Series Utah practice one notes

Kent Leads MX-5 Cup Practice at Miller Motorsports Park

TOOELE, Utah (Sept. 10, 2010) -- Lyonel Kent, of Knoxville, Tenn., set the pace for this weekend's SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup season finale, part of the Utah 250 weekend at Miller Motorsports Park. Kent topped the first and only practice session followed by Championship rivals Nick Evans, of Powell, Ohio, and Brad Rampelberg, of San Jose, Calif., who were second and third, respectively.

Kent hovered in the top five during the opening laps of the 30-minute practice session before rocketing to the top with a lap of 2:12.982 (82.513 mph). The time was especially impressive considering Kent had no drafting partner around the 15-turn, 3.048-mile course in his No. 13 ALARA Racing/Bulldog Productions Mazda MX-5.

"The car was great," Kent said. "ALARA Racing and Bulldog Productions, Ken Murillo and the whole crew have done an amazing job this weekend. We just went out there and went fast. The car's been fast all weekend. It felt good and I've been really comfortable on the track."

The ALARA Racing team has only a short window of time to prepare the car for today's 5:20 p.m. (MDT) qualifying session, but from the sounds of it, Kent won't request many changes.

"I think we're going to leave the car just the way it is. We'll put some new tires on it and be ready to rock!"

Kent was followed in the practice order by Evans, who pilots the No. 28 Mazda/Team MER/Sparco Mazda MX-5. Evans entered a practice time of 2:13.144 (82.413 mph).

Championship point leader Rampelberg was third fastest. Driving the No. 4 AMG/Mazda/Cobalt Brakes MX-5, Rampelberg clocked a 2:13.398 (82.256 mph).

Ara Malkhassian, of Houston, Texas, and Michael Cooper, of Syossett, N.Y., completed the top five. Malkhassian was the early leader in the session with a 2:13.439 (82.230mph) in his No. 11 ALARA Racing Mazda MX-5, while Cooper's best was a 2:13.480 (82.205 mph) in the No. 84 AMG/Bromante Landscaping & Design Mazda MX-5.

All lap times were under the current MX-5 Cup lap records at Miller Motorsports Park, as the series is running the shorter "Outer Loop" configuration of the course this weekend.

Qualifying for Round 10 of the SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup is set to take place at 5:20 p.m. (MDT). Live timing and lap notes are available at www.mx-5cup.com.

-source: scca pro racing