Friday, August 19, 2005 ELKHART LAKE, Wis. - Andy Rossetto did it again. Decisively proving his speed here at Road America is real, Rossetto took pole for Saturday's second of two races. Yesterday, the Grafton, Wis., native had taken the pole for this afternoon's race. In the Skip Barber National's first visit to Road America in early July (for rounds 7 & 8), Rossetto was a "surprise" winner in one of the two races. Why are you so fast here? he was asked. "I'm just very confident here. Confidence is everything, and I just love this track, feel good on it," Rossetto said. Rossetto was the only driver who got into the 2:31s. Gerardo Bonilla, Matt Varsha, Cole Nelson and Paul Albert (all winners of at least one race except for Albert) were within a half-second of each other, but they were all in the :32s. Starting grid, Round 12, SBNC at Road America: 1. Andy Rossetto, Grafton, Wis., 2:31.775 / 96.016 mph 2. Gerardo Bonilla, Orlando, Fla., 2:32.378 3. Matt Varsha, Atlanta, 2:32.762 4. Cole Nelson, Atwater, Calif., 2:32.769 5. Paul Albert, Ottawa, Ont., Can., 2:32.997 6. Jonathan Gore, Franklin, Tenn., 2:33.062 7. Jonathan Goring, Norfolk, Conn., 2:33.070 8. Jordy Vorrath, White Rock, B.C., Can., 2:33.131 9. Winston de Wardt, Steamboat Springs, Colo., 2:33.525 10. Charles Anti, Pittsburgh, Pa., 2:33.586 11. Timmy Megenbier, Melrose Park, Ill., 2:33.695 12. Garrett Zine, Rio Linda, Calif., 2:33.934 13. Casey Neal, Middletown, Ohio, 2:34.346 14. Jimmy Holden, Tiona, Pa., 2:34.505 15. Richard Heistand, Sunny Isles, Fla., 2:34.763 16. Brett Fenske, Appleton, Wis., 2:36.964 17. John Muehl, Sussex, Wis., 2:39.856 18. Alain Roger Matrat, Annapolis, Md., 2:47.845 19. James E.A. Rolin, Long Beach, Calif., 2:59.431
Andy Rossetto has Road America nailed. He went out for only half a session -- four laps -- and on that fourth lap put up an untouchable time. Rossetto sat in the pits for the second half just in case someone threw in a flyer. Didn't happen…
Points leader Gerardo Bonilla recovered from his disappointing qualifying result for race one (he's starting fourth this afternoon, thanks to a broken steering clevis mid-session) with a front row effort for tomorrow's second race.
Paul Albert has been quick all week and underscored it with a P5 starting spot for Saturday's race after today's qualifying. Yesterday, Albert qualified sixth, for today's race.
Matt Varsha (#71) and Cole Nelson (#68) hooked up well enough to get both of them in row two.