Jorge Diaz Jr. Takes Pole for Ponce Grand Prix
Jorge Diaz Jr. was fastest in qualifying to earn the pole position for the Ponce Grand Prix Presented by Panasonic at El Tuque in Ponce, Puerto Rico. Diaz Jr., in the #8 Panasonic Jaguar XKR set the pace with a lap time of 1:12.555 in the first of two qualifying sessions held Friday November 4th and Saturday November 5th, respectively.
Starting on the outside of row one is American GT Challenge Points leader Edison Lluch. Piloting the #73 Ponce Grand Prix Chevrolet Corvette, Lluch set his fast lap in the second qualifying session with a 1:14.000 time. The #73 car had a clutch failure, and Lluch’s car had to be towed to tech after the session. “It was so hot in the car, and after the clutch broke I needed to get out of the car and get some water with all of the smoke coming into the car”, said Lluch after the session was over.
Row two for the Grand Prix will feature Felix Serralles Jr. and Luis Manen Mendez in third and fourth place respectively. Serralles, in the #88 Budweiser/Popular Auto Jaguar XKR, ran a lap of 1:14.039, and Mendez, in the #03 Centennial En Confianza Chevrolet Camaro was less than a half-second behind him with a 1:14.331 quickest lap.
Rounding out the top five is Edison Lluch, Jr., son of current points leader Edison Sr. Lluch Jr., who is driving the #72 Don Q Rum Chevrolet Corvette narrowly missed starting on the second row, posting a 1:14.544 lap time in the second qualifying session.
The weekend got off to a somewhat hairy start, as the main water line to Ponce burst directly outside El Tuque and threatened to flood part of the track. As a result, the days schedule was compressed to allow the competitors to get their sessions in. A trench was dug from the water main break to the sea, and all of the days activities were completed, even allowing an extra practice session for the American GT competitors.
Below is the complete list of qualifying times for heat one of the Ponce Grand Prix Presented by Panasonic.
01. Jorge Diaz Jr. | 1:12.555
02. Edison Lluch Sr. | 1:14.000
03. Felix Serralles Jr. | 1:14.039
04. Luis Manen Mendez | 1:14.039
05. Edison Lluch Jr. | 1:14.544
06. Roly Falgueras | 1:14.627
07. Ramon Juan Lopez | 1:14.732
08. Charles Webster | 1:14.742
09. Luis Mendez | 1:14.928
10. Mandy Gonzalez | 1:15.372
11. Axel Rivera/Juan Ferrer | 1:15.469
12. Kenny Bupp | 1:15.805
13. Dave Machavern | 1:16.388
14. Eduardo Antonio Canahuate | 1:17.023
15. Juan Vento/Luis Cordillo | 1:17.023
16. Juan Carlos Leroux | 1:18.685
17. Angel Clemente | 1:21.078
18. Gene Tataryn | 1:22.226
19. Woodson Duncan | 1:22.656
20. Arcelio Torres | 1:22.656
21. Paco Aponte | 1:22.280
22. Mark Schaffer | No Time
