Dixon, Acura Blaze To LMP1 Pole Position

As Scott Dixon headed into the pits following qualifying on Thursday afternoon, all he could hear in his radio headset was silence.

The 2008 Indy 500 and IndyCar series champion figured his team's quest to surprise the field and grab the pole in LMP1 had come up just short - that is, until he pulled closer to his parking spot and saw his crew jumping up and down.

"It's a little bit unexpected," Dixon said after driving the No. 66 de Ferran Racing Acura ARX-02a to the pole for Saturday's 57th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Fresh from Florida. "We were shooting for the pole, but realistically, we were looking at a third or fourth.

"These guys have done an amazing job - it's only a pole, but for a first attempt, it's a very good thing for them."

After watching Peugeot run the fastest times in both practice sessions Wednesday and Audi stake its claim on the front of the grid with the fastest time in the morning qualifying session, Dixon took the radical Acura prototype around Sebring's 3.7-mile, 17-turn track in 1 minute, 45.278 seconds, with an average speed of 126.522 miles per hour. That was just ahead of Audi's No. 2 car, driven by Tom Kristensen, which ran its best lap in 1:45.360, and Peugeot's No. 07, driven by Christian Klien, which came in at 1:45.462.

Team owner Gil de Ferran must've had a hunch when he told Dixon to be ready to qualify.

"When the phone call came about, I was a bit dumbfounded," Dixon said. "I thought Gil or Simon (Pagenaud) would qualify the car, and when he told me, I was in a restaurant so I really couldn't hear him. I wasn't even sure I wanted to do it."

Of course, now the move appears ingenious, as the gasoline-powered Acura with the funky look seemed to get stronger with every lap.

"It's definitely a car you have to get comfortable with ... it has more downforce than any car I've ever driven," Dixon said. "The biggest thing for us is that the car gets quicker over a stint and the longer you run the tires, the quicker you are.

"With the gas-powered engine, it has nowhere near the speeds Audi and Peugeot have on the straightaways, but through Turn 1, it was a bit of an animal, and that's a lot of fun."

Acura Takes Pole In LMP2, Too

Adrian Fernandez admits he didn't have much fun on the track during Thursday's qualifying session, but after his Lowe's Fernandez Racing Acura ARX-01B turned a lap in 1:49.686 to claim the pole in the LMP2 class, the co-owner of Lowe's Fernandez racing couldn't help but smile after earning his first career pole at Sebring.

"I had a lot more fun last year because the car was lighter and qualifying was unbelievable," Fernandez said. "The car is quite heavier now. Because of the extra weight we're carrying, we lost two seconds from last year.

"It feels a little more slow, but it's still quite good to drive."

And Fernandez was quite good driving it.

He edged Chris Dyson and the No. 16 Lola B09 86 Mazda by nearly two seconds on Thursday, something Fernandez attributed to the issues his crew overcame after not running Monday or Tuesday.

"We tested enough, so we didn't think we had to put any more miles on the car," he said, noting his team will buck the trend among prototypes and race with two drivers - he and Luis Diaz - on Saturday. "You obviously need to race as quick as you can, but the strategy is based on how the competition is running.

"We'll try to avoid mistakes. If you're patient, if you're smart, you'll be good."

Farnbacher Loles Porsche Nabs GT2 Pole

Dirk Werner went from the butt of his crew's jokes to the toast of the paddock on Thursday after grabbing the GT2 pole with a 2:03.051 lap in the Farnbacher Loles Porsche 911 GT3 RSR.

"While driving, I didn't really feel like the time could be good," Werner said. "The track had somehow changed compared to the morning and it was more greasy outside.

"The team made fun of me, saying 'What's going on with you, why are you so slow?' But when I came back, they told me I was OK."

The ultra-competitive GT2 class was, as expected, tight at the top, with Flying Lizard's Porsche 911 GT (driven by Jorg Bergmeister) taking second behind Werner in 2:03.433 and Advanced Engineering Pecom's Ferrari 430 GT running third in 2:03.487.

It was Werner's third career pole, and he said it was sweet redemption for a team that became factory supported prior to the season.

"It's going to show we are worth it," Werner grinned. "The car was really good and comfortable to drive and I didn't have to push it too much.

"Sebring is a tough track and very demanding for the car and driver. So everyone's happy we have that time."

Gaven Ties Luhr In Pole Chase

Oliver Gaven grabbed his 18th career pole - tied for second all-time - on Thursday as he piloted the No. 4 Chevrolet Corvette C6-R to the GT1 pole in 1:57.882, just ahead of fellow Corvette Racing/Compuware competitor Johnny O'Connell in the No. 3 (1:58.203).

Gaven, a Northhampton, UK native, said it seemed like everyone on the track struggled with greasy conditions.

"The track greased up quite a bit and it was quite challenging with the heat increase," Gaven said. "The track doesn't have much grip, and the sand on the track more than ever is causing a lot of issues."

With a plan to switch to GT2 after LeMans, Gaven was happy his team could grab the pole in a special year for Corvette at SIR.

"It was nice to come away with the pole in the 10th anniversary of Corvette racing here," Gaven said. "The team has half an eye on the GT2 class and we're working hard to prepare that car.

"The whole team is excited about getting it on the track."