Mosport: Qualifying summary

James Hinchcliffe captures pole position at Mosport International Raceway

September 3, 2005. Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada. James Hinchcliffe, of Oakville, Ontario, Canada, earned his second pole position of the season, setting the pace in qualifying for Round Ten of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear, being held in conjunction with the American Le Mans Series Labour Day Weekend Grand Prix of Mosport. Driving the Esso/Mobil One/Noco Mazda for AIM Autosport, Hinchcliffe lapped the 2.49-mile circuit in a time of 1:15.095 to take the top spot in a qualifying session that saw the pole position change hands three times in the final minute, with both Rapahel Matos and Jay Howard briefly holding the top spot as the session neared completion.

Though he calls Mosport International Raceway his home track, living just over an hour away from the circuit, Hinchcliffe admits he this is only the second time he has raced on the circuit. "I've raced more times at Road America and the other tracks that the series visits but this is still a special track for me," Hinchcliffe explained. "My first time here in a Formula Ford I qualified on the pole position so now I am two-for-two.

Howard, from Essex, England, making his first appearance with the championship after dominating the USF2000 Championship with eight wins in ten events, would finish just 0.043 seconds behind Hinchcliffe to earn a spot on the front row for his NewHoneys.com Hearn Motorsports Mazda, while championship points leader Matos, of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, will line up third in his Ocean Tomo Racing Mazda after setting a lap of 1:15.264.

Thirty-one drivers posted times in the early morning session with the top ten drivers separated by only one second in what has become the most competitive open-wheel development series in North America. Round Ten of the championship is scheduled for 30-laps, starting at 12:35 PM Eastern Time.

-starmazda-