Carrio fastest in Unofficial Practice

Braselton, Georgia. After a three week hiatus the drivers of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear have taken to the Road Atlanta circuit as practice begins for Round Eleven, the penultimate round of the 2006 championship. Under sunny skies, a marked contrast from their race at Mosport as the remnants of tropical storm Ernesto swept through, thirty-six competitors participated in today's three unofficial practice sessions, with championship points leader Adrian Carrio posting the fastest time of the day.

Driving the #14 World Speed Motorsports Rockford Fosgate Mazda, the seventeen-year old Carrio lapped the 2.54-mile, twelve turn circuit in a time of 1:20.908 (113.017 MPH) in the first of the day's three practice sessions. Ron White, from Santa Clara, California, topped the final session, posting the second fastest time of the day with a lap of 1:21.065 (112.798 MPH) in the #69 Ross Smith Racing Maxwell Paper Products Mazda. Mark Wilkins, led the second practice session and finished with the third fastest time overall at 1:21.531 (112.154 MPH) in the #3 AIM Autosport Bluetooth Mazda.

The championship welcomes back several competitors as Daniel Herrington and Brad Jaeger are both returning to the series this weekend. Herrington, who led the championship early in the season before accidents at Montreal and Portland forced him to the sidelines, has joined Phenom Racing Group for the final two races of the season and clocked the fifth fastest time of the day in the #92 Phenom Racing Group Molecule Mazda. Jaeger has finally recovered from injuries sustained on the opening lap of Round Five at Montreal and returns to the #2 Andersen Racing Team entry.

Official practice kicks off on Wednesday, September 27th at 8:30 AM with the first of two thirty minute practice sessions on the day. Round Eleven of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear will be held on Friday, September 29th in conjunction with the American Le Mans Series Petit Le Mans weekend at Road Atlanta.

Tuesday Combined Practice Times
Pos No. Name Best Tm
1 14 Adrian Carrio 1:20.908
2 69 Ron White 1:21.065
3 3 Mark Wilkins 1:21.531
4 74 Kevin Lacroix 1:21.533
5 92 Daniel Herrington 1:21.596
6 28 Russell Walker 1:21.757
7 9 Gerardo Bonilla 1:21.809
8 38 Ryan Justice 1:21.829
9 87 Doug Peterson 1:22.037
10 53 Mike Potekhen 1:22.058
11 8 Dan Dileo 1:22.164
12 32 Brian Sellers 1:22.179
13 18 Rob Bunker 1:22.216
14 99 Phil Saville 1:22.271
15 4 Chris Meredith 1:22.378
16 17 Alex Ardoin 1:22.384
17 52 Ken Losch 1:22.388
18 23 Logan Gomez 1:22.622
19 86 Charles Anti 1:22.722
20 29 Phil Fogg Jr. 1:22.740
21 93 John Faulkner 1:22.747
22 11 Ricardo Vassmer 1:23.115
23 1 Scott Bradley 1:23.208
24 15 Ricky Taylor 1:23.270
25 85 Jay Poscente 1:23.383
26 2 Brad Jager 1:24.070
27 71 Steven Hickham Jr. 1:24.172
28 24 Jon Brownson 1:24.205
29 61 Richard Zober 1:24.273
30 47 Carlos Llano 1:24.790
31 91 Michael Guasch 1:25.256
32 56 Dan Tomlin III 1:25.305
33 65 Steve Hickham Sr. 1:25.441
34 88 Dan Weyland 1:25.476
35 58 Dan Tomlin Jr. 1:25.765
36 96 Browning Williams 1:28.267