Alex Job Racing

Ruby Tuesday Championship Racing Team qualifies fifth for SunRichGourmet.com 1000k at Miller

TOOELE, Utah - Ruby Tuesday Championship Racing Team driver Joey Hand will start fifth in tomorrow's Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series SunRichGourmet.com 1000k season finale at Miller Motorsports Park.

Piloting the No. 23 Ruby Tuesday Championship Racing Team Porsche-powered Riley, Hand's fastest lap was a 2:36.313 (103.436 mph) around the 4.486-mile, 24-turn road course. Light rain on parts of the track, coupled with a steady 10 mph wind, made conditions difficult during the 15-minute qualifying session. These conditions were a dramatic change from this morning's practice session, where Hand turned the fastest lap with a 2:35.768 (103.677 mph) under sunny skies and light winds.

"Qualifying was alright," Hand said. "The track conditions were not the best. We had a major headwind, which slowed the car down on the front straightaway. It was kind of weird. But, the car was good enough to qualify in the top-three. I fought a push [condition] that was coming to me and I tried to dial it out with the [sway] bars. In the last corner, on got a little hasty and went wide out on the rumble strips. I lost about four or five tenths right there. That would have moved us up. I don't know if it would have been good enough for the pole, but it would have been close."

"The track conditions were certainly a contributing factor in where we qualified today," Team Owner Alex Job said. "They [the qualifying conditions] were a lot different than what we had during this morning's practice. So, we did not qualify where we thought we would. Quite frankly, I thought we'd qualify higher. But, it's a long race. It's a seven hour race. So, where you start is not as critical. We have two of the best drivers and I think we've got a real shot at winning this thing."

Hand will co-drive with Bill Auberlen. The duo is still looking to add a victory to its already solid list of race finishes, which includes two podiums, three top-five and six top-10 finishes. In the last three races, the team's average finish is fifth. And speaking of fifth, the Ruby Tuesday Championship Racing Team finished fifth in this race last year.

Tomorrow's Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series season finale will start at 11:08 a.m. (MT). SPEED will air the race live, in its entirety, beginning at 1 p.m. (ET). Fans can also watch live timing and scoring at www.grand-am.com.

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Ruby Tuesday is one of the nation's leading casual dining restaurant companies, with more than 900 restaurants worldwide. It was founded in 1972 by Sandy Beall, who serves as Chairman and CEO today. The company is committed to uncompromising freshness and quality, served by passionate employees who take pride in delighting guests with an excellent dining experience. The menu features a wide variety of fresh signature items and entrees, among them the Fresh Garden Bar, Jumbo Lump Crab Cake, Chicken Fresco and Premium Aged Prime Sirloin. Guests can also enjoy Ruby Tuesday's renowned fresh handcrafted burgers, featuring its exclusive Triple Prime Burger. Ruby Tuesday, Inc. is traded on the NY Stock Exchange (symbol: RT). To find out more about Ruby Tuesday, visit www.rubytuesday.com.