Jan Magnussen put the No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R on the GT1 pole for Saturday's four-hour season finale of the American Le Mans Series with a record-setting lap at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Magnussen eclipsed the 1:20.307 track record set in 2005 with a time of 1:19.304 (101.594 mph). Olivier Beretta also bettered the previous mark in the No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R with a qualifying lap at 1:19.664 (101.135 mph).

"It turned out we had a really fast Corvette," said Magnussen after winning his fourth pole of the season and the sixth of his ALMS career. "I had some traffic to deal with, but when the tyres were at their best I managed to do my lap time."

Magnussen set the GT1 qualifying record on his first flying lap at 1:19.478, then reset the mark at 1:19.304 on his third lap to edge Beretta for the pole by .360 seconds.

"The track surface feels slippery, although we are going faster than last year," the Dane explained. "You have to drive very calmly, with slow hands, but the car seems to work well here. I'm really sad we don't have any Aston Martins here to beat."

Beretta also recorded his quickest time on his third qualifying lap.

"I was at the back of the queue, and I had to overtake one or two cars every lap," Beretta reported. "I had just one good lap and it came up short. The car was quick and very good, but in qualifying you need two or three clear laps and then the lap time comes."

The Monterey Sports Car Championships, the final round of the 12-race ALMS series, will start at 2:43 p.m. local time on Saturday, October 20. The four-hour race will be televised live in the UK on Motors TV starting at 10.30 pm.

Monterey Sports Car Championships GT1 Qualifying:
Pos./Drivers/Car/Time/Speed
1. O'Connell/Magnussen, Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 1:19.304/101.594 mph
2. Gavin/Beretta, Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 1:19.664/101.135 mph