NA-F2000: Mid Ohio Friday Qualifying

BESNARD ON PROVISIONAL F2000 POLE AT MID-OHIO

LEXINGTON, Ohio – Points leader David Besnard dominated the first round of qualifying for Saturday's Round 11 of the U.S. F2000 National Championship at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Miller Lite 200 Weekend.

Besnard, of Sydney, Australia, turned a lap of 1:25.235 (95.369 mph) in the No. 13 Primus Racing Karts Van Diemen Ford – 0.779-second faster than Robby McGehee, of St. Louis, who cut a lap of 1:26.014 (94.505 mph). Ryan Hampton, second in points and coming off two-straight wins, was third fastest with a lap of 1:26.168 (94.336 mph). Sam Hornish Jr., of Defiance, Ohio, and Buffalo's Jonathan Bottoms completed the top-five.

Due to a new spec-tire compound, times are significantly slower than the track record of 1:24.155 (96.593 mph), set in 1997 by Matt Sielsky. Saturday morning's final qualifying session will determine the final starting grid.

LEXINGTON, Ohio -- Provisional starting grid for Saturday's 22-lap, 49.676-mile U.S. F2000 National Championship Round 11 Race, part of the Miller Lite 200 Weekend at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, with starting position, car number in parenthesis, driver, hometown, class, car, time and speed in miles-per-hour. Final grid to be determined after final qualifying session Saturday morning. 1. (13), David Besnard, Sydney, Australia, F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 1:25.235, 95.369. 2. (2), Robby McGehee, St. Louis, Mo., F2A, Tatuus Ford, 1:26.014, 94.505. 3. (88), Ryan Hampton, Glendora, Calif., F2A, Tatuus Ford, 1:26.168, 94.336. 4. (7), Sam Hornish Jr., Defiance, Ohio, F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 1:26.245, 94.252. 5. (28), Jonathan Bottoms, Buffalo, N.Y., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 1:26.319, 94.171. 6. (8), Mike Johnson, Gainsville, Ga., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 1:26.343, 94.145. 7. (11), Steve Rikert, Rhinebeck, N.Y., F2A, Tatuus Ford, 1:26.390, 94.094. 8. (34), Tim Duit, Edmond, Okla., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 1:26.512, 93.961. 9. (52), Bobby Oergel, Palmetto, Fla., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 1:26.539, 93.932. 10. (96), Marc Antoine Camirand, TroisRivieres, Quebec, Can., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 1:26.566, 93.902. 11. (5), Andy Lally, Northport, N.Y., F2A, Bowman Ford, 1:26.719, 93.737. 12. (95), Anthony Simone, Stouffville, Ontario, Can., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 1:26.759, 93.694. 13. (12), Mike Andersen, Little Falls, N.J., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 1:26.790, 93.660. 14. (30), Alejandro Garcia, Venezuela, F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 1:26.805, 93.644. 15. (51), Greg LeMond, Medina, Minn., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 1:26.823, 93.624. 16. (75), Guy Cosmo, Bohemia, N.Y., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 1:26.824, 93.623. 17. (89), George Scheiderer, Marysville, Ohio, F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 1:27.071, 93.358. 18. (45), T.J. Bell, Sparks, Nev., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 1:27.162, 93.260. 19. (82), James Yott, Montreal, Quebec, Can., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 1:27.302, 93.111. 20. (44), Michael Fitzgerald, Newton Square, Pa., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 1:27.311, 93.101. 21. (4), Duncan Dayton, North Salem, N.Y., F2A, Bowman Ford, 1:27.316, 93.096. 22. (15), Ric Rushton, Santa Fe, N.M., F2A, Tatuus Ford, 1:27.411, 92.995. 23. (71), Michael Durand, Wayland, Mass., F2B, Van Diemen Ford, 1:27.495, 92.905. 24. (6), Joey Scarallo, Hauppauge, N.Y., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 1:27.569, 92.827. 25. (25), Christian Coggins, Atlanta, Ga., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 1:27.743, 92.643. 26. (77), Jon Herb, Indianapolis, Ind., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 1:27.768, 92.616. 27. (64), Rolando Quintanilla, Nuevo Larado, Mexico, F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 1:27.772, 92.612. 28. (66), Larry Oberto, Seattle, Wash., F2B, Van Diemen Ford, 1:27.795, 92.588. 29. (26), Bob Hollander, Atlanta, Ga., F2B, Van Diemen Ford, 1:28.001, 92.371. 30. (91), Ron Thomas, Galena, Ohio, F2B, Van Diemen Ford, 1:28.122, 92.244. 31. (27), Scott Dick, Cincinnati, Ohio, F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 1:28.139, 92.227. 32. (9), Dana LaLiberte, Ann Arbor, Mich., F2B, Van Diemen Ford, 1:28.352, 92.004. 33. (37), Richard Fairbanks, Centerville, Mass., F2B, Van Diemen Ford, 1:28.410, 91.944. 34. (84), John Miller, Edina, Minn., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 1:28.803, 91.537. 35. (23), Dean Oppermann, Pottstown, Pa., F2B, Van Diemen Ford, 1:28.898, 91.439. 36. (36), Brett Harrison, Everett, Wash., F2B, Van Diemen Ford, 1:28.916, 91.421. 37. (22), Larry Vatri, Canal Winchester, Ohio, F2B, Swift Ford, 1:29.021, 91.313. 38. (59), Jon Groom, Boonton, N.J., F2B, Van Diemen Ford, 1:29.437, 90.888. 39. (3), Matthew Smith, Lafayette, Calif., F2A, Bowman Ford, 1:29.579, 90.744. 40. (43), Mirl Swan, Topeka, Kansas, F2B, Vector Ford, 1:29.770, 90.551. 41. (70), Galen Puccini, Simi Valley, Calif., F2B, Van Diemen Ford, 1:30.372, 89.948. 42. (55), Wilmer Valentin, Bayamon, Puerto Rico, F2B, Van Diemen Ford, 1:30.564, 89.757. 43. (42), Ira Fierberg, Manhattan Beach, Calif., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 1:30.756, 89.567. 44. (33), Jeff Smith, Terre Haute, Ind., F2A, Tatuus Ford, 1:30.787, 89.537. 45. (35), Jeff Kowalik, Oshkosh, Wis., F2B, Van Diemen Ford, 1:32.050, 88.308. 46. (69), Gregory Geis, Hudson, Ohio, F2B, Van Diemen Ford, 1:36.107, 84.580. 47. (16), Jeffrey Martin, Aurora, Ohio, F2B, Van Diemen Ford, 1:41.213, 80.313.