Houston Starting Grid

TAGLIANI TAKES POLE FOR KOOL/TOYOTA ATLANTIC SEASON FINALE AT TEXACO GRAND PRIX OF HOUSTON

HOUSTON - Canadian Alex Tagliani will start from the pole position for Sunday's KOOL/Toyota Atlantic Championship season finale race at the Texaco Grand Prix of Houston.

On the last lap of Saturday's final qualifying, Tagliani, of Lachenaie, Que., posted a time of 1:07.979 around the 1.527-mile downtown temporary circuit. Anthony Lazzaro, of Acworth, Ga., recorded a time of 1:08.533 to start alongside Tagliani on the front row. Brazilian Nicolas Rondet, in only his second Atlantic appearance, will start third with a time of 1:09.618. Series champion Lee Bentham of Toronto will start alongside Rondet in the second row.

Sunday's final round of the 13-race KOOL/Toyota Atlantic Championship will conclude the series' 25th anniversary season.

HOUSTON - Starting lineup for Sunday's 38-lap, 58.026-mile KOOL/Toyota Atlantic Championship race at the Texaco Grand Prix of Houston, with starting position, car number in parenthesis, driver, hometown, car, time and speed in miles-per-hour.

1. Alexandre Tagliani, Lachenaie, Que., Swift 008.a, 1:07.979, 80.866. 2. Anthony Lazzaro, Acworth, Ga., Swift 008.a, 1:08.194, 80.611. 3. Nicolas Rondet, San Diego, Calif., Swift 008.a, 1:08.489, 80.263. 4. Lee Bentham, Richmond Hill, Ont., Swift 008.a, 1:08.556, 80.185. 5. Masaoki Nagashima, Tokyo, Japan, Swift 008.a, 1:08.658, 80.066. 6. Kenny Wilden, Burlington, Ont., Swift 008.a, 1:08.789, 79.913. 7. Case Montgomery, Salinas, Calif., Swift 008.a, 1:08.801, 79.9. 8. David Rutledge, West Vancouver, B.C., Swift 008.a, 1:08.955, 79.721. 9. Memo Gidley, Novato, Calif., Swift 008.a, 1:08.977, 79.696. 10. Andrew Bordin, Woodbridge, Ont., Swift 008.a, 1:09.112, 79.540. 11. Rocky Moran Jr, Coto De Caza, Calif., Swift 008.a, 1:09.295, 79.330. 12. Matt Sielsky, Northbrook, Ill., Swift 008.a, 1:09.361, 79.254. 13. Steve Cameron, Sonoma, Calif., Swift 008.a, 1:09.400, 79.210. 14. Cam Binder, Calgary, Alta., Swift 008.a, 1:10.030, 78.497. 15. Mike Shank, Columbus, Ohio, Swift 008.a, 1:10.208, 78.298. 16. Michael Conte, Seattle, Wash., Swift 008.a, 1:10.274, 78.225. 17. Michael David, Corona, Calif., Ralt RT-41, 1:10.927, 77.505. 18. Eric Lang, New York, N.Y., Swift 008.a, 1:11.011, 77.413. 19. John Brooks, Tucson, Ariz., Ralt RT-40, 1:11.116, 77.299. 20. Joe Sposato, Arcadia, Calif., Ralt RT-41, 1:11.733, 76.634. 21. Scott Wood, Houston, Texas, Ralt RT-41, 1:12.768, 75.544. 22. Frank Allers, Coquitlam, B.C., Reynard 93H, 1:13.454, 74.838. 23. Fernando Rama, Montevideo, Uruguay, Swift 008.a, 1:13.492, 74.799. 24. Bob Ferstl, Houston, Texas, Ralt RT-41, 1:14.121, 74.165. 25. David Cutler, Medina, Wash., Swift 008.a, 1:14.154, 74.132.