DETROIT (AP) Christian Fittipaldi will start from the pole for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race at the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix for the second consecutive year.
The Brazilian turned a lap in 1 minute, 23.815 seconds at an average speed of 100.9 mph in Action Express Racing's No. 5 Corvette DP on Friday on the 2.3-mile temporary street circuit to earn the top starting spot Saturday for the 100-minute race. He will co-drive with Joao Barbosa in the car they have won the past two IMSA Prototype championships in.
''It's not necessarily just this place that makes us successful,'' said Fittipaldi, who also took the pole position at Long Beach in April. ''I think we have a very good car on the street course and the road courses. I'm really happy being on pole position on the two street courses this year. I'm thankful for the team and to be on the pole here in `Chevy Town' is extra special.''
Belgian driver Marc Goossens qualified second in the No. 90 Visit Florida Racing Corvette DP with a lap of 1:23.863 (100.8 mph). Ricky Taylor will start third in the No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Corvette DP.
Robert Alon took the Prototype Challenge pole for the second consecutive race in the No. 52 PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports ORECA FLM09, and Bryan Sellers earned the first GT Daytona class pole position for the Lamborghini Huracan in IMSA competition in Paul Miller Racing's No. 48 entry.
