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Trois-Rivieres: JDC MotorSports race report

DISAPPOINTMENT FOR JDC MOTORSPORTS ON STREETS OF TROIS-RIVIERES Lara leads Minnesota team charge in Round 10 with a 10th consecutive top-10 finish TROIS-RIVIERES, QUE. (August 18, 2010) - JDC MotorSports' continued pursuit of top honors in the ...

DISAPPOINTMENT FOR JDC MOTORSPORTS ON STREETS OF TROIS-RIVIERES
Lara leads Minnesota team charge in Round 10 with a 10th consecutive top-10 finish

TROIS-RIVIERES, QUE. (August 18, 2010) - JDC MotorSports' continued pursuit of top honors in the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear did not go exactly as planned this past weekend (August 14-15), during Round 10 on the streets of Trois-Rivieres, Que. The combination of close wheel-to-wheel action on the tight street circuit with a mechanical failure meant the Minnesota-based squad was unable to repeat as race winners at the historic event. 2010 race-winner Caio Lara, in the end, led the way with a seventh place result, while series rookies Chris Miller and Connor De Phillippi finished 14th and 17th.

One year after a dramatic late race pass for the win, JDC MotorSports returned to the famed Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres with high expectations. With the goal of adding to the team's total of three series street circuit wins, all three JDC racers utilized the early evening practice run on Friday (August 13) to become acclimated to the challenging track, and begin working on qualifying and race setups. This was particularly important, as Lara was the lone racer among the trio to have previously raced in Trois-Rivieres. Showing good pace right off the trailer, both Lara and Miller ended the session inside the top-10.

Day two in 'La Belle Province' featured a second practice outing in the morning, prior to the lone qualifying run around the 1.49-mile course. While both De Phillippi (10th) and Miller (16th) were unable to get the desired times out their Star Mazda steeds in the morning session, Lara positioned himself for a strong qualifying run with the second best time.

Lara promptly maintained that momentum in qualifying for Round 10, posting the third best time in his No. 19 MLD/ATW/Molecule/Red Line Oil/JDC MotorSports entry, earning the inside row two starting position for the Sunday race. As part of the leading trio of rookies in the session, De Phillippi turned the eighth best time, securing a place on row four, while Miller ended the session with the 15th best time.

After a brief morning warm-up run, which the JDC racers used to just shake down their cars and determine if the track conditions had changed dramatically, it was time to go racing in front of a large and enthusiastic crowd. Initially it appeared the JDC trio were poised for a good day of racing, with Lara among the lead pack, and De Philliippi and Miller not too far behind. It was not to last unfortunately, as two cautions and the subsequent restarts resulted in Lara and Miller's No. 85 Miller Milling/Red Line Oil/JDC MotorSports car losing valuable positions. De Phillippi meanwhile suffered a steering linkage failure on his No. 11 MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development/Justice Brothers/Sparco/Rock View Farms/Oakley/Power Balance/Reline Athletic/Red Line Oil/JDC MotorSports entry which sent him to pit lane. While Lara was able to continue his top-10 streak - 10 for 10 in 2010 and 21 in the last 23 races - via a seventh place result, it was not the sort of result the Brazilian or JDC deserved. Miller crossed the stripe in 14th, while De Phillippi was classified 17th in the final results.

The JDC MotorSports team will quickly regroup however, as the drivers and crew immediately travel to Road America in Wisconsin for the second of the three consecutive races on back-to-back-to-back weekends. The Minnesota team has enjoyed good success at the high-speed 4.0-mile road course over the years, including placing two drivers on the podium during its 2007 championship-winning campaign. Entering Round 11, Lara is third in the 2010 Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear title chase, De Phillippi is third in the Rookie of the Year fight, and JDC MotorSports is fourth in the team standings. On-track action at Road America begins on Thursday (August 19), with a pair of promoter's test sessions. After two practice runs one day later, qualifying and the race will take place on Saturday (August 21).

-source: jdc

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