Lime Rock qualifying story

24 May, 1997

LIME ROCK QUALIFYING

Lakeville, Conn. -- James Weaver of England will start from the pole in the Exxon World SportsCar Championship race Memorial Day at Lime Rock Park. Weaver, driving a Ford R&S MK III, averaged 112.51 m.p.h. on his fastest lap around the 1.5-mile track.

Andrea Montermini, of Monaco, in a Ferrari 333SP, was second, just 17/100ths of a second back, but was dropped to fifth for changing a tire after an off-track foray. Wayne Taylor, of Altamonte Springs, Fla., in an Oldsmobile R&S MK III was moved up to second.

In the Exxon Supreme GT Series, Pete Halsmer of Bloomfield, Mich. set a track record with a speed of 98.929 m.p.h., breaking the previous mark set by Bill Auberlen in 1995. Stu Hayner, of Yorba Linda, Calif., was the fastest GTS-1 qualifier with a speed of 102.557 m.p.h., just 11/100ths of a second better than Scott Maxwell, of Toronto, Canada. Kelly Collins, driving a Porsche 911 Turbo, was the fastest GTS-2 qualifier at 97.871 m.p.h.

There is no racing at Lime Rock on Sunday.