2006 Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear - Round 4

Michael Potekhen rolls to victory on the Milwaukee Mile

June 3, 2006. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Michael Potekhen jumped into the lead on lap 28 and never looked back, guiding his #53 Apex Racing Centerpoint Communities Mazda to victory today in Round Four of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear, held this afternoon at the historic Milwaukee Mile as part of the Champ Car World Series Time Warner Cable Road Runner 225 weekend activities. Championship points leader Daniel Herrington, finished second in today's 100-lap event, 0.243 seconds behind the leader in his #3 AIM Autosport Bluetooth Mazda. Finishing third to complete the podium was Robbie Pecorari, driving the #8 John Walko Racing Maxwell Paper Products Mazda.

"The Apex Racing Team has really come together these past few races and the results for both myself my team owner Ken Losch, who finished sixth today, prove it," Potekhen explained. "When you're racing on an oval 90% of the success comes down to the car setup and my car was working perfectly today. Having experience with oval racing also helped give me the upper hand over Daniel and other drivers that might not have that experience. In the closing laps my spotter was giving me the gap over the radio and while he was closing in at the end I was able to manage the gap to the finish."

Herrington had his hands full chasing down Potekhen, the Winston-Salem, North Carolina resident working his way from seventh on the grid, passing Pecorari for third place on lap 39 and getting past pole position winner Adrian Carrio for second place nine laps later. "My car was working really well today and we were closing on Michael in the final laps but I'm not sure if I could've got around him," Herrington explained. "My car was a little loose throughout the session but it was also fast and the caution flags also helped us close the gap a couple of times as I worked through the field."

Finishing on the podium was a perfect ending for Pecorari, a last minute replacement when regular driver Ross Smith fell ill, who was able to slip past Carrio on the final lap to take the last podium spot. "It looked like Adrian got held up by lap traffic coming out of turn two on the final lap and I made an all or nothing move to the inside as we came to turn three and was able to make it onto the podium," Pecorari said. "I have to thank the Smith family, Maxwell Paper Products and John Walko Racing for giving me the opportunity to come here this weekend and step in when Ross couldn't make it, what better way to say thanks than a podium finish."

With a quarter of the season complete Herrington maintains his place on top of the championship with 153 points. Carrio, who finished fourth on the day, holds onto second place with 145 points and Potekhen slips into sole possession of third place with 142 points.

In the Expert Championship, for drivers aged 30-44, Gerardo Bonilla captured the class victory in his #9 Carmela Sausages Andersen Racing Team Mazda and holds first place with 71 points. Brian Thienes finished second on track and holds second place with 58 points and Dan Tomlin III sits third with 54 points. In the Masters Championship, for drivers aged 45 and older, Ken Losch, driving the #52 Apex Racing Centerpoint Communities Mazda was the class winner finishing sixth overall, and moves into first place with 63 points. John Pew falls to second place with 60 points and Doug Peterson holds onto third with 53 points.

In the Team Championship AIM Autosport remains in first with 77 points while World Speed Motorsports is second with 74 points. Apex Racing makes a huge leap in the points, rising from seventh to third with 71 points overall.

The series now heads north to Canada to take part in the Formula One Grand Prix of Canada weekend at the Gilles Villeneuve Circuit in Montreal for Round Five of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear on June 23-24. Round Four from the Milwaukee is scheduled to air at 1:00 PM Eastern Time on Sunday, June 181th. For more information please visit www.starmazda.com.

Adrian Carrio earns pole position at the Milwaukee Mile

June 3, 2006. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Setting a blistering pace, Adrian Carrio, from Monument, Colorado, qualified out front for Round Four of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear, lapping the famed Milwaukee Mile in his #14 World Speed Motorsports Rockford Fosgate Mazda in a time of 27.249 (136.343 MPH). Joining him on the front row will be Robbie Pecorari, of Aston, Pennsylvania, who posted a fast lap of 27.330 (135.939 MPH) in his Maxwell Paper Products Mazda.

"It's great to qualify out front," said Carrio, after earning his first series pole position. "I have to thank everyone on my team for preparing a great car. My engineer Mike Doyle has a track record here, engineering Case Montgomery to a victory in the Atlantic Series, so this is a good start to continuing that history."

Pecorari, who finished second in the 2005 championship and tasted victory in the series' only oval event at Pikes Peak International Raceway was also pleased with his qualifying performance as he fills in for Ross Smith in the #8 John Walko Racing Maxwell Paper Products Mazda. "This weekend came together quickly when the team learned that Ross had come down with an illness the day he was supposed to fly out here," Pecorari explained. "It's good to be able to repay them for this opportunity with a front-row start for today's race."

MIchael Potekhen, who was fastest for most of the weekend in his #53 Apex Racing Centerpoint Communities Mazda, will line up third on the grid. The Tempe, Arizona resident was the final car to post a qualifying time, lapping the 1.032-mile circuit in a time of 27.361 (135.785 MPH). Championship points leader Daniel Herrington will line up seventh on the grid for this afternoon's 100-lap event.

Round Four of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear, being held this weekend at the Milwaukee Mile as part of the Champ Car World Series Time Warner Cable Road Runner 225 activities, is scheduled to begin at 3:00 PM Central Time

Potekhen on top in final practice session at Milwaukee

June 3, 2006. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Driving the Apex Racing Centerpoint Communities Mazda, Michael Potekhen, from Tempe, Arizona, topped the time sheet in the final practice session for Round Four of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear, being held this weekend at the Milwaukee Mile as part of the Champ Car World Series Time Warner Cable Road Runner 225. Lapping the 1.032-mile circuit in a time of 27.429 (135.448 MPH), Potekhen has earned the final qualifying spot for this morning's single car qualifying session.

Adrian Carrio, from Monument, Colorado, was second fastest in the morning session, held under sunny skies, lapping the track in a time of 27.463 (135.280 MPH) in his World Speed Motorsports Rockford Fosgate Mazda. Ryan Justice, driving the Northwest Autosport Mazda, was third fastest in the session with a time of 27.494 (135.128 MPH).

Single-car qualifying for Round Four of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear is scheduled to begin at 11:15 AM Central Time.

Lacroix tops final practice; Potekhen fastest on the day at Milwaukee

June 2 , 2006. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Michael Potekhen, of Tempe, Arizona, edged out series rookie Kevin Lacroix by two-thousandths of a second to set the fastest time of the day in practice for Round Four of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear, being held this weekend at the Milwaukee Mile as part of the Champ Car World Series Time Warner Cable Road Runner 225. Driving the Apex Racing Avenue Communities Mazda, Potekehen posted a best time of 27.691 (134.166 MPH) around the 1.032-mile oval to lead the field of 29 competitors. Lacroix, from St. Eustache, Quebec, clocked a time of 27.693 (134.157 MPH) in his John Walko Racing Uni-Select Auto Parts Mazda during the final practice session of the day.

World Speed Motorsports, looking to continue a history of success at the Milwaukee Mile that includes a victory in 2001 with Case Montgomery, was pleased with the results of their driver Adrian Carrio, from Monument, Colorado, who set the third fastest time of the day at 27.776 (133.756 MPH) in his Rockford Fosgate Mazda.

Current Champ Car Atlantic driver Robbie Pecorari, who finished second in the 2005 Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear, returns to the series for the weekend to defend his oval victory at Pikes Peak. Stepping in for regular driver Ross Smith, who was forced to miss the event due to illness, Pecorari was quickly up to speed, posting the fourth fastest time of the day at 27.780 (133.737 MPH) in the John Walko Racing Maxwell Paper Products Mazda. Ryan Justice, winner of the previous round at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, rounded out the top five ont he day with a fast lap of 27.816 (133.563 MPH) in the Northwest Autosport Mazda.

29 drivers participated in practice ahead of Saturday's 100-lap feature, with the entire field separated by less than two seconds. Practice resumes tomorrow morning at 8:15 AM Central Time with a thirty minute session.

Potekhen leads opening practice session on the Milwaukee Mile

June 2 , 2006. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Michael Potekhen, of Tempe, Arizona, paced the opening practice session for Round Four of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear, being held this weekend at the Milwaukee Mile as part of the Champ Car World Series Time Warner Cable Road Runner 225. Driving the Apex Racing Avenue Communities Mazda, Potekehen lapped the 1.032-mile oval in 27.804 seconds (133.621 MPH) to lead the field of 29 competitors.