Rallycross Teams Practice and Qualify for Sunday�s Heat and Main Event Races
Video and photo gallery: http://rally-america.com/events/2010/NJMPRC2/gallery/ MILLVILLE, NJ — RallyCar returns to the New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, NJ for the second round of the 2010 U.S. Rallycross Championship. Practice and qualifying sessions were run under clear, sunny skies on a dry track with dirt sections that were slightly longer and wider than at the first Rallycross in September, giving drivers more chances for passing. In the morning practice runs, Subaru Rally Team USA�s Dave Mirra posted the fastest 4WD lap time at 59 seconds. Dillon VanWay led the 2WD Class in his 2002 Ford Focus at 1 minute 8 seconds. Subaru Rally Team USA�s Travis Pastrana was absent from practice and qualifying today, but will arrive on time for Sunday�s competition after returning from the 2010 Big Buck Hunter World Championship in Chicago. Pastrana will start in the last 4WD Heat as a result of missing qualifying, but is expected to race hard to climb up the ranks and position himself in the A Main final. After the practice sessions, drivers drew names to determine the order of the qualifying run groups. Fans saw plenty of action as Rallycross cars in groups of three gunned for the fastest lap in order to place favorably in Sunday�s first Heat race. In the 4WD Class, competitors were within seconds of each other. Dave Mirra succeeded in besting Rallycross #1�s winner, Tanner Foust, and other notable entries. Top driver NOS Energy Drink�s Andrew Comrie-Picard, who was expected to challenge the front of the pack, burst his transfer case in practice and could not make it to the qualifying grid. Comrie-Picard will start in the last AWD Heat on Sunday. Of the European entries, Citroen C4 driver Liam Doran placed the lowest qualifying time due to running full slicks, which did not perform well in the wet dirt sections. However, three-time European Rallycross Champion Jussi Pinomaki posted the 4th fastest lap in his Olsberg MSE prepped 2006 Ford Fiesta. Formula DRIFT competitors Tanner Foust and Rhys Millen gained the second and third fastest times in qualifying, respectively. In the 2WD Class, Dillon VanWay rebounded from a disappointing Rallycross #1 event and posted the fastest lap over Rallycross #1 2WD Class winner Josh Wimpey. Fans saw great 2WD action, but drivers had to manage muddy conditions after the track�s dirt sections were watered down. John Tancredi, who wowed crowds in his 2006 Mazda MX-5 at Rallycross #1, hit a tire barrier and damaged his front-end and was not able to finish qualifying. The final qualifying order is as follows: 4WD Class:
2WD Class:
RallyCar is proudly supported by Subaru of America, Inc., BFGoodrich Tires, the Team O�Neil Rally School, Able Planet, Hawk Performance Brakes, Rally-Tire.com, RaceWatches.com, Exedy Racing Clutches, RECARO, Mazda and the Danza del Sol Winery.
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About New Jersey Motorsports Park: The park includes two world-class road courses, a motorsports country club and one of the top karting facilities in America. Entering its third race season, the 2010 spectator schedule includes return visits by the AMA Superbike Championship, Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series, ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX, SCCA Pro Racing with the return of the Trans-Am series, and the Ferrari Challenge.
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