NA 2000: Watkins Glen qualifying notes

Gomes grabs Glen pole

WATKINS GLEN, NY (18 June 04) Marcos Gomes scored his second consecutive pole position in North American Formula Renault 2000 competition today with a storming 1:51.454-second lap of the Glen for Saturday's race. The session was extremely competitive, with five different drivers holding on to the top spot during the session before Gomes set his best time in the closing moments.

Mt Tremblant-round winner and championship points leader Mark Wilkins will start alongside Gomes for the standing start, with Renato Jader David and Phoenix round winner Juan Martin Ponte taking third and fourth on the grid, respectively. Antoine Bessette and series newcomer Phillippe Gelinas will make an all French-Canadian row three, with Ricardo Imery and former Atlantics standout Stephan Roy comprising row four. Gelles Racing's Michael Yager continued his streak of top-ten qualifying runs with a ninth position on the grid, and will start next to Bob Siska.

The field was thrown a curve when a brief rain shower drenched the 3.4-mile course just before the field was set to take to the track, forcing everyone to change to Michelin rain tires. The rain quickly gave way to a clearing sky and a breeze that both helped to dry the track by the middle stages of the session.

The changing conditions didn't phase Gomes, though, as he waited patiently before setting off to take the top spot on the speed chart.

"My car was really good, and the track was pretty much dry by the end, so it didn't bother me," Gomes said. "The car is excellent-my engineer Christian has done a fantastic job, and I am really confident about the race as I think I have a really good car, better than at Tremblant, so hopefully the result can be better, too!"

The race is scheduled to get underway at 11:45 am on Saturday. Full results and story to be posted at www.formularenaultna.com.

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