Raphael Matos Wins Mid-Ohio 100 Pole
AFS Andretti Green Leads Field by Half a Second
by Allan Brewer
allan@indyproracer.com
 AFS Andretti Green’s Raphael Matos. Photo: SteveSnoddyIRL
|
AFS Andretti Green's Raphael Matos remained atop the twenty-two car Firestone Indy Lights Series field gathered at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course this weekend as the Brazilian driver earned the pole for Saturday (July 19th) afternoon's first Mid-Ohio 100 race.
Matos held down the top spot from the green flag of the thirty minute road course qualifying session. His best lap of 1:13.1434 sec. or 111.135 mph was shy of Richard Antinucci's course record established in 2007 at MOSSC, but was a good half a second faster than Guthrie Racing's Franck Perera (1:13.6505 sec., 110.370 mph) who will share the front row.
Integra Motorsports' Jonny Reid was third-quick on 110.342 mph (1:13.6693 sec.), alongside Antinucci (110.300 mph) who will join him on row two.
Matos' teammate Arie Luyendyk Jr, Team E's Bobby Wilson, Alliance Motorsports' Wade Cunningham, Sam Schmidt Motorsports' James Davison (who spun at the tail end of the session, bringing out yellow), Michael Crawford Motorsports' Daniel Herrington, and RLR Andersen's J R Hildebrand round out the top ten starters.
Should Davison be penalized by officials for bringing yellow during the qualifying session Guthrie Racing's Robbie Pecorari (who was officially timed eleventh) will move up into the tenth spot, and begin the race on the outside of the fifth row later today.
Comments