CAMARO Z/28.R AT LAGUNA SECA: Second Straight Pole Position for Matt Bell
Stevenson Motorsports Camaro Z/28.Rs to start first, third at Laguna Seca

· Andrew Davis to start third in No. 6 Stevenson Motorsports Camaro Z/28.R

· Chevrolet looks to extend GS Manufacturer Championship lead

· Martin Barkey leads Mantella Autosport effort in qualifying

MONTEREY, Calif. (May 1, 2015) – Matt Bell claimed his second straight pole position in the Chevrolet Camaro Z/28.R for the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge on Friday with the fastest time in qualifying at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Bell – from nearby San Mateo, Calif. – posted a lap of 1:35.765 (84.131 mph) in the No. 9 Camaro Z/28.R to lead a strong effort by Stevenson Motorsports and Team Chevy.

Andrew Davis, in the No. 6 Camaro Z/28.R for Stevenson Motorsports, will start behind his teammate after qualifying third in the Grand Sport (GS) class with a best time of 1:36.046 (83.885 mph). He and teammate Robin Liddell won the previous GS race at Sebring International Raceway in March. They also lead the class Driver’s Championship, as does Chevrolet in the Manufacturer standings.

Bell, who drives with Lawson Aschenbach, added to his strong history with the Camaro brand at the 2.238-mile, 11-turn circuit. He won the GS class in 2011 and 2012, and he was the runner-up in the 2013 race. Bell and Aschenbach are third in Driver’s points after two races.

Martin Barkey led Mantella Autosport’s qualifying efforts with a lap of 1:37.485 (82.647 mph) in the No. 80 Camaro Z/28.R that he shares with Kyle Marcelli. The duo placed fourth at Sebring.

The third round of the 2015 Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge is set for 1 p.m. PT on Saturday from Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca with live coverage on IMSA.com. Television coverage set for 9 a.m. ET Sunday, May 17 on FOX Sports 1.

MATT BELL, STEVENSON MOTORSPORTS NO. 9 CHEVROLET CAMARO Z/28.R – POLE WINNER: “I think we really hit the timing on the money. Everyone behind me didn’t have the track position and had to deal with cars heating up the track in front of them. It doesn’t sound like it happens, but it definitely does. The more rubber you’re putting down in front of somebody, the worst traction they’re going to have. On a track like this, it’s very greasy and slippery. For us to be able to get out in front and put down my lap and call it a day is exactly what we needed to do. We got really lucky. The car was already falling off on lap two. The guys did an incredible job. I was a little slow today and yesterday, and didn’t get too many laps with the red flags. As happy as I am with my performance, I’m just a small part of this team. The guys did a phenomenal job. They gave me a Camaro Z/28.R that I needed, and I’m very confident that they’ll bring the car that I’ll need tomorrow as well.”

ANDREW DAVIS, STEVENSON MOTORSPORTS NO. 6 CHEVROLET CAMARO Z/28.R – QUALFIED THIRD: “The Stevenson Motorsports guys have done a great job. Both our Chevrolet Camaro Z/28.Rs are running great. Congrats to Matt (Bell) and the No. 9 crew because they had an awesome lap. I wasn’t going to be able to match that. We saw that some other cars were going to start getting close to what P2 was at the time, so we tried to put one more in. By then the tires were done. We’re carrying some weight, and it works the tires really hard. I’m still very proud of the guys. We made some progress. We were good this morning, fell back in the middle session, and the car in qualifying was the best it’s felt but not quite there. We just need to work on longevity for the long run. We’re in the points lead going in here, Robin and I. We just need to maintain that and come out with a decent finish. So far it’s looking good for Stevenson Motorsports and Team Chevy.”

MARTIN BARKEY, MANTELLA AUTOSPORT NO. 80 MBRP CHEVROLET CAMARO Z/28.R – QUALIFIED 12TH: “After qualifying ninth at Sebring, I was looking for another top-10 so I’m a little disappointed with 12th. I had 11th for the longest time until the last lap. The team has a great car setup, and I’m very confident it will be a good car in the race. We’ll find a few positions early in the race and see if we can’t get the car over to Kyle (Marcelli) a little higher in the rank. This is a slippery track with a low-grip surface. We’ll make the best of what we’ve got and I’m sure we’ll put in a good effort tomorrow.”