Mass’ Porsche on Pole at Daytona : He’ll Lead the Pack in Weekend 24-Hour Endurance Race

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — West German Jochen Mass drove a Porsche 962 Prototype to the pole position in qualifying Thursday for this weekend’s Daytona 24-Hour Camel GT sports car endurance race.

Mass, who will co-drive in the season-opening race with countryman Klaus Ludwig and car-owner Bruce Leven, turned his fast lap on the 3.56-mile circuit in 1 minute, 41.005 seconds. That translates to 126.885 m.p.h.

But that was well off the track qualifying record of 1:38.883, 129.608, set in November 1985 by Sarel van der Merwe of South Africa in time trials for a three-hour event.

Bob Wollek of France, a two-time Daytona 24-Hours winner, drove another Porsche 962 to second place on the grid at 1:41.310, 126.583. That car will be co-driven in the race by Darin Brassfield and Jim Busby.

Van der Merwe, who had put a Chevrolet Corvette GTP on the pole in three consecutive races at Daytona International Raceway--including last year’s 24-hour race--had to be content with third place on Thursday because his engine blew near the end of his second and final qualifying lap.

“We probably lost a piston,” said the disappointed van der Merwe, who won here in 1984.

“It happened right here,” he said, pointing to the start-finish line, “so I sort of had to three-wheel it out to get a time. That was that.

“I sure was disappointed, but every time we won the pole here, we didn’t win the race. Maybe this is the time for a win.”

Doc Bundy will share the ride with van der Merwe.

Only the top two qualifiers in the opening round of time trials locked in starting spots on Saturday’s grid, with more qualifying scheduled Friday.

Everyone but the top two will have an opportunity to better their first-day laps.

Mass admitted he didn’t push the car very hard in winning the pole Thursday.

“It (winning the pole) creates a lot of publicity and it’s nice for the team and everybody, but it doesn’t mean a thing in a 24-hour race,” said the former Formula One racer. “I had the pole last year at LeMans. Obviously, it was an interesting spot. But I crashed in the race. I won’t do that here. We want to keep it (the car) alive and stay out of trouble for 24 hours.”

Right behind Van der Merwe in Thursday’s session was the 962 of Rob Dyson, Price Cobb and 1986 LeMans co-winner Vern Schuppan of Australia at 1:42.773, 124.782. Cobb was followed by yet another of the heavily-favored Porsche prototypes, which former IMSA champion Brian Redman of England drove on Thursday and will co-drive in the race with Chris Kneifel and Elliott Forbes-Robinson.

Two-time Daytona 24-Hours champion and four-time Indianapolis 500 winner A.J. Foyt, in yet another of the powerful German-built Porsches, was sixth at 1:44.465, 122.682. Foyt will share the cockpit this weekend with fellow Indy-car stars Al Unser, a three-time Indy 500 winner, and Danny Sullivan, the 1985 Indy winner.

Next was the Porsche 962 of Oscar Larrauri, Massimo Sigala and Gianfranco Brancatelli, all of Italy, at 1:44.795, 122.296, followed by the 962 of Jim Adams, John Hotchkis and John Hotchkis Jr. at 1:45.191, 121.836.

The defending champions in the 24-hour event are 1986 IMSA champion Al Holbert, Derek Bell of England and Al Unser Jr. Holbert, part of the winning team at LeMans last June, insists he will be acting only as car-owner here this week, with Chip Robinson, Bell and the younger Unser sharing the car, which Robinson placed ninth on Thursday at 1:45.296, 121.714.

Tenth place went to 1986 GTO champion Scott Pruett, who will share a Ford Mustang GTP with Pete Halsmer. The car was clocked at 1:46.183, 128.697.

Porsches or cars powered by Porsche engines have won the last 10 Daytona 24-Hour events.

The race is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. EST Saturday and will conclude at the same time on Sunday.