MX-5 Cup: Friday practice notes

Saini Fastest In Road America MX-5 Cup Practice by a Second

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (Sept. 22, 2006) -- Jason Saini, of Fort Worth, Texas, paced opening practice for Sunday's SCCA Pro Racing SIRIUS Satellite Radio Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by Hankook season-ending race at Road America. Carlo Sparacio, of Federal Way, Wash., and Deborah Loth, of Fort Worth, Texas, completed the top three.

Driving the No. 28 MER/specmiata.com/Autobarn Mazda MX-5, Saini ran a succession of laps that got faster and faster during the 30 minute session, finally settling on a 2:40.030 (91.063 mph) to lead the pack around the 4.048-mile circuit.

"I used to live less than two hours from the track," Saini said. "I know the track. I love the track. The car was working great. We had two days since the test here and we changed everything. Usually, when you go and change everything you screw it up, but I think this time we nailed it."

Driving the No. 8 TC Motorsports Mazda MX-5, Sparacio was in the top three for the majority of the session, setting his fastest lap on his final tour with a 2:41.162 (90.423 mph). Loth put her No. 23 Team MER/Loth Endodontics Mazda MX-5 third in the session with a quick time of 2:41.588 (90.185 mph).

Payton Wilson, of Chantilly, Va., and Todd Buras, of Melbourne, Fla., put their BSI Racing entries fourth and fifth on the day, respectively.

Final practice is scheduled for Saturday morning at 9:55 a.m. (CDT), with qualifying for Sunday afternoon's race slated for 4:45 p.m. Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by Hankook session via live timing and scoring, please visit www.mx-5cup.com.

-credit: scca pro racing