Rhoades Tops Miller for Fastest MX-5 Cup Practice Time at Road Atlanta
BRASELTON, Ga. - Chris Rhoades, of Dallas, Texas, edged out teammate Marc Miller, of Holland, Mich, for the fastest practice time of the day by 0.18-second, in preparation for Round One of the SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup, part of the Classic Motorsports Magazine Walter Mitty Challenge at Road Atlanta. Ara Malkhassian, of Sonoma, Calif., completed the top three.
Chris Rhoades in the No. 33 MX-5 at Road Atlanta (Alison Merion photo).
Driving the No. 33 Team MER/Zebra
Air MX-5, Rhoades clocked a 1:41.300 (90.266 mph) in the afternoon practice
session at the 12-turn, 2.54-mile road course. The time was a mere 0.18-second
faster than teammate Marc Miller's time of 1:41.318 (90.250 mph) set in the
morning session, giving Rhoades the fastest time of the day.
Now in his sophomore season
of MX-5 Cup, the 18-year-old spent some time SCCA Club Racing in the off season
to improve his game.
"In the off-season I was
racing in Spec Miata and learned a lot from that,” Rhoades said. “MX-5 Cup is
really fun to compete in. You can"t beat the close racing. I’ve got a great
team with Team MER. They do a great job preparing the car and I couldn’t be
happier.”
Though he missed the 2008
MX-5 Cup race at Road Atlanta, Rhoades is no stranger to the track and is
enjoying the opportunity to race at the famed southern gem.
“I was here in 2007 for a
Skip Barber racing school. I love the track. It’s got some really challenging
corners, but it’s fun and always exciting.”
Winner of the 2007 race at
Road Atlanta, Ara Malkhassian was second fastest in the afternoon session. Driving
the No. 11 ALARA Racing MX-5, Malkhassian improved on his morning time and
entered a 1:41.359 (90.214 mph) late in the afternoon session.
Miller was unable to improve
upon his morning time, ending the second practice session in third with a
1:41.685 (89.924 mph) in the No. 28 Team MER/MOCA/RaceForAutism MX-5.
Mark Jenkins, of Fairview, Texas,
was fourth-fastest, turning a 1:41.865 (89.765 mph) in the No. 25 Team
MER/JBR/Traxxas/BFG/Simpson MX-5.
Zach Ply, of Joliet, Ill.,
followed on the time sheets. The driver of the No. 27 Team MER/Insight Beverage
Co. MX-5 entered a 1:42.010 (89.638 mph).
Miller’s morning time kept
him second behind Rhoades on the combined practice times, followed by
Malkhassian and Jenkins.
On the strength of his
morning session time, a 1:41.916 (89.721 mph), Brett Smrz of Couer D’Alene,
Idaho, ended the day fifth in the No. 6 Smrz Racing/In Touch Physical Therapy
MX-5.
Ply, Harrison Williams, Nick
Mancuso, Lyonel Kent and Rick Maki completed the top 10 fastest practice times
of the day.
Qualifying for Round One of
the SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup is set for 12:30 p.m. (EDT),
Saturday, May 1. Live timing and lap notes are available all weekend at www.mx-5cup.com.
