MOTORSPORT: Scots to the fore in Daytona 24 Hours

THREE Scots will today start from the front positions on the grid for America’s Blue Riband race, the Daytona 24 Hours in Florida.

While four-time IndyCar champion, Bathgate’s Dario Franchitti, will start from third in his Chip Ganassi Racing Riley-BMW, Wishaw’s Ryan Dalziel qualified on pole position.

The Lanarkshire driver, who won the gruelling event in 2010, is this year partnered in his Starworks Motorsport Riley-Ford by fellow Scot Allan McNish. The 42-year-old, a double Le Mans 24-Hours winner, watched from the pitwall as Dalziel stormed to pole position with a fastest lap of 1min 41.119secs, an average of 126.74mph round the 3.56-mile track. Sandwiched between the two cars driven by the Scots is the SunTrust Corvette of Aussie IndyCar winner Ryan Briscoe.