D’Agostino Claims Pole at Timaru

Jan 10, 2004
Timaru, New Zealand – Joe D’Agostino this afternoon capped a day of mixed fortunes for the three Team USA Scholarship drivers by claiming pole position for tomorrow’s opening round of the Talley’s International Formula Ford Series at Levels Raceway.
Teammates Charlie Kimball and Ryan Millen will start from fourth and 12th, respectively, for the first of two opening-round races. Qualifying for Race Two, held in significantly hotter conditions and on a very greasy track, saw Kimball, D’Agostino and Millen post the sixth, seventh and 10th fastest times.

D’Agostino, 18, from Plantation, Fla., turned the fastest lap of the day, 1m06.200s, during qualifying for the first race and will be joined on the front row of the starting grid by New Zealand teenager Chris Pither, Ironically, the two young chargers made contact midway through the session, leaving D’Agostino’s patriotically liveried Team USA Scholarship Stealth/Van Diemen parked against the barriers with damaged rear suspension.

“It could have been a lot worse,” reckoned D’Agostino. “The car was really working well and I was on an even better lap when I came across Pither who was on a cool-down lap. For some reason he started to race me when I went past and we ended up getting together. It’s unfortunate but these things happen.”

Continuing to concentrate on the positives, D’Agostino added: The car was handling great and I got a really good lap [in qualifying]. I’m just looking to keep the momentum going, so I’m looking forward to a clean start, holding the lead and hopefully having a good, clean race.”

Teammate Kimball, 18, from Camarillo, Calif., found his progress hindered during the early part of the session by excessive understeer. He made some changes and improved the car but, unfortunately, was prevented from turning a faster lap by the safety car which had been deployed while D’Agostino’s damaged car was moved to a safe location.

Millen, 19, from Newport Beach, Calif., finally enjoyed a problem-free session – after much of his testing program had been blighted by a series of delays – but simply couldn’t find a clear lap to display his and the car’s potential.

The second qualifying session proved substantially slower due to a trail of oil and even diesel fuel (from the Super Truck contenders) on the track. Kimball emerged as best of the American contingent in sixth. Veteran Kenny Smith, 62(!), used his vast experience to full effect by claiming pole among a very tightly matched field that saw the top 14 drivers blanketed by less than one second. Two hotly contested races are anticipated on Sunday.

Qualifying positions for Race One: 1. Joe D’Agostino (USA), Stealth/Van Diemen, 1m06.200s; 2. Chris Pither (NZ), Spectrum 008, 1m06.325s; 3. Andy Knight (NZ), Stealth/Van Diemen, 1m06.443s; 4. Charlie Kimball (USA), Stealth/Van Diemen, 1m06.468s; 5. Simon Gamble (NZ), Spectrum 010, 1m06.489s; 6. Tim Edgell (NZ), Stealth/Van Diemen, 1m06.489s; 12. Ryan Millen (USA), Stealth/Van Diemen, 1m06.995s; etc.

Qualifying for Race Two: 1. Kenny Smith (NZ), Stealth Evo, 1m06.861s; 2. Gamble, 1m06.968s; 3. Knight, 1m07.078s; 4. Pither, 1m07.113s; 5. Edgell, 1m07.160s; 6. Kimball, 1m07.280; 7. D’Agostino, 1m07.303s; 10. Millen, 1m07.580s; etc.