For more information:
Linda Mansfield, Restart Communications
Cell: (317) 201-0729
E-mail: LindaKMansfield@cs.com
Romancini Qualifies Sixth For RLR/Andersen Racing
Saturday at Kansas Speedway; Summerton Welcomes Mockett & Co.
As Primary Sponsor Here
KANSAS CITY, Kan., April 25 - Mario Romancini led the way for RLR/Andersen
Racing Saturday during qualifying for Sunday's Kansas Lottery 100 Firestone
Indy Lights race, posting the sixth-fastest time in the field of 24 for his
first oval-track event ever. His teammate, Jonathan Summerton, who is also
making his first oval-track start, will take the green in the 15th position.
Romancini, the tenth driver to go under the timing beacon in quals, posted
two laps in 29.3511 (186.433 miles per hour) and 29.4027 (186.105 mph) for a
combined time of 58.7538 and an average speed of 186.269 mph. His No. 5,
which is sponsored by Andersen Racing, Revita Recycling, Win Brazil Marketing,
Allied Interior Products and Lafarge North America, will start on the
outside of Row 3 beside Pippa Mann's No. 16 and right behind J.R. Hildebrand, who
won this race last year from the fourth starting spot driving for
RLR/Andersen Racing.
Saturday's sixth place was the best qualifying result for Romancini, who
hails from Sao Paulo, Brazil, in this series to date. His previous best
starting position was tenth in the season opener.
Summerton has a new primary sponsor for this event in Mockett & Co., a
national manufacturer of fine cabinet hardware and other items for the building,
custom cabinet and furniture industries. Summerton was the first driver
out in the qualifying order, and the track got faster as the session
progressed. His two laps in quals in the Mockett & Co./Allied Interior Supply No. 9
were done in 29.5975 (184.880 mph) and 29.6487 (184.561 mph) for a combined
time of 59.2462 (184.721 mph).
The Kissimmee, Fla.-based driver, who turned 21 on Tuesday and goes into
this event only three points behind point leader Junior Strous, will start
beside a former Andersen Racing Star Mazda driver, Pablo Donoso, on the inside
of Row 8. Strous will start directly behind Summerton on the inside of Row
9.
Series veteran Wade Cunningham got the pole with two laps in 29.1391
(187.789 mph) and 29.2421 (187.127 mph) for a combined time of 58.3812 (187.458
mph).
Patience will be required of the entire field for tomorrow's
67-lap/100-mile event on the 1.52-mile tri-oval. There were five caution periods for this
race last year for almost half of the event, 30 laps.
Weather is also a consideration here. There were sprinkles off and on all
day and a 40 percent chance of precipitation on Saturday, but qualifying got
off as planned despite 13 mph winds. The probability of precipitation rises
to 60 percent Sunday, with 9-18 mph winds forecast. (The NASCAR truck race
that followed Firestone Indy Lights qualifying on Saturday was interrupted
by rain and will resume Monday morning at 10 a.m.)
Live coverage of Sunday's Firestone Indy Lights race is planned for
indycar.com/pro. The scheduled starting time is 1 p.m. Eastern and noon local time.
TV coverage is slated for 4 p.m. Eastern on Monday on VERSUS.
For more information on the team, which is sponsored by Allied Interior
Products and Lafarge North America and offers programs in karting, Formula BMW
and Star Mazda in addition to Firestone Indy Lights, see its Web site at
andersenracingteam.com. For more information on its 1-mile road course test
track in Palmetto, Fla., see andersenracepark.com.
Post-qualifying quotes follow:
Mario Romancini: "I'm very happy. We were second for a while, and we ended
up sixth. I hope we can be in the top five tomorrow.
"I'm real happy with the balance of the car and with my team. I must stay
out of the crashes tomorrow.
"The wind really affects you here; the top speed on the frontstretch is
quite different than the top speed on the backstretch."
Jonathan Summerton: "I want to thank Doug Mockett and Mockett & Co. for
coming on board with us for this race. We really appreciate their help.
"Our car was a little tight overall in qualifying. It wasn't a pole time,
but our car is quick in traffic, so I'm happy about that."
The stats so far follow:
Practice 1 (Saturday, 9 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.):
1. Sebastian Saavedra, 28.8215, 189.858 mph
13. Mario Romancini, 29.2646, 186.984 mph
17. Jonathan Summerton, 29.3530, 186.420 mph
Practice 2 (Saturday, 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.):
1. Andrew Prendeville, 29.1613, 187.646 mph
7. Mario Romancini, 29.3583, 186.387 mph
20. Jonathan Summerton, 29.6110, 184.796 mph
Combined Practice Times:
1. Sebastian Saavedra, 28.8215, 189.858 mph
13. Mario Romancini, 29.2646, 186.984 mph
17. Jonathan Summerton, 29.3530, 186.420 mph
Qualifications (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.):
1. Wade Cunningham, 29.1391, 187.789 mph and 29.2421, 187.127 mph for a
combined time of 58.3812, 187.458 mph
6. Mario Romancini, 29.3511, 186.433 mph and 29.4027, 186.105 mph for a
combined time of 58.7538, 186.269 mph
15. Jonathan Summerton, 29.5975, 184.880 mph and 29.6487, 184.561 mph for a
combined time of 59.2462, 184.721 mph
About Allied Building Products Corp.:
Allied Building Products Corp., headquartered in East Rutherford, N.J., is
one of the largest roofing and siding distributors in the United States.
Founded in 1950 with five employees and two trucks, today it is a $1.8 billion
building material distribution company with over 3,500 employees, more than
200 branches in 30 states, well over one million square feet of office and
warehouse space, and an inventory of approximately 85,000 products, from
residential roofing and siding to doors, windows, waterproofing, manufactured
stone, interior products and commercial roofing systems. For more information
see alliedbuilding.com.
About the Lafarge Group:
The Lafarge Group is the world leader in building materials, with
top-ranking positions in all of its businesses: cement, aggregates and concrete, and
gypsum. With 83,000 employees in 78 countries, the Group posted sales of
19.0 billion Euros in 2008.
Lafarge North America Inc. ("Lafarge North America" or "Lafarge"), a
Lafarge Group company, is the largest diversified supplier of construction
materials in the United States and Canada.
In 2009 and for the fifth year in a row, the Lafarge Group was listed in
the "Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World." With the
world's leading building materials research facility, the Lafarge Group places
innovation at the heart of its priorities, working for sustainable construction
and architectural creativity.
For more information about Lafarge North America, go to lafarge-na.com or
contact Louise Muth, director of external communications, at (703) 480-3707.
About Andersen Racing:
Andersen Racing strives to provide the best and most comprehensive training
possible for future open-wheel superstars while giving its marketing
partners media exposure and hospitality opportunities at some of the most
prestigious events in North America. It provides a unique, four-step program
utilizing multiple entries in four different platforms: karting, Formula BMW
Americas, Star Mazda and Firestone Indy Lights (televised on VERSUS). In 2008 it
fielded multiple entries in 42 races in 18 states and provinces at some of
the best facilities on the continent, including the famed Indianapolis Motor
Speedway.
Andersen Racing won the team championship for 2008 for both the F2000
Championship Series presented by Hoosier Racing Tire and the Star Mazda
Championship presented by Goodyear. Two of its drivers finished first and second in
the F2000 driver point standings, while another was sixth. Three of its Star
Mazda drivers placed third, fifth and sixth in that series' driver
standings. RLR/Andersen Racing finished sixth in the 2008 Firestone Indy Lights team
standings, while one of its drivers placed fifth in that series' driver
point standings.
Andersen Racing's principals, brothers Dan and John Andersen, have
extensive experience in series administration as well as team management. They've
worked with many of today's top open-wheel stars, including several Indy 500
winners.
Andersen Racing is sponsored by Allied Building Products Corp. and Lafarge
North America. It is the official development team of Rahal Letterman
Racing. The team is headquartered at Andersen RacePark, an 18-acre facility in
Palmetto, Fla. that includes a 1-mile road course test track. For more
information see andersenracingteam.com and andersenracepark.com.