Jordan Taylor drove Indianapolis-based Wayne Taylor Racing to the Daytona Prototype pole Thursday, July 25 for the Brickyard Grand Prix GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series race.
Taylor, from Apopka, Fla., turned an event-record lap of 1:22.251 in the No. 10 Velocity Worldwide/Toshiba/Chevrolet Corvette DP owned by his father, Wayne Taylor. It was the third consecutive DP pole this season for Taylor, 22, who will share the car in the race Friday with veteran Max Angelelli.
“When you think of motorsports, you think of Indy, Daytona, Sebring and all of the big names,” Jordan Taylor said. “To get the pole is awesome.”
The three-hour race starts at 5:30 p.m. (ET) Friday on the 13-turn, 2.534-mile Grand Prix road course at IMS.
“I’m sure tomorrow you will see a big range, cars flying by cars in the front straight and getting stacked up on the infield,” Taylor said. “That will make it interesting. It is pretty low grip on the infield, so a lot of people are sliding around, which should create a lot of opportunities for passing and bumping. I think that is what GRAND-AM is known for – the good racing and a little bit of rough racing. You’ll see some good racing.”
Memo Rojas qualified second at 1:22.375 in the No. 091 Telcel/Telmex BMW Riley that he will share Friday with Indianapolis 500 veteran Scott Pruett. Firestone Indy Lights veteran Gustavo Yacaman was third at 1:22.455 in the No. 6 Aero/Tuvacol/Curb Records Ford Riley that he will share with Indianapolis 500 and Brickyard 400 veteran AJ Allmendinger.
1995 Indianapolis 500 Chase Rookie of the Year Christian Fittipaldi qualified fourth at 1:22.544 in the No. 5 Action Express Racing Corvette DP, while 2012 Indianapolis 500 Chase Rookie of the Year Rubens Barrichello was sixth at 1:22.572 in the No. 77 Doran Racing Ford Dallara.
2013 Indianapolis 500 winner Tony Kanaan qualified 10th in the No. 02 NTT Data BMW Riley.
“It’s completely different (from the Indianapolis 500), but I love it,” Kanaan said. “I’m enjoying it a lot. It’s a different deal. I think it’s going to be an exciting race.”
Brickyard 400 veteran Boris Said won the pole for the GT class of the Brickyard Grand Prix, posting a top lap of 1:28.374 in the No. 31 Marsh Racing Corvette.
Jade Buford won the pole for the GS class of the Brickyard Sports Car Challenge, an event also taking place Friday for the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge. Buford’s quickest lap was 1:35.630 in the No. 55 Multimatic Motorsports Aston Martin Vantage.
Chad McCumbee won the pole for the ST class at 1:40.580 in the No. 3 CJ Wilson Racing Mazda MX-5.
The 2.5-hour Brickyard Sports Car Challenge starts at 2 p.m.
Source: Indianapolis Motor Speedway • Photos: Brian Groce