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Dean Takes GP Of Mosport Pole, His Second Consecutive In Playboy MX-5 Cup
John Dean, of Sebring, Fla., was the quickest driver in SCCA Pro Racing Playboy MX-5 Cup practice on Friday, then backed it up with a pole position at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on Saturday. Dean’s qualifying gives him the front row starting position for Sunday’s Round Seven race at the Mobil 1 Grand Prix of Mosport.
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Dean’s No. 16 Projections Research/Sick Sideway MX-5 turned a fast lap of 1:35.535 (92.661 mph) to set a new qualifying track record, breaking the existing mark of 1:35.571 (92.626 mph) set by Nick Evans in 2010.
The pole is Dean’s second of the season, and second in as many races following the top qualifying position at Road America in Round Six.
“When we came from Road America, we had a baseline set-up that we felt like really worked,” Dean said. “We had more time to prepare and get to this event than we have in the past. We got here and we felt really good about the car. I went out in the first session in testing and I think we were fastest. The car’s been really good on old tires, and we put some new tires on and it feels great out there.
“The track is hairy, it’s scary, it’s blind, it’s fast, it’s bumpy and everything’s working against you and it’s a joy to drive out there. For the second time of the year, this car has been a lot of fun to drive and we look forward to tomorrow’s race.”
When the lights go out for the standing start, Dean will have a trio of CJ Wilson Racing machines to contend with. Championship leader Stevan McAleer will start second after a qualifying time of 1:35.877 (92.330 mph) in the No. 28 Blue Mercury Capital/Numerix/CJ Wilson Children’s Charities MX-5. Filling the second row are his teammates, Marc Miller in the No. 27 ModSpace MX-5 and Elliott Skeer in the No. 17 MAZDASPEED/Sparco MX-5. Miller set a fast lap of 1:36.333 (91.893 mph) around the 10-turn, 2.459-mile circuit, while Skeer sat just behind in 1:36.571 (91.667 mph).
Ara Malkhassian, who won Round Six at Road America and sits second in points in his No. 11 ALARA Racing MX-5, starts fifth after a qualifying lap of 1:37.006 (91.256 mph).
Nathanial Sparks (No. 3 OOTSK Performance MX-5), Sebastian Landy (No. 07 Excitations.com MX-5), Brent Mosing (No. 10 Frank’s International/ALARA Racing MX-5), Chris Windsor (No. 38 Windsor Customs/Child Print ID MX-5) and Emilee Tominovich (No. 19 TrueCar.com MX-5) will start sixth through 10th on Sunday.
Christian Szymczak, who crashed his No. 34 Projections Research/Sick Sideway MX-5 in Turn Five during Friday’s practice, did not set a qualifying time. Third in points, Szymczak was transported and treated with two broken ribs on Friday afternoon, but was back at the track and may attempt to race on Sunday.
Bryan Hixon posted the quickest time in the Skip Barber Racing School MAZDASPEED Pro Series class with a 1:39.302 (89.146 mph) in the No. 63 Ducati San Antonio/TequilaMe MX-5. The Skip Barber class runs concurrently with the Playboy MX-5 Cup.
The SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup Round Seven begins with a standing start at 4:35 p.m. EDT.
Starting Line-up for Sunday's SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup Round 7 race, part of the Grand Prix of Mosport at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, with position, class, car number in parentheses, driver, hometown, car, fastest lap time, and speed in miles per hour.
1, MX, (16), John Dean_II(R), Sebring, Fla., MX-5, 1:35.535, 92.661.
2, MX, (28), Stevan McAleer(R), Puntam Valley, N.Y., MX-5, 1:35.877, 92.330.
3, MX, (27), Marc Miller, Holland, Mich., MX-5, 1:36.333, 91.893.
4, MX, (17), Elliott Skeer(R), Vista, Calif., MX-5, 1:36.571, 91.667.
5, MX, (11), Ara Malkhassian, Houston, Texas, MX-5, 1:37.006, 91.256.
6, MX, (3), Nathanial Sparks(R), Spanish Fort, Ala., MX-5, 1:37.050, 91.214.
7, MX, (07), Sebastian Landy(R), Great Falls, Va., MX-5, 1:37.899, 90.423.
8, MX, (10), Brent Mosing(R), Lafayette, La., MX-5, 1:38.996, 89.421.
9, MX, (38), Chris Windsor(R), Thurmont, Md., MX-5, 1:39.225, 89.215.
10, MX, (19), Emilee Tominovich(R), Clarksville, Md., MX-5, 1:39.561, 88.914.
11, MX, (41), Forrest Landy(R), Great Falls, Va., MX-5, 1:42.671, 86.221.
12, MX, (29), Allen Delattre(R), Wilton, Conn., MX-5, 1:46.107, 83.429.
13, MX, (12), Christian Szymczak(R), Palos Verdes, Calif., MX-5, no time.
14, SBMX, (63), Bryan Hixon, San Antonio, Texas, Barber MX-5, 1:39.466, 88.999.
15, SBMX, (62), Zachry Lee, San Antonio, Texas, Barber MX-5, 1:39.598, 88.881.
16, SBMX, (97), David Knight, Ludlow, Vt., Barber MX-5, 1:40.675, 87.930.
17, SBMX, (64), Brian Makse, Toronto, Ontario, Barber MX-5, 1:40.898, 87.736.
18, SBMX, (90), Greg Holloway, Melbourne Australia, , Barber MX-5, 1:43.098, 85.864.
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