Laguna Seca: Thursday test notes

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.

-credit: star mazda