McAleer Leads Opening Playboy MX-5 Cup Practice at Mid-Ohio
Jun. 8, 2012 - LEXINGTON, Ohio - Stevan McAleer, a Scottish-native living in Putnam Valley, N.Y., led the sole Friday SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup practice at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
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| Stevan McAleer, quickest Friday at Mid-Ohio (Lumley photo) |
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McAleer turned the quickest time of the 30-minute session in 1:39.169 (81.969 mph) around the 15-turn, 2.4-mile circuit. McAleer is second in the Championship in the No. 28 CJ Wilson Children’s Charities/Numberix/Blue Mercury Capital MX-5.
“We’ve been quick all weekend [including test day], so we’re definitely looking to be somewhere in the front group again, if not the front row, for qualifying,” McAleer said. “I had an electrical problem, and they found a couple of wires that were not looking like wires anymore. They had the body work off and I actually missed the first 10 minutes of the session. We had some pads to bed and just go out and try to put a good lap in, and they came on the radio and said P1 in practice.
“I feel pretty good – there’s a bit more in both of us, myself and Elliott [Skeer], in terms of speed. The cars are running well. Obviously the competition is quicker as well, so we need to make sure we get a good, clean lap and try to secure the front row.”
Christian Szymczak led the early part of the session in the No. 34 Projections Research/Sick Sideways MX-5, posting a time of 1:39.232 (81.917 mph) to fall just 0.063-second shy of the top spot.
Elliott Skeer, driving the No. 17 MAZDASPEED/Sparco/Pelican Windows MX-5, was third in the session with a time of 1:39.771 (81.475 mph). Skeer is a CJ Wilson Racing teammate of McAleer’s and the winner of Round Three at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
Nathan Sparks was fourth on the charts with a time of 1:39.826 (81.430 mph) in the No. 3 OOTSK Performance MX-5. Following Sparks and completing the top five in the session was Dean Copeland’s No. 7 Sync Speed Inc/Copeland Motorsports MX-5 with a lap of 1:39.828 (81.428 mph).
Championship leader John Dean (No. 16 Projections Research/Sick Sideways MX-5) was sixth, followed by Jeff Mosing (No. 12 Frank’s International/Race Now For Autism MX-5), Tim Probert (No. 26 ALARA Racing MX-5), Harrison Williams (No. 00 Albrecht & Associates/Raymond James MX-5) and Beth Chryst (No. 2 Chryst Brothers Construction MX-5).
Bryan Hixon led the Skip Barber Racing School MAZDASPEED Pro Series with a time of 1:40.818 (80.628 mph) in the No. 63 Seven Devils Lodge/Tequila Me MX-5.
The SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup returns to the track for qualifying at 2:25 p.m. (EDT) on Saturday in preparation for Sunday’s race.
More information on the SCCA Pro Racing Playboy MX-5 Cup is available at www.mx-5cup.com.
Follow the MX-5 Cup on Twitter @MazdaMX5Cup.
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