Tommy Milner, of Leesburg, Va., captured his first-career SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge GT Championship pole position and the first for Aston Martin in preparation for Friday’s Road Atlanta SPEED GT Finale Presented by Foametix®, part of the Petit Le Mans Presented by the Totally-New MAZDA6. Brandon Davis, of Huntington Beach, Calif., will start second.Milner turned a fastest lap of 1:26.088 (106.216 mph) around the 12-turn, 2.54-mile circuit in the No. 21 Rahal Letterman Racing Aston Martin DB9. Milner previously held the top qualifying mark for an Aston Martin, starting fourth this year at Mid-Ohio in the team’s debut.Ritch Marziale, of Tempe, Ariz., provisionally held the pole position, but his times were disallowed after post-qualifying technical inspection revealed the wing height on his No. 56 All-Cut Concrete Cutting Dodge Viper was out of spec.”I felt good about our car going into qualifying,” Milner said. “I felt okay with the balance in qualifying itself, so it wasn’t where I wanted it to be, but it can’t be too bad if it’s on pole.”Davis, who was on the pole last week at Thunderbolt Raceway, was just one hundredth of a second away from his second-straight pole in the No. 10 ACS/Sun Microsystems Ford Mustang Cobra. His 1:26.098 (106.204 mph) was good enough for the outside of the front row.Milner identified Davis as one of his chief combatants in Friday’s race.”Brandon [Davis], who’s now starting next to me, [Randy] Pobst and [Andy] Pilgrim will be fast for sure,” he said. “I’m still getting used to this series and these tires. I’m still relatively new, but I think I’ve got a pretty good handle on what needs to happen tomorrow.”Milner learned of his promotion to the pole while waiting to practice in his American Le Mans Series car, away from his SPEED GT team.”I’m sure the team’s happy about it. They were pumped up going into qualifying. I’m definitely excited to hear we’re on pole. Qualifying is one thing, but the race is what we’re here for, so I hope we can make it happen in the race.”Andy Pilgrim, of Boca Raton, Fla., kept his championship hopes alive in No. 8 Remington Shaving Cadillac CTS-V after turning a best time of 1:26.292 (105.965 mph) to start third. Dino Crescentini qualified his No. 4 Centric Parts/Stoptech Porsche 911 GT3 fourth for the second-straight week with a time of 1:26.582 (105.610 mph).Point leader Randy Pobst needs to finish 25th or better Friday to secure his second-consecutive Drivers’ Championship, regardless of what challenger Pilgrim does. If Pilgrim wins, but does not lead the most laps, all Pobst would need to do is start the race and would clinch with a 26th place result. If Pilgrim does not win, Pobst clinches by simply starting the race. Pobst will start his No. 1 K-PAX Racing Porsche 911 GT3 fifth in the race.Eric Curran (Chevrolet Corvette), Michael McCann (Cadillac CTS-V), Jason Daskalos (Dodge Viper), Tim McKenzie (Porsche 911 GT3) and Michael Galati (Porsche 911 GT3) completed the top 10 in qualifying.Friday’s Road Atlanta SCCA SPEED GT Finale Presented by Foametix makes its standing start Friday at 12:20 p.m. (EDT). Live lap notes and timing are available through http://www.world-challenge.com. The race will be broadcast Oct. 15 at 1 p.m. (EDT) on SPEED. BRASETON, Ga. – Starting lineup for Friday’s SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge GT Finale Presented by Foametix at Road Atlanta, with position, car number in parentheses, driver, hometown, car, fastest lap time, and speed in miles per hour.1, (21), Tommy Milner, Leesburg, Va., Aston Martin DB9, 1:26.088, 106.216.2, (10), Brandon Davis, Huntington Beach, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 1:26.098, 106.204.3, (8), Andy Pilgrim, Boca Raton, Fla., Cadillac CTS-V, 1:26.292, 105.965.4, (4), Dino Crescentini, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Porsche 911 GT3, 1:26.582, 105.610.5, (1), Randy Pobst, Gainesville, Ga., Porsche 911 GT3, 1:26.604, 105.584.6, (30), Eric Curran, East Hampton, Mass., Chevrolet Corvette, 1:26.705, 105.461.7, (16), Michael McCann, Canton, Ohio, Cadillac CTS-V, 1:26.707, 105.458.8, (5), Jason Daskalos, Albuquerque, N.M., Dodge Viper, 1:26.820, 105.321.9, (66), Tim McKenzie, Madison, Wis., Porsche 911 GT3, 1:26.915, 105.206.10, (23), Michael Galati, Olmsted, Ohio, Porsche 911 GT3, 1:26.998, 105.105.11, (14), James Sofronas, Newport Beach, Calif., Porsche 911 GT3, 1:27.016, 105.084.12, (31), Sonny Whelen, Old Saybrook, Conn., Chevrolet Corvette, 1:27.091, 104.993.13, (18), Jason Foster, Scottsdale, Ariz., Dodge Viper, 1:27.421, 104.597.14, (2), Cindi Lux, Aloha, Ore., Dodge Viper, 1:27.489, 104.516.15, (12), Tomy Drissi, Hollywood, Calif., Chevrolet Corvette, 1:27.709, 104.253.16, (9), Gunter Schaldach(R), Aspen, Colo., Dodge Viper, 1:27.777, 104.173.17, (99), Jeff Courtney, Slinger, Wis., Dodge Viper, 1:27.788, 104.160.18, (34), Tony Gaples, Libertyville, Ill., Chevrolet Corvette, 1:27.801, 104.144.19, (11), Mike Davis, Huntington Beach, Calif., Ford Mustang Cobra, 1:27.900, 104.027.20, (17), Robert Foster(R), Phoenix, Ariz., Chevrolet Corvette, 1:28.187, 103.688.21, (72), Jeff Altenburg, Ellicott City, Md., Lexus IS, 1:28.243, 103.623.22, (97), Vesko Kozarov(R), Salt Lake City, Utah, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, 1:30.527, 101.008.23, (55), Scott Tucker(R), Leewood, Kansas, Porsche 911 GT3, 1:32.064, 99.322.24, (13), Claudio Burtin, Atlanta, Ga., Porsche 911 GT3, 1:33.034, 98.286.25, (06), Joey Scarallo, Smithtown, N.Y., Pontiac GTO, 1:28.790, 102.984.26, (38), Nick Esayian, San Diego, Calif., Saleen SR, no time.27, (56), Ritch Marziale, Tempe, Ariz., Dodge Viper, 1:25.911, 106.435.Note: No. 06 Scarallo moved to the back–car changeNote: No. 56 Marziale moved to the back per post-qualifying technical inspection

Chip Herr, of Lititz, Pa., earned his sixth-career pole position in qualifying for Friday’s SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge Touring Car Finale Presented by Toyo Tires®, part of the 11th Annual Petit Le Mans Presented by the Totally New MAZDA6 at Road Atlanta. Rookie Patrick Lindsey, of Santa Barbara, Calif., will start a career-best second.After topping the early practice session on Wednesday, Herr continued to show tremendous speed in the No. 97 Mazdaspeed/Tindol Motorsports MAZDA6, clocking the fastest qualifying lap around the 12-turn, 2.54-mile circuit. “We’ve been making changes from the first session out in the car,” Herr said. “We have all people from Ohlins [shocks] here – obviously with Martin [Ohlin] in the car, and we’re looking at data and shocks constantly. There are three shock guys here and his father is here. We’re making changes, whether it’s a new change or going back to something we had before. The change we made for the sticker tires – it worked. The car was perfect for that lap. I brought it in and I was hoping that lap would do it, because I wanted to save my tires for the race.”It did, in fact, only take one lap, his first of the 20-minute session, to turn a 1:33.181 (98.131 mph) and take the pole, the second-consecutive Road Atlanta pole for Tindol Motorsports.”It is important to Tindol Motorsports to get a one-two finish,” Herr added. “We had that plan for qualifying and the race. It really didn’t matter who got it, whether it was Michael [Galati] or me. It’s good to see Patrick Lindsey up front. If we can keep it that way in the race, a Mazda podium will be a great way to end the year.”Just as sweet as a pole position, Lindsey earned his highest-ever qualifying spot by putting his No. 57 Horton Motorsports/Sloan Securities MAZDA6 second on the grid. The rookie entered a time of 1:33.336 (97.968 mph). Lindsey’s previous best qualifying effort was 12th.Last year’s Road Atlanta race winner, Michael Galati, of Olmsted, Ohio, qualified his No. 95 Mazda North America/Tindol MAZDA6 third. With a lap of 1:33.373 (97.929 mph), Galati put Mazdas one-two-three on the grid for Friday’s race.Championship contender Pierre Kleinubing, of Coconut Creek, Fla., was the highest qualifying Acura. Kleinubing will start fourth in the No. 43 Acura/RealTime/Eibach/Red Line Oil Acura TSX after turning a 1:33.452 (97.847 mph). With four points earned for qualifying, Kleinubing now pulls himself to within eight points of Kuno Wittmer and 12 points of Championship leader Peter Cunningham.Eric Curran, of East Hampton, Mass., who started on pole here in 2006, completed the top five in the No. 45 Acura/RealTime/Eibach/Red Line Oil Acura TSX. Curran entered a qualifying time of 1:33.626 (97.665 mph).Current point leader Cunningham put his Acura TSX sixth on the grid, followed by the BMW 325i of Georgia driver Seth Thomas.Jim Daniels (MAZDA6), Charles Espenlaub (MAZDA6) and James Clay (BMW 325i) completed the top 10.Wittmer, who is second in the Drivers’ Championship qualified his Acura TSX 11th, giving himself quite a bit of work to do in the race should he hope to capture the title.The SCCA SPEED Touring Car Finale Presented by Toyo Tires is set for 10:20 a.m. (EDT) on Friday. Live timing and lap notes will be available at http://www.world-challenge.com. The race will air on SPEED, Wednesday, Oct. 15 at 2 p.m. (EDT). BRASELTON, Ga. – Starting lineup for Friday’s SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge Touring Car Finale Presented by Toyo Tires, part of the 11th Annual Petit Le Mans Presented by the Totally New MAZDA6 at Road Atlanta, with position, car number in parentheses, driver, hometown, car, fastest lap time, and speed in miles per hour.1, (97), Chip Herr, Lititz, Pa., MAZDA6, 1:33.181, 98.131.2, (57), Patrick Lindsey(R), Santa Barbara, Calif., MAZDA6, 1:33.336, 97.968.3, (95), Michael Galati, Olmsted, Ohio, MAZDA6, 1:33.373, 97.929.4, (43), Pierre Kleinubing, Coconut Creek, Fla., Acura TSX, 1:33.452, 97.847.5, (45), Eric Curran, East Hampton, Mass., Acura RSX, 1:33.626, 97.665.6, (42), Peter Cunningham, Milwaukee, Wis., Acura TSX, 1:33.778, 97.506.7, (38), Seth Thomas, Cumming, Ga., BMW 325i, 1:33.816, 97.467.8, (75), Jim Daniels(R), Germantown, Tenn., MAZDA6, 1:33.877, 97.404.9, (73), Charles Espenlaub, Lutz, Fla., MAZDA6, 1:33.941, 97.337.10, (36), James Clay, Blacksburg, Va., BMW 325i, 1:33.960, 97.318.11, (44), Kuno Wittmer, Montreal, Quebec, Acura TSX, 1:33.968, 97.309.12, (74), Jason Saini(R), Fort Worth, Texas, MAZDA6, 1:34.249, 97.019.13, (96), Charlie Putman, Mills, Wyo., MAZDA6, 1:34.423, 96.840.14, (46), Glenn Bocchino, Delray Beach, Calif., Acura TSX, 1:34.552, 96.708.15, (34), Nick Esayian, San Diego, Calif., BMW 325i, 1:34.617, 96.642.16, (94), Martin Ohlin, Sweeden, , Mazda6, 1:35.048, 96.204.17, (52), Byron Smith, Salt lake City, Utah, BMW 330i, 1:37.638, 93.652.18, (24), Jim Osborn, Ooltewah, Tenn., Volkswagen Jetta TDI, 1:39.571, 91.834.19, (49), Carl Hober(R), Cape May, N.J., Acura TSX, 1:40.536, 90.952.