Simpson Takes Pole as Rivals Falter
Alton, VA – Jimmy Simpson, driving for Atlantic Creations, set the fast lap of 1:42.261, and grabbed the pole position for round five of the ten race Atlantic Championship Series season. Since this is the first time the series has been to this track, his fast lap will become the track qualifying record.
Ethan Ringel of COMPREP, was second quick in qualifying, but ended his session early by hitting a tire wall. Fellow young driver, Daniel Burkett, has a similar situation earlier in the session. He had the fastest time for more than half of the session, until he made an evasive maneuver to avoid a parked car, and hit a tire wall, promptly ending his session. Burkett’s time still kept him in the top five, and he will be starting the race P3.
Polestar’s Keith Grant will be starting on the second row in fourth.
Mallinen, Conner Kearby, Gaston Kearby, Conner Burke, and Zober round out the top 10.
The race beings at 3:15pm local time. Qualifying for round six will start at Noon on Sunday, followed by the race at 4:10. Both qualifying and the races can be followed via Race Monitor or the series website: www.AtlanticChampionshipSeries.com.
Qualifying Results:
PosNo.NameIn LapBest TmMake/ModelDiff 1 21 Jimmy Simpson 8 1:42.261 Swift 016 Mazda - 2 49 Ethan Ringel 10 1:42.689 Swift 016A Mazda +0.428 3 4 Daniel Burkett 4 1:43.019 Swift 016 Mazda +0.758 4 40 Keith Grant 10 1:43.051 Swift 016 Mazda +0.790 5 22 Tyler Hunter 8 1:43.933 Swift 014A Toyota +1.672 6 71 Michael Mallinen 8 1:44.196 Swift 016A Mazda +1.935 7 56 Conner Kearby 3 1:44.916 Swift 016 Mazda +2.655 8 69 Gaston Kearby 4 1:44.970 Swift 016 Mazda +2.709 9 19 Connor Burke 12 1:45.127 Swift Toyota +2.866 10 66 Richard Zober 11 1:45.478 Swift 016 Mazda +3.217 11 5 Bruce Crockett 10 1:45.703 Swift 014 Toyota +3.442 12 17 Bob Corliss 12 1:46.625 Swift 014A Toyota +4.364 13 55 John Burke 8 1:46.687 Swift Toyota +4.426 14 06 Bruce Hamilton 8 1:46.081 Swift 014 Toyota +3.820 15 11 Dwight Rider 3 1:46.985 Ralt Rt-41 Toyota +4.724 16 09 J.R. Smart 12 1:47.538 Swift 014A Toyota +5.277 17 82 Matt Miller 2 1:47.893 Swift 016A Mazda +5.632