Road Atlanta: Practice one notes

Kevin Lacroix leads opening practice at Road Atlanta

September 27, 2006. Braselton, Georgia. Kevin Lacroix, of St. Eustache, Quebec, topped the time sheets in the first official practice session for Round Eleven of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear being held at Road Atlanta this weekend. Driving the #74 John Walko Racing Uni-Select Auto Parts Mazda, Lacroix, who currently sits second in the championship, lapped the 2.54-mile road course in a time of 1:21.125 (112.715 MPH) to lead the thirty-two drivers that participated in the morning session.

While Lacroix would lead at the end a fellow series rookie, Rob Bunker, from Bridgewater, New Jersey, would hold the top spot for most of the session with a time of 1:21.245 (112.548 MPH) in the #18 AIM Autosport Thrupoint Mazda, followed closely by Daniel Herrington who set a time of 1:21.252 (112.539 MPH) as he makes his return to the series behind the wheel of the #92 Phenom Racing Group Molecule Mazda.

The drivers were greeted by clear skies and temperatures in the low sixties as they took to the track for the first of two thirty-minute practice sessions scheduled for the day. Phil Saville, of Oakbrook, Illinois, caused a red flag to be thrown briefly on the session as the safety crews had to remove his #99 Andersen Racing Team NVG Mazda from the gravel trap in turn one.

Practice continues for the penultimate round of the championship with another thirty minute session scheduled to get underway at 2:45 PM Eastern Time.

-credit: star mazda