Road America Team KOOL Green Race Notes

KOOL/Toyota Atlantic Championship - RACE

Anthony Lazzaro won today's 15-lap race at Road America, taking the checkered flag 3.766 seconds before runner-up Memo Gidley. Kenny Wilden finished third, while KOOL-sponsored driver Jeff Shafer was the highest-finishing rookie in fourth place.

Shafer started from the eighth spot on the grid, running clean in a race marked by attrition. Most of the cars making contact in the race were among the leaders. KOOL-sponsored driver Matt Sielsky was challenging for sixth place with three laps remainin g when he tangled with Rino Mastronardi. Sielsky hit the Italian from behind when Mastronardi who braked early heading to Turn 1.

Lee Bentham finished 19th today, but continues to lead the championship with 121 points. Gidley narrowed the gap to seven points, standing second with 114 points. Betham's teammate is third with 101 points, followed by Andrew Bordin with 98 and Anthony Lazzaro with 92. Sielsky drops a position to sixth overall with 87 points, while Shafer has jumped to 15th overall with 31 points.

JEFF SHAFER, #24 PPI-DEREK DALY ACADEMY SWIFT-TOYOTA:

(Started 8th / Finished 4th ; Currently 15th overall in the championship with 31 points)

"The car felt as good as it has all weekend at the start and we were able to jump up a spot to seventh. I had some rubber build-up that slowed me and I even went off the track briefly. We lost two spots and I was battling with Rino Mastronardi and Matt Sielsky for seventh when they had their problems. I just barely missed it. Each race, we are getting better and better, both in finishing position and comfort level. So, we'll be looking to keep this momentum going in two weeks up in Vancouver."

MATT SIELSKY, #16 LCI INTERNATIONAL SWIFT-TOYOTA:

(Started 10th / DNF - 23rd ; Currently 6th overall in the championship with 87 points)

"Mastronardi was blocking me on the straightaway, which was no big deal - I certainly expected him to. But, as I came up on him to make a pass, I got to the first brake marker and he got 100% on the brakes. In these cars, we'll go flat out in fourth ge ar through Turn 1 and just brake a little bit at the last brake marker. So, it was something intentional. I was surprised because he knew as well as I did, if he was going to brake-check me, it was going to take us both out. It hurts us because we could have picked up a couple of spots in the championship."