. Teammate Alex Barron (#21 The RoomStore of Phoenix) will start 11th in a field where the top 12 cars were faster today than yesterday's provisional pole speed.

"It's great to be back up near the front," said Sciuto, who ran as high as second during today's 30-minute qualifying session. "Third is great, but I was really trying get the pole. I had a pretty decent last lap going but got caught up in traffic. But, at least we're in a good position for the start. We also have a solid street course package so I think we have a shot at being on the podium tomorrow."

"We're definitely on the right track," said Barron, whose time today was more than 1.2 seconds faster than his 11th-place provisional qualifying speed set yesterday. "The car is much better than this morning, but we made a ride-height adjustment there at the end and got it a little bit too close. Otherwise, all of the adjustments we made worked out well and I think we'll have a really good race car."

Last year in Denver, Sciuto, of Orange, California, led both rounds of qualifying to capture his first career Atlantic pole position and establish himself as the youngest-ever Atlantic pole winner at just 17 years of age. He went on to finish the race second. The Polestar team won 2004's Denver Atlantic race with driver Ronnie Bremer.

Barron, of Menifee, Calif., is the only Atlantic series champion in the field this weekend. Since winning the 1997 Atlantic title, he competed in the Champ Car World Series and Indy Racing League from 1998 to 2005 with such teams as Cheever Racing, All American Racers and Team Penske. This is his first appearance at Denver's 1.657-mile temporary street course.