2006 Star Mazda Championship - Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

Justice wins race, Carrio takes championship at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

October 21, 2006. Monterey, California. Jumping into the lead on the opening lap, Ryan Justice survived a caution filled race to take the victory in the season finale of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Joining Justice on the podium were Michael Potekhen, in second place, and Adrian Carrio, who captured the championship, in third place.

Justice, driving the #38 Northwest Autosport World Food Program Mazda, lined up second on the grid even though he damaged his left front suspension after making contact with the tire wall in turn six during the qualifying session and quickly climbed into the lead on the opening lap. "The Northwest Autosport crew did a great job getting the car back together in the short time between qualifying and the race and I was able to take the lead right away. It was disappointing that we only got five green flag laps as I think we could've put on a good show for the fans," a student at Loyola explained. "That said it still feels good to leave here with a victory as I'm in my final semester at school and when I'm in the library until four in the morning on a Saturday night as I try to catch up for the time I've been away at the racetrack it's always nice to look back at a victory."

Jumping from seventh to second on the opening lap, Potekhen, in the #53 Apex Racing Avenue Communities Mazda was happy to be back on the podium but disappointed that the cautions eliminated any fight for the victory. "Qualifying didn't go quite as I had hoped but I had an excellent start," the Tempe, Arizona resident said. "It was like the seas parted on the opening lap and I was able to drive around three cars ont he outside in turn two and got a run on Adrian heading into turn five and that was the race right there. It was a shame having to spend so much time following the pace car and I hope that the series can figure out how to return to the green flag racing in the future."

Newly crowned champion Adrian Carrio echoed their thoughts as he brought the #14 World Speed Motorsports Rockford Fosgate Mazda home in the final podium position after locking up the championship with his pole position effort in qualifying. "I was really hoping that we were able to stay green this weekend in what will be my last Star Mazda race as I look to move up to the Champ Car Atlantic Series next season," the seventeen-year old said. "Ryan was able to get the jump on me at the start as I was looking to protect my car and Michael got a run on in me in turn five but we never got a chance to really race each other. It feels good to take the championship and I have to thank my crew at World Speed Motorsports as they work as hard, if not harder, than we do as drivers. I also have to thank Rockford Fosgate and Barry Shames for sponsoring me this season as without their assistance I couldn't go racing."

Originally scheduled for twenty-eight laps the race would wind up being a timed event as the newly configured gravel traps around the 2.238-mile circuit and several racing incidents combined to make the race a forty-five minute timed event.

As the hard fought championship comes to a close, Carrio finishes his championship season with 433 points, while Kevin Lacroix in the #74 John Walko Racing Uni-Select Auto Parts Mazda goes into the books in second place with 394 points. In a wild chase between four drivers for third place in the championship, Justice, came up big in the race to lock down the spot with 366 points. Potekhen would claim fourth with 333 points and Ron White in the #69 Ross Smith Racing Mazda would complete the top five in the championship with 326 points.

In the Expert Championship, for drivers aged 30-44, Gerardo Bonilla, who would take a wild ride though the gravel in turn five this afternoon, locked up the championship in Round Eleven at Road Atlanta in the #9 Andersen Racing Team Skip Barber Mazda. Phil Fogg Jr. in the #29 Northwest Autosport Consonsus Health Services Mazda captured the class victory at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and finished fourth in the championship. The battle for second place came down to the wire with Brian Thienes, of Huntington Beach, California, taking the second spot in the class in #77 JDC Motorsports Thienes Engineering Mazda with 166 points while Dan Tomlin III, of Dallas, Texas, had to settle for third place with 153 points in the #56 Team Tomlin Mazda.

In the Masters Championship, for drivers aged 45 and older, the championship race was a two way battle between former class champions Doug Peterson in the #87 American Speed Factory 3-Dimensional Services Mazda with 160 points entering the event, and John Faulkner in the #93 Phenom Racing Group Molecule Mazda with 153 points. Peterson, from Bonita Springs, Florida, would put in a solid drive to take the class victory with a twelfth place finish overall and the championship ahead of Faulkner, who finished fifteenth overall today. Ken Losch, of Paradise Valley, Arizona, took third place in the class behind the wheel of the #52 Apex Racing Centerpoint Communities Mazda.

In the Team Championship the championship went to John Walko Racing with 241 points overall. World Speed Motorsports finished in second place with 227 points and Northwest Autosport made a late season charge to take the third spot in the championship with 187 points.

Round Twelve of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear is scheduled to air on Speed Channel at 3:00 PM Eastern Time on Sunday, October 29th. For more information please visit www.starmazda.com

Adrian Carrio earns pole position for series finale at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

October 21, 2006. Monterey, California. Championship points leader Adrian Carrio, of Monument, Colorado, took control in this morning's qualifying session to capture the pole position for Round Twelve of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear and all but lock up the championship. Piloting the #14 World Speed Motorsports Rockford Fosgate Mazda, Carrio waited until the closing seconds of the session before unleashing a lap of 1:20.532 (100.045 MPH) around the 2.238-mile circuit to lead the field of forty-one drivers participating in the Star Mazda season finale.

With his sixth pole position of the season Carrio picks up one more bonus point, which barring disqualification or exclusion from the race provides him with an insurmountable lead. "It was a fantastic session, the car was really good for the whole session and I was just digging so hard to get the last tenth out of the car at the end of the session," the seventeen year old explained. "We came in and gave the tires a bleed-down right at the end and put together a great lap. I have to thank the crew at World Speed Motorsports, Rockford Fosgate and a special thanks to Shames Construction for helping me out this weekend."

The final qualifying session of the season was an eventful one with the top three drivers separated by four-hundredths of a second. While Carrio was able to claim the pole both Ryan Justice and Rob Bunker held the top spot for part of the session. Justice, driving the #38 Northwest Autosport World Food Program Mazda, was second quick in the session with a lap of 1:20.557 (100.014 MPH) despite missing the time after making contact with the tire wall in turn six after his car bottomed out in the corner. Bunker, in the #18 AIM Autosport Mazda, continued his strong run in the second half of the season with the third fastest time today at 1:20.572 (99.995 MPH).

"We've felt that we belonged up at the front all weekend and we finally got a chance to show it in qualifying today," the Bridgewater, New Jersey native explained. "We're all really close at the front of the field and it's exciting to know that we'll be right there competing for the victory. AIM Autosport has helped me so much as a young driver working with setup and making me faster and after trying a lot of different things we've found a setup that works for us."

Carrio's championship rival Kevin Lacroix, who had been matching Carrio lap for lap during the practice sessions, struggled a bit during qualifying and could only muster the eighth fastest time in the session at 1:21.189 (99.235 MPH) in the #74 John Walko Racing Uni-Select Auto Parts Mazda. Needing a victory in order to have any hopes of taking the title, Lacroix, who wrapped up the Rookie-of-the-Year title at Road Atlanta, will have his work cut out for him in the race.

Round Twelve of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear is scheduled to roll of the grid at 11:35 AM Pacific Time on Saturday, October 21st.

Justice sweeps Friday practice at Mazda Raceway

October 20, 2006. Monterey, California. Ryan Justice, of Portland, Oregon, set the pace in both practice sessions today for Round Twelve of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear being held this weekend at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca as part of the Monterey Sports Car Championships. Driving the #38 Northwest Autosport World Food Program Mazda, Justice improved on his morning fast time with a lap of 1:21.426 (98.816 MPH) around the 2.238-mile Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca circuit to lead the field of forty-one drivers participating in the Star Mazda season finale.

"The team did an excellent job today so I have to give the credit to them for all their hard work and I also have to thank the World Food Program and Jim Justice for their support," Justice said. "We had some problems with the brakes in the first session today and the crew went to work and changed everything out before the afternoon session. The car is working really well and I'm looking forward to qualifying and the race."

Michael Potekhen returns to the top of the time sheets today after setting the second fastest time overall with a lap at 1:21.697 (98.618 MPH) in the #53 Apex Racing Avenue Communities Mazda. "We had a rough weekend at Road Atlanta when the wiring harness failed during the race so it feels good to be back up at the front of the field again," the Tempe, Arizona resident explained. "I really enjoy this track and they've done a great job with the circuit. Now we're looking to go out tomorrow and finish out the season with a victory."

As the championship race becomes a two-man battle between Adrian Carrio and Kevin Lacroix, Carrio currently holds the speed advantage after setting the third fastest time of the day at 1:21.705 (98.608 MPH) in the #14 World Speed Motorsports Rockford Fosgate Mazda. "We had a strong session out there this afternoon and know exactly what we need to do tomorrow, " Carrio, the championship points leader entering the final round, revealed. "We spent most of the session working on our race setup and determining how the car will change during the race and we feel we'll be ready for the final battle tomorrow."

While Carrio sits ahead of Lacroix at the end of final practice he wasn't able to put a large gap on the St Eustache, Canada resident as Lacroix sits just behind him on the time sheets with the fourth fastest time of the day in the #74 John Walko Racing Uni-Select Auto Parts Mazda. Lacroix, who clinched the Rookie-of-the-Year crown at Round Eleven, still has an uphill climb to take the championship from Carrio, who holds a thirty-five point lead in the standings.

The championship showdown will now move to the sole forty minute qualifying session of the weekend which is scheduled for 8:00 AM Pacific Time on Saturday, October 21st. Round Twelve of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear is scheduled to roll off the grid later in the morning at 11:35 AM Pacific Time.

Ryan Justice sets pace in first official practice at Mazda Raceway

October 20, 2006. Monterey, California. Ryan Justice, of Portland, Oregon, topped the time sheets this morning in the first official practice session for Round Twelve of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear. Driving the #38 Northwest Autosport World Food Program Mazda, Justice lapped the 2.238-mile Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca circuit in a time of 1:21.533 (98.816 MPH) to lead the field of forty-one drivers participating in the Star Mazda season finale.

Drivers took to the track for a forty-five minute session under sunny skies and temperatures in the low sixties and while Justice sits out front the competition is not far off of his pace. Leading the chase in this morning's session was Michael Potekhen in the #53 Apex Racing Avenue Communities Mazda with a time of 1:21.697 (98.618 MPH) while Ron White, who has won the past three races, was third fastest with a time of 1:22.083 (98.154 MPH) in the #69 Ross Smith Racing Maxwell Paper Products Mazda.

Practice continues this afternoon with a final forty-five minute session set to get underway at 12:45 PM Pacific Time. Qualifying and Round Twelve of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear are slated for Saturday, October 21st.

Mark Wilkins Tops Thursday Time Sheets at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

October 19 , 2006. Monterey, California. Mark Wilkins, from Toronto, Canada, posted the fastest time of the day at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in testing for the final round of the 2006 Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear, being held in conjunction with the American Le Mans Series Monterey Sports Car Championships. Driving the #3 Bluetooth AIM Autosport Mazda, Wilkins lapped the 2.238-Mile circuit in a time of 1:21.670 (98.651 MPH) to edge out Adrian Carrio for the top spot in unofficial practice.

"The start of the final session was a little hectic as Adrian Carrio, Kevin Lacroix, Ryan Justice and myself were running in a group and making risky moves to get through slower traffic and I had to remind myself that this was a practice session," Wilkins explained. "I backed out of the group and got a couple of clear laps which was all I needed to set some fast times as AIM Autosport has given me a fast car right off the trailer."

With the championship battle coming down to the wire between Carrio and Kevin Lacroix, who clinched the Rookie-of the Year title at Road Atlanta, it was fitting that they would post the second and third fastest times of the day, with Carrio, from Monument, Colorado, turning a time of 1:21.691 (98.625 MPH) in the #14 World Speed Motorsports Rockford Fosgate Mazda and Lacroix, from St Eustache, Canada, setting a time of 1:21.831 (98.457 MPH) in the #74 John Walko Racing Uni-Select Auto Parts Mazda.

Official practice for Round Twelve of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear will kick off at 8:00 AM Pacific Time with the first of two forty-five minute sessions on Friday, October 20th. All official practice sessions this weekend can be followed online through IMSA live timing and scoring.