ALTON, Va. (April 24, 2009) – Memo Rojas put his #01 Telmex Lexus on the pole in qualifying for Saturday’s Grand-American Rolex Sports Car Series Bosch Engineering 250 at the Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Va.

 

Rojas, who will team with Scott Pruett on Saturday, also was the fastest qualifier at VIR a year ago. Pruett was the fastest in the first practice session on Friday.

 

Rojas and Pruett come into this weekend’s event as the defending race champions after a dramatic last-to-first run a year ago. Pruett and the Ganassi team also won here in 2005. This weekend’s race marks an amazing 15^th race in a row that Pruett and Rojas have led the Rolex Sports Car Series point standings. In addition, they have held the top spot heading into 25 of the last 27 races.

 

Saturday’s green flag is scheduled to drop at 2:30 p.m. EDT, with SPEED live coverage.

 

 

Today’s pole is the 25^th in 60 races for Lexus in Rolex Sports Car Series competition since 2004. The manufacturer will be shooting for its 24^th win in the series tomorrow.

 

– Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas overcame just about every foreseeable obstacle to win the 2008 Bosch Engineering 250. The weekend started with Pruett arriving late after weather complications grounded his plane in Chicago on the way to VIR. Even with Pruett not arriving until Saturday, Rojas went out and captured the pole, only to be sent to the back of the field after a technical infraction. Starting from pit lane, Rojas charged through traffic to move back into the front pack, only to have contact while trying to overtake a slower car resulting in damage to the front corner. After some quick repairs, Pruett climbed into the car and eventually took the lead on Lap 58 and then held off a furious charge by Ryan Dalziel for a .548-second victory.

 

– In five previous trips to Virginia International Raceway, the #01 Ganassi Lexus has four top-three podium finishes including a pair of victories – in 2005 with Scott Pruett and Luis Diaz behind the wheel and last season with Pruett and Rojas teaming up. The team also placed second in 2004, third in 2006 and eighth in 2007.

 

 

#01 Rojas/Pruett 1^st

 

Memo Rojas: “The car rolled off the truck fast this morning. Everyone with the Ganassi team and Lexus has worked really hard since Daytona and it paid off today. Obviously, we have a great set-up here. The car is really well-balanced and it’s just a track that I seem to run well at.”