Trans Am Series : Dallenbach Wins Pole; Kneifel Also Out Front

Defending series champion Wally Dallenbach Jr. saved his best for a time when it counted Saturday and as a result will start on the pole in today’s opening race of the 1986 SCCA Bendix Trans Am series at Riverside International Raceway.

The 22-year-old driver from Basalt, Colo., posted a 1-minute 21.45-second (112.417 m.p.h.) lap in his new Protofab Camaro to earn the top starting position for today’s 100-mile event over the 2.54-mile short course at Riverside.

For his pole-winning run, Dallenbach won $1,000 and one point in the Trans Am series.

Alongside Dallenbach will be Chris Kneifel, who replaced Dallenbach on the Jack Roush Mercury Capri team after last year’s winning combination split up--Dallenbach and Protofab leaving Ford to go with Chevrolet. Kneifel qualified at 111.117 m.p.h.

Paul Newman, in a Nissan 300ZX turbo, and Dallenbach’s teammate Jim Miller make up the second row. Newman was clocked at 110.954 while Miller had a 110.154 lap.

Although Dallenbach called the new car “fantastic and very comfortable to drive,” he thinks that it will be even better when he and the crew have more experience with it.

“We still have some problems with it,” Dallenbach said, “but to bring it here right out of the box and win a pole is a tribute to my team. They are the best in racing.

“In fact, I really didn’t feel comfortable until we made a couple of changes right before qualifying. They made a big difference.

“We are still learning what makes this car talk, but when you consider that the Capri has three years of development on it and that we were able to outrun him, I have to feel optimistic.”

Kneifel was pleased with his runner-up performance.

“It was very important for me to do well, as this is my first race for Jack Roush, and I know I am filling some very big shoes,” he said.

“It is important for me to start in the front row because I think Wally and I can have a pretty good race.”

Both front-row starters said that heat and tire wear will play a key role in today’s race, and Dallenbach believes he has an edge there.

“The heat will definitely be a problem for all of us,” Dallenbach said, “but for tire wear I definitely think my car will be easier on them than the Capri.”

While Dallenbach and his crew were able to overcome the usual new car problems, Pete Halsmer and his turbocharged Mercury Merkur XT4i are still having problems and wound up sixth in qualifying, but is still optimistic.

“We’re still having some teething problems with the new car, but it is settling down for us, and I think overall the getting-acquainted process between myself and the XT4i is going quite well,” he said.

Halsmer also qualified seventh in a second Capri, but if Scott Pruett drives it as expected today, it will have to start at the back of the pack.

Pruett finished third Saturday in an International Motor Sports Assn. race at Charlotte, N.C., and was expected arrive at Riverside late Saturday night and be ready to go today.

Another driver that has had problems this weekend is Elliott Forbes-Robinson in his Jack Nash-prepared Buick. Forbes-Robinson wound up ninth on the grid but still could be a factor according to most of the drivers starting ahead of him.

“Sure, he’s had troubles all weekend, but knowing EFR, I definitely wouldn’t count him out,” Dallenbach said.

Newman, who said he expected to be on the pole, felt that the weather was the main reason he wasn’t where he wanted to be.

“The heat hurts everybody,” he said, “but with the turbocharged engines we suffer more than a normally aspirated engine. We’re the fastest on the straights, but we give it all back in the slow corners.

“I guess Fitzie (teammate Jim Fitzgerald, who will start fifth) and I will have to hope those young guys will fade in the heat late in the race,” he said with a twinkle in those famed blue eyes. Newman is 61, Fitzgerald is 64.

Racing starts today at 10:25 a.m. The featured Trans Am is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.