Max Angelelli held off Scott Pruett in the closing laps of the Food City 250 at Phoenix International Raceway to give SunTrust Racing its first-ever Rolex Sports Car Series win on Saturday night. Angelelli took the wheel of the No. 10 Pontiac Riley early in the race when Wayne Taylor brought it in during the second full-course caution. Angelelli then piloted the No. 10 Pontiac into second-place and claimed the lead when polesitter Max Papis pitted on lap 82 to hand the CompUSA Chip Ganassi Racing No. 01 Lexus Riley over to Pruett.
Angelelli and Pruett ran in first and second place for nearly all of the remaining laps, with Pruett making several attempts to put the CompUSA Lexus back in front before the two hour, 45 minute time limit drew to a close. But Angelelli was able to hold off his advances, giving SunTrust Racing its first Rolex Series win.
Cort Wagner and Kelly Collins scored their second-straight podium finish with third place in the Rx.com G&W Motorsports No. 81 BMW Doran, moving the pair of drivers into the Daytona Prototype points lead in the unofficial standings.
Forty race cars on Phoenix International Raceway's tight 1.51-mile road course made for an action-packed race, with the caution flag coming out seven times for 35 laps during the 133-lap race. Several teams in the hunt for the North American Road Racing Championship were taken out of the race early due to on-track incidents including the Doran-Lista Racing No. 27 Lexus Doran, both of the SpeedSource Ford Multimatics and the Southard Motorsports No. 7 BMW Fabcar.
Boris Said and Bill Auberlen won the GT class in their Prototype Technology Group No. 21 BMW M3, while Kyle Petty enjoyed his weekend off from the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series by taking second place in the GT class with Gunnar Jeannette in the Gunnar Racing No. 45 Porsche GT3 RS. The Racer's Group No. 66 Porsche GT3 RS rounded out the GT podium with drivers Chris Gleason, Ian James and RJ Valentine.
The battle for the SGS class win came down to the checkered flag, with the TPC Racing No. 36 Porsche GT3 Cup of Randy Pobst and Michael Levitas edging out the AASCO Motorsports No. 16 Porsche of Craig Stanton and David Murry by only 0.353 seconds. TPC Racing put a second entry on the class podium with the No. 36 Porsche of Andy Lally and Marc Bunting finishing third.
Prototype Technology Group scored a $2,500 bonus in the Acxiom Grand Touring Challenge for being the top qualifier and finisher in the GT class, while TPC Racing picked up a $750 bonus for winning the SGS class.
The Rolex Sports Car Series will return to action next month in the 6 Heures du Circuit Mont-Tremblant at Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant in Quebec, Canada. For additional information about the race, visit www.lecircuit.com.
