RACE: June Sprints Friday report

Rains Hold Off for Day One Qualifying at June Sprints

Elkhart Lake, Wis. (June 18, 2004) -- There were more than a few nervous sets of eyes sneaking looks at the darkening skies and weather radars during the afternoon qualifying sessions at the Kohler SCCA Chicago Region June Sprints.

Luckily, save for a few brief showers, the rains never fully materialized, leaving the four-mile Road America course prime for racers to take their first crack at qualifying.

Four of eight groups ran their first session Friday afternoon, with the other half of the field set to begin their sessions Saturday morning. Jacek Mucha, of Laual, Ont. (Can.), turned by far the fastest lap of any racers as his C Sports Racing Ralt JMS smoked the track and posted a time of 2:13.844 (107.587 mph). His time was more than three seconds faster than local CSR driver Jeff Miller, of Elkhart Lake, Wis., whose partial time of 2:17.177 was disallowed after he went to the paddock during the session.

Michael Reupert, of Hubertus, Wis., was the fastest D Sports Racing entry on Friday, posting a time of 2:18.737 (103.793) in his Goodyear/Redline Oil Lola AMW. Jason Miller, of Elkhart Lake, Wis., is second after the first session with a time of 2:21.108 (102.049) in his Sterling/Kohler/Millennium/Hoosier Wynnfurst.

Californian Jeff Jorgenson, of San Jose, Calif., leads an impressive Formula 500 field of after day one as he set a mark of 2:34.159 (93.410) in his Chico B KBS MK 5B. Aaron Ellis, of Indianapolis, Ind., is right behind Jorgenson going into day two after he finished the day with a 2:34.444 (93.247).

Former Formula Mazda national champion Jamie Bach, of Saukville, Wis., was the fastest entry in Group Three after he breezed home with a time of 2:17.601 (104.650) in his BK Motorsports Inc Star Formula Mazda. Last year's Valvoline Runoffs champion Fabio Castellani, of Streamwood, Ill., is third currently in his Pro One Motorsports Star (2:18.543, 103.938), behind Bach and slightly in back of Jay Ricci, of Birmingham, Mich., who turned in a time of 2:18.245 (104.162) in his JD Byrider/Joe Ricci Dodge.com Star.

In the day's fourth and final qualifying session, the gigantic Spec Racer Ford class, boasting seventy-six entries, took its first shot at the road course. TJ Acker, of Agua Dulce, Calif., was one of eight entries to turn in times under the existing SRF lap record. He's on top after his Andrews Electronics Spec Racer finished with a time of 2:38.701 (90.736). Lee Fleming, of Lake Forest, Calif., is just 0.052-second behind Acker in his Champion Motorsport Spec Racer.

The fast times set by the SRF field could be the result of the new Yokohama ADVAN A048 tire that was recently introduced. The tire is now being used in place of the A008, which had been in use by SRF cars since 1983.

Day Two, featuring the four remaining groups' first qualifying sessions, second qualifying sessions for the first four groups and three races, is set to begin at 8 a.m. with Group One's second set.

For more information regarding the Kohler SCCA Chicago Region June Sprints, including results and schedule information, visit www.scca.com.

-scca-