Monterrey, MX (My Sportsbook) - Justin Wilson captured the provisional pole for the Champ Car Tecate Grand Prix of Monterrey. The No.9 RuSport driver circled the new 2.104-mile, 12-turn, Fundidora Park road course in one minute, 14.305 seconds (101.937 m.p.h.). The former Formula One driver earned one championship point for the provisional pole and a guaranteed front row starting position for Sunday afternoon's race. Wilson was sitting in second overall when he posted his quickest lap on his final try. Sebastien Bourdais was second quickest with a time of 1:14.658. The Frenchman, who is the odds-on favorite to make it a "three-peat" in 2006, won the season opening Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on April, 9th and came back with another win last week on the streets of Houston. Bourdais is the first driver since Rick Mears (1982) to defend his Champ Car title by winning the first two races of the following season. He led 33 laps to bring his career total to 1,221 - 21st on the all-time list. Wilson's teammate A.J. Allmendinger (1:14.860), Paul Tracy (1:15.144) and Bruno Junqueira (1:15.162) completed the top-five. The second round of qualifying is set for Saturday at 3 p.m. (et) and the race is scheduled to begin on Sunday at 2 p.m. (et). |
