RACE: Twenty-four drivers set track records at Mid-Ohio

Twenty-four classes took to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course today for the third and final day of qualifying at the 40th Valvoline Runoffs. This year, the track was reconfigured from the normal amateur 2.4-mile, 15 turn track to the pro series layout at 2.258-miles with 13 turns. New to the Sports Car of America National drivers is the chicane prior to the turn two Keyhole.

What that meant over the past three days is that every pole-sitter in each of the 24 classes now has the bragging rights to new track records. Of course, those records my fall during the races to be held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Hurricane Isabel could affect the weather pattern, especially for the first eight races to run tomorrow.

The pole-sitters for Friday's eight races:

Florida Region's Jacek Mucha set the C Sports Racer fast time on Tuesday at 1:22.171 and parked his Ralt JMS over the past two days. Mucha will lead the CSRs to the green in the opening race of this year's Runoffs.

Mike Kramer, Tennessee Region, took the pole and the track record in the Showroom Stock C field. Kramer's best time in his Saturn SC2 was 1:48.132 set in the third and final qualifying today.

The Nissan 510 of Kevin Dennis will start on the G Production pole with a time of 1:40.520. Dennis from Finger Lake Region, improved on his pole time from Tuesday in today's final session.

Leading the Formula Atlantic class was San Francisco Region's Keith Lively who top the charts all three days qualifying. Lively's Ralt RT41 improved his time every day, 1:19.379 today was his best time.

Neohio Region's Fred Baker put his Porsche Boxter on the Touring 2 pole on Tuesday at a time of 1:39.903 and kept the heat on the rest of the field -- no one came near except for Neohio's Sandridges -- Jordan will start second with Mark in third.

The Grand Touring 4 class fast time was set on Tuesday by Keith Grant, Mid-South Region. Grant was clocked at 1:35.595 in a Nissan 200SX to set the GT4 new track record.

Formula Mazda pole and record belongs to Doug Peterson. The Buccaneer Region driver was clocked at 1:26.073 in today's session, however he held the top spot every day.

The final race on Friday will be the Grand Touring 2 field led by Detroit Region's David Finch. His time was 1:28.965 on the final qualifying session for GT2. Finch and his Porsche 944 have finished on the podium at the runoffs multiple times, he will try with the other pole-sitters to take the gold tomorrow in the first eight races.

Saturday races with pole-sitters:
H Production - Robert Weber, Houston Region
Showroom Stock B - Jim Leithauser, Colorado Region
Formula 500 - Douglas Marsh, Mahoning Valley Region
Touring 1 - John Heinricy, Detroit Region
Grand Touring 5 - Joe Huffaker, Arizona Region
American Sedan - Monte Cowles, Washington DC Region
Formula Ford - Justin Pritchard, Ohio Valley Region
F Production - Steve Sargis, Blackhawk Valley Region

Sunday races with pole-sitters:
D Sports Racer - Mark Jaremko, Northwest Region
Formula Vee - Stevan Davis, Atlanta Region
Sports 2000 - Steve Johnson, Detroit Region
Grand Touring 1 - Cliff Ebben, Milwaukee Region
E Production - John Brakke, Land o' Lakes Region
Spec Racer Ford - John Black, San Francisco Region
Formula Continental - Mike Andersen, Northern New Jersey Region
Grand Touring 3 - Collin Jackson, Oregon Region