Round Five at PIR Proves to be Intense

(July 27, 2008) Portland, Oregon – After a successful Round Four, Mundill headed into Round Five of the Star Mazda Championship at Portland International Raceway with high hopes and plenty of optimism. In Saturday’s race Alex Ardoin placed second, topping Mundill’s 2008 highest result.

Sunday’s qualifying brought out the quickest lap times of the weekend. Brazilian, Caio Lara took almost a second off his best time over the weekend. Timing in at 1:09.659, Lara started tenth on the grid. Earlier on in the week Caio became very ill missing Thursday’s practice. Losing crucial track time he “was afraid that he wouldn’t be able to race.” Unable to compete in Sunday’s race, Dave Mundy flew home for work related reasons.

Predictably quick, Ardoin qualified fourth with a 1:09.236. Scott Rettich on the other hand was finding that he just could not get a clean lap during qualifying; he ended up with a time of 1:10.542 putting him in 19th.

Launching off the line, and getting through the first lap of Sunday’s Mazda Grand Prix evidentially became very difficult. As Alex Ardoin approached turn seven Peter Dempsey tried an “impossible pass” coming up on the inside of Ardoin’s #51 car, Dempsey collided with Ardoin. Unable to get back on track immediately, Ardoin had to wait in frustration as the freight train of cars passed him. Returning on track in 16th position, Ardoin was on chase to get back up front. While Ardoin fought back, Rettich gained four positions by the second lap, putting him into 15th spot. Rettich known for doing well in traffic, was “pushed wide by another car, on the third lap and spun in turn two, falling back to 24th.”

Ardoin, running in overdrive managed to work his way up to an impressive sixth place. Still feeling resentful, Ardoin felt that he had a “podium finishing car.” Lara finding found that his car did not suit the track conditions. Although Caio was able to make a few passes early in the race he would eventually fall back to finish11th. “If my car was like how it was in the morning, I felt that I would have done better,” Lara said. Working his was up to 16th Rettich “lost 2 positions in the last few laps due to fuel pick up issues”, finishing in 18th.

Scott Rettich is looking forward to the next Round of the Star Mazda Championship taking place from August seventh to ninth at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Scott holds the track record in the Standard Formula Mazda, which still stands today.

The Star Mazda Championship Round 5, Mazda Grand Prix from Portland International Raceway airs on SPEED at 1:00 PM Eastern Saturday August 9th.

By: Jennifer Carlson