GM Racing  O'Connell and Corvette Claim GT1 Pole at Petit Le
Mans  Gavin Second as Corvettes Qualify 1-2 at Road Atlanta
Petit Le Mans BRASELTON, Ga. - Corvette Racing teammates Johnny
O'Connell and Oliver Gavin qualified first and second
respectively in the GT1 class for Saturday's Petit Le Mans at
Road Atlanta. O'Connell reprised his pole-winning performance at
his home track to become the fastest GT1 qualifier for the
second time in his ALMS career. He won his first career pole at
the 2.54-mile Road Atlanta circuit in April 2005.  In what
turned out to be a rather bizarre qualifying session, O'Connell
posted his fast time at 1:18.210 (116.92 mph) on his second
flying lap in the No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R. Gavin then
responded with a 1:18.460 (116.54 mph) on his fourth lap in the
No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R. As the Corvettes returned to pit
lane, the Aston Martins began their qualifying runs, each
completing a perfunctory lap to qualify third and fourth,
setting GT1 the grid.  "It was very interesting