Paul Stokell will start on pole position for Race One of Round Six of the 2009 MINI Challenge, delivered by Pizza Capers on the streets of the Gold Coast this afternoon.
The Queensland based Tasmanian born five-time Australian Champion was too quick for his rivals in qualifying on Day One of the Nikon SuperGP, driving his DecoRug Racing #27 to an impressive 2.10.4321s lap.
“You know that car he drives (Stokell) is the oldest in the field,” smiled DecoRug Racing Head Engineer Ric Kemp, “it was the first car to arrive here in Australia from the whole fleet and it’s still a rocket, even with the success ballast.”Stokell edged West Aussie Nathan Caratti out of the pole position on lap six of the 25-minute session but the Glory Team Construction #10 will start on the front row for tomorrow’s first race.
Pizza Capers UBER Star driver Glenn Seton was the fastest car in the second practice session but had to settle for a second row start in tomorrow’s race despite several very quick laps on debut.
Fellow MINI Challenge debutant John Martin had confessed to never having driven a Racecar with a roof but you’d never have known that as he placed the #16 John Cooper Works R56 on the second row alongside Seton with a 2.11.1380.
Grant Denyer battled gearbox issues earlier in the day to bounce back to 5thin qualifying in his DecoRug Racing #95 and he’ll start alongside the impressive Queensland second generation racer Ryan Hansford in his Fantasea / Duce sponsored #24.Seventh in qualifying was the explosive Chris Alajajian in the NAB / Standox Paints #9 ahead of Scott Bargwanna (ROCK Energy Drinks), Brendon “BJ” Cook (Matchmaster TV Reception Systems) and teammate and debutant Sean Carter rounding out the top ten.Eleventh in qualifying and on the sixth row for Race One was Gold Coaster Beric Lynton who broke an exhaust on lap three in his Crimsafe #23, and he’ll start alongside debutant Tom Pickett (who also did a stout job on debut).
Grant and Iian Sherrin will turn row seven into an all Sherrin Rentals situation whilst Brendan Cook’s Transquip Hire #43 and John Modystach’s #26 Prosurv / Position Partners MINI will start on the eighth row.
Modystach brought the car in early when a migraine troubled him and he felt it was safer to retire the car.Super Sedan Speedway racer Wayne Miles missed the qualifying because of mechanical issues but vowed to be back in his East Coast Traffic Solutions #88 in time for Race One tomorrow.
“In the short time we spent on the track I learned a lot,” he grinned, “the cars are quite physical to drive and they can swap ends on you really quick. I’m looking forward to tomorrow, they’re a lot of fun and the more laps we get in the more I’ll adapt.”
Final times:
Paul Stokell 2.10.4321Nathan Caratti 2.10.6239Glenn Seton 2.10.6928John Martin 2.11.1380Grant Denyer 2.11.2421Ryan Hansford 2.11.4328Chris Alajajian 2.11.7172Scott Bargwanna 2.12.4696Brendon “BJ” Cook 2.12.8575Sean Carter 2.13.4789Beric Lynton 2.13.5389Tom Pickett 2.14.2495Grant Sherrin 2.14.8369Iain Sherrin 2.16.2082Brendan Cook 2.21.0398John Modystach 2.26.6555
Race One of Round Six of the 2009 MINI Challenge, delivered by Pizza Capers, will commence at 3.05pm (EST) Queensland time.
Many apologies to 18 year old SEAN CARTER ( NOT SCOTT) as stated in a previous story. Sean is competing in his first National race event this weekend at the Gold Coast and qualified 10th in a car he has never driven!
