Petersen/White Lightning earns first Sebring pole.

Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Racing was awarded its first American Le Mans Series class pole position at Sebring after inclement weather in central Florida rained out the scheduled qualifying session.

As a result of downpour, which left the airfield track flooded in places, the starting grid for the 53rd annual Sebring 12 Hours was determined by practice times from the three previous on-track sessions - two of which ran in the dry on Wednesday and the one wet session this morning.

Jörg Bergmeister's lap of 2min 04.960secs, set in Wednesday's opening practice, earned Michael Petersen's #31 Porsche its first series pole, and the German was satisfied that his efforts in free practice had paid off.

“I think, overall, though we didn't have qualifying, everyone used at least one new set of tyres yesterday, so it was pretty fair," he said, "It makes sense to [cancel qualifying] today, as it was just too risky. The one that would have just gone for it on a straightaway would have won the pole.”

Petersen/White Lightning has finished on the podium at each of the last two Sebring 12 Hours, but Bergmeister, Pat Long and four-time race winner Lucas Luhr will be hoping to take the familiar white-and-red entry to the top step this time around.

“It's not a bad way to start the season," team owner Michael Petersen said, "We're excited to have the pole, although it isn't exactly the way we would have wanted it. I would have much rather have tried it in the dry but, unfortunately, no-one can control Mother Nature.”

“We've been running hard all week," team manager Dale White added, "With qualifying, you only have one or two laps to get a good time, but our consistent quick laps over all the sessions are what won us the pole. It is a better reflection of how we've been running all week, and how the grid should be. Some teams that should qualify well don't, because they have a bad qualifying time for any number of reasons. This is a better representation of how people are performing."