For more information:
Linda Mansfield, Restart Communications
Cell: (317) 201-0729
E-mail: LindaKMansfield@cs.com
Daly Wins Pole to Lead the Way
For Andersen Racing
In Star Mazda Action Friday at NJMP
MILLVILLE, Va., June 12 - Conor Daly topped the qualifying sheets Friday at
New Jersey Motorsport Park's Thunderbolt Raceway to lead the way for
Andersen Racing in preliminary action for Saturday's round four of the Star Mazda
championship presented by Goodyear.
The 17-year-old from Noblesville, Ind. had a perfect day. He was fastest in
both practice sessions Friday and then won his first series pole with a
1:15.969 on his 23rd lap of the 28 he recorded in the 45-minute qualifying
session. Averaging 102.831 miles per hour on the 14-turn, 2.25-mile road
course, he was 0.068 of a second faster than the second-fastest driver in the
26-car field, points leader Adam Christodoulou.
Daly, who is a MAZDASPEED Motorsports development driver, pilots the green
and white No. 22 sponsored by Indeck, Cytomax, College Network, Merchant
Services, Allied Interior Products and Lafarge North America.
At one point in qualifying the Andersen Racing drivers held down positions
one through four, and at the end they were all still in the top 10.
Richard Kent of Clifton Reynes, England qualified fourth with a 1:16.197
(102.524 mph) in the No. 33, which is sponsored by Traka, Allied Interior
Products and Lafarge North America. His fastest lap came on lap 16 of the 27 he
ran.
Mikael Grenier of Stoneham, Quebec qualified eighth with a time of 1:16.417
(102.229 mph) in the No. 17, which is sponsored by NAPA Auto Parts,
CAA-Quebec, HS Telecom, Desharnais Pneus et Mécanique, 66graphx, VSM Racing, Allied
Interior Products and Lafarge North America. He ran 28 laps too, and was
fastest on lap 24.
Starting right behind Grenier will be his teammate from Sao Paulo, Brazil,
Denis Navarro. He qualified tenth with a 1:16.738 (101.801 mph) that he set
on lap 22 of 28. His No. 21 advertises Navarro Medicines Distribution,
Allied Interior Products, Lafarge North America and Shock Doctor.
Rain has been an issue here since the series' test day on Thursday, but it
was hot and dry for qualifying Friday afternoon. The field is very tight,
as the top 14 drivers qualified within a second of Daly's top time.
Saturday's race is the first half of a Star Mazda doubleheader here this
weekend. Both are part of the second annual Mazda Formula X event.
The two Star Mazda races are slated to be broadcast live at 2 p.m. Eastern
Saturday and Sunday as part of HDNet's coverage from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. each
day. HDNet is available on AT&T, Charter Communications, Comcast, DIRECT TV,
DISH Network, Insight, Mediacom, Verizon and more than 40 NCTC cable
affiliate companies.
Saturday's 40-minute race begins at 2 p.m. Eastern. Live timing is planned
for the Internet via imsaracing.net.
Sunday's schedule shows qualifying for round five of the 13-race season
from 9:20 a.m. to 10 a.m., with the 40-minute race following at 2 p.m.
The series is also in action next weekend, as round six is slated for
Saturday, June 20 at the Milwaukee Mile.
Andersen Racing is sponsored by Allied Building Products Corp. and Lafarge
North America. It is the official development team of Rahal Letterman
Racing. In addition to Star Mazda, it fields cars in karting, Formula BMW
Americas and Firestone Indy Lights.
The team's Web site is located at andersenracingteam.com. Information on
the team's 1-mile road course test track at its headquarters can be found
online at andersenracepark.com.
The stats so far:
Test Session 1 (Thursday, 9:40 a.m. to 10:20 a.m.):
1. Michael Furfari, 1:15.903, 102.921 mph
4. Mikael Grenier, 1:16.176, 102.552 mph
5. Conor Daly, 1:16.241, 102.465 mph
12. Denis Navarro, 1:17.179, 101.219 mph
13. Richard Kent, 1:17.477, 100.830 mph
Test Session 2 (Thursday, 1:35 p.m. to 2:20 p.m.):
1. Anders Krohn, 1:16.052, 102.719 mph
2. Richard Kent, 1:16.052, 102.719 mph*
4. Mikael Grenier, 1:16.254, 102.447 mph
7. Denis Navarro, 1:16.445, 102.191 mph
9. Conor Daly, 1:16.808, 101.708 mph
* - Tied with Krohn but set his lap a fraction of a second later in the
session.
Test Session 3 (Tuesday, 10:05 a.m. to 10:40 a.m.):
1. Richard Kent, 1:15.939, 102.872 mph
2. Mikael Grenier, 1:16.047, 102.726 mph
10. Conor Daly, 1:16.523, 102.087 mph
11. Denis Navarro, 1:16.724, 101.820 mph
Practice Session 1 (Friday, 8 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.):
1. Conor Daly, 1:24.375, 92.587 mph
9. Mikael Grenier, 1:26.478, 90.335 mph
20. Denis Navarro, 1:31.078, 85.773 mph
Richard Kent, no time.
Practice Session 2 (Friday, 1 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.):
1. Conor Daly, 1:16.307, 102.376 mph
4. Mikael Grenier, 1:16.477, 102.148 mph
7. Richard Kent, 1:16.547, 102.055 mph
14. Denis Navarro, 1:17.025, 101.422 mph
Qualifying for Race 4 (Friday, 5:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.):
1. Conor Daly, 1:15.969, 102.831 mph
4. Richard Kent, 1:16.197, 102.524 mph
8. Mikael Grenier, 1:16.417, 102.229 mph
10. Denis Navarro, 1:16.738, 101.801 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.