NA-F2000: PAC: Fontana qualifying notes

Podlesni on form in return to Pacific F2000 Series with Pole at Fontana

Fontana, Calif. (March 8, 2008) - Robert Podlesni's return to the Pacific F2000 Series today showed that he has lost none of the form he showed in winning the series in 2006. Once again driving for Dave Freitas Racing Podlesni lapped the 2.88 mile circuit in 1:40.908 in his Terminal Velocity/Alpinestars Van Diemen. Podlesni circulated at the head of the field in a three car pack that included teammate Chuck Hulse in his Silicon Salvage Van Dieman and Peter Hansel in his Comar Performance Inc., GS610 Maximum Performance Brake Fluid Van Deimen with each driver taking turns at the head of the pack. Podlesni noted that "It is difficult at Fontana because you get such a tow on the banking that you just have to be in the right position at the right time to get a good lap.

Second in his first drive for PR1 Motorsports was Jeff Westphal in his TNT Demolition/Cacci Construction Van Diemen just .015 seconds behind. Westphal was in a group of cars that included new teammates Nick Freytag and Max Hyatt. Max posted the third fastest time .004 seconds behind Jeff in his Performance Drink Van Diemen. Westphal credited staying away from traffic helped him to gain the other front row starting position.

Starting fourth will be Scott Rarick in his Piper/Fast ward/Red Line Oil Piper DF5. Rarick's time of 1:41.207 was .299 seconds off the pole in the field tightly bunched with the first nine cars with 1 second. Rarick has had good luck at Fontana with his only series pole coming here that was followed by a second place race finish.

Fifth and sixth is all PR1 Motorsports with Shaun Modisette and Nick Freytag. Shaun is returning to the team that won the championship last year in his Carson Trailer's Van Diemen and Nick is new to the team driving a G Factory/Sodi Kart Van Diemen. Both managed to lap the track in the sub-one minute 42 second range as did Peter Hansel, Chuck Hulse and Ira Fierberg. Fierberg also drives for Dave Freitas Racing in his Personal Injury Law/Sparco USA Van Diemen and clocked in at 1:41.951. Peter Hastrup in the fourth Dave Freitas Racing, Western Building Materials Van Diemen round out the top ten with a time of 1:42.060.

Filling out the field will be James Hakewill, Bill Kincaid in their Van Diemen's Rookie Richard Lai Fatt driving a Mygale SJ04, Nick Kodenko in a Van Diemen, Les Phillips in his return to the series after a year off in a Mygale SJ04 and Dennis Gaughery in his Landmark Motorsports Carbir D53.

Round one is set to take the green flag today at 4:00 pm local time.

<pre> Pos No. Name Team Best Time Diff Make 1 84 Robert Podlesni Dave Freitas Racing 01:40.9 - Van Diemen 2 39 Jeff Westphal PR1 Motorsports 01:40.9 0.015 Van Diemen RF05 3 22 Max Hyatt PR1 Motorsports 01:40.9 0.019 Van Diemen 05 4 34 Scott Rarick Scott Rarick 01:41.2 0.299 Piper DF5 5 26 Shaun Modisette PR1 Motorsports 01:41.3 0.377 Van Diemen 6 9 Nicky Freytag PR1 Motorsports 01:41.3 0.397 Van Diemen RF06 7 65 Peter Hansel Comar Performance Inc, 01:41.6 0.726 Van Diemen RF02 8 21 Chuck Hulse Dave Freitas Racing 01:41.8 0.94 Van Diemen RF-03 9 27 Ira Fierberg Dave Freitas Racing 01:42.0 1.043 Van Diemen RF05 10 5 Peter Hastrup Dave Freitas Racing 01:42.1 1.152 Van Diemen RF02Z 11 88 James Hakewill James Hakewill 01:42.2 1.304 Van Diemen 12 46 Bill Kincaid Bill Kincaid 01:43.7 2.793 Van Diemen RF03 13 4 Richard Lai Fatt Richard Lai Fatt 01:43.9 2.993 Mygale SJ04 14 31 Nick Kodenko Mike & Patty Kodenko 01:44.0 3.072 Van Diemen RF05 15 89 Les Phillips Les Phillips 01:44.4 3.535 Mygale 04 16 24 Dennis Goughary Landmark Motorsports 01:44.6 3.735 Carbir D53

-credit: www.pacificf2000.com