xcel
09-26-2009, 12:30 AM
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/AmericanFlag.jpg Final race of the season to begin today at 9 AM EST. (cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=234579)
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Sierra_Lendle_ahead_of_Lee_in_Tooele_UT.jpgWayne Gerdes - CleanMPG (cleanmpg.com) - Sept. 26, 2009
Juan Pablo Sierra Lendle ahead of Lee at Tooele, UT earlier this year.
Less than 9 hours remain before the 2009 SCCA Pro Racing Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Season Champion is crowned, and the drivers took to the track at Road Atlanta for the final practice and qualifying sessions of the season. At the end of the day, it was Juan Pablo Sierra Lendle who scored his first pole position in the series.
The morning practice session saw many of the Championship contenders swapping positions on the top of the speed charts. Jake Thompson set the quickest time of the session (1:41.053/90.487 mph), but made hard contact with the tire barrier in Turn 5 only a few laps later. The impact damaged the Calgary, Alberta native’s car beyond repair, ending his weekend :(
“This is a huge disappointment for me,” Thompson said. “I wanted to end the season on a positive note, and this obviously isn’t what I was looking for. I knew that I was capable of turning fast laps, and I was pushing hard out there. I just lost it. I have nobody to blame but myself, but I hope to return to the series in 2010 for another try at winning the Championship.”
During the early evening qualifying session, multiple drivers found themselves sitting on top of the leader board, but when the checkered flag fell for the final qualifier of the season, it was Juan Pablo Sierra Lendle who won the pole with a time of 1:41.158 (90.393 mph). The Puebla, Mexico native becomes the seventh pole sitter of the season, with Joey Atterbury and Mark Pombo rounding out the top three spots on the grid.
Series Championship leader Timmy Megenbier will start eighth tomorrow, while second place Andy Lee will begin seventh. Megenbier carries a 39-point lead into tomorrow’s race and can claim the title by placing 10th or better, regardless of how Lee finishes.
“It’s taken me two years in the series to score my first pole position, so this feels really good right now,” Sierra Lendle said. “I think that the biggest difference for me today was the mental part. I’ve had some strong runs in the past few races, and things change when you start to believe that you have a chance to run up front. I just hope that I can keep it there tomorrow. My goal in every race is to get on the podium, so that’s what I’m shooting in the race.”
Top 5 - Friday Qualifying Session 10th and final Round
Position|Car Number|Driver|Hometown|Sponsor|Time (min:sec) @ Speed (mph)
1|23|Juan Pablo Sierra Lendle|Pueblo, Mexico|Castrol|1:41.158@90.393
2|14|Joey Atterbury(R)|Renton, WA|Hyperfuels|1:41.254@90.307
3|20|Mark Pombo|Duluth, GA|VW Parts & Accessories|1:41.298@90.268
4|2|AJ Nealey|Pasadena, MD|Brimtek|1:41.456@90.127
5|29|Devin Cates|Broad Run, VA|Hyperfuels|1:41.556@90.039
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Sierra_Lendle_ahead_of_Lee_in_Tooele_UT.jpgWayne Gerdes - CleanMPG (cleanmpg.com) - Sept. 26, 2009
Juan Pablo Sierra Lendle ahead of Lee at Tooele, UT earlier this year.
Less than 9 hours remain before the 2009 SCCA Pro Racing Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Season Champion is crowned, and the drivers took to the track at Road Atlanta for the final practice and qualifying sessions of the season. At the end of the day, it was Juan Pablo Sierra Lendle who scored his first pole position in the series.
The morning practice session saw many of the Championship contenders swapping positions on the top of the speed charts. Jake Thompson set the quickest time of the session (1:41.053/90.487 mph), but made hard contact with the tire barrier in Turn 5 only a few laps later. The impact damaged the Calgary, Alberta native’s car beyond repair, ending his weekend :(
“This is a huge disappointment for me,” Thompson said. “I wanted to end the season on a positive note, and this obviously isn’t what I was looking for. I knew that I was capable of turning fast laps, and I was pushing hard out there. I just lost it. I have nobody to blame but myself, but I hope to return to the series in 2010 for another try at winning the Championship.”
During the early evening qualifying session, multiple drivers found themselves sitting on top of the leader board, but when the checkered flag fell for the final qualifier of the season, it was Juan Pablo Sierra Lendle who won the pole with a time of 1:41.158 (90.393 mph). The Puebla, Mexico native becomes the seventh pole sitter of the season, with Joey Atterbury and Mark Pombo rounding out the top three spots on the grid.
Series Championship leader Timmy Megenbier will start eighth tomorrow, while second place Andy Lee will begin seventh. Megenbier carries a 39-point lead into tomorrow’s race and can claim the title by placing 10th or better, regardless of how Lee finishes.
“It’s taken me two years in the series to score my first pole position, so this feels really good right now,” Sierra Lendle said. “I think that the biggest difference for me today was the mental part. I’ve had some strong runs in the past few races, and things change when you start to believe that you have a chance to run up front. I just hope that I can keep it there tomorrow. My goal in every race is to get on the podium, so that’s what I’m shooting in the race.”
Top 5 - Friday Qualifying Session 10th and final Round
Position|Car Number|Driver|Hometown|Sponsor|Time (min:sec) @ Speed (mph)
1|23|Juan Pablo Sierra Lendle|Pueblo, Mexico|Castrol|1:41.158@90.393
2|14|Joey Atterbury(R)|Renton, WA|Hyperfuels|1:41.254@90.307
3|20|Mark Pombo|Duluth, GA|VW Parts & Accessories|1:41.298@90.268
4|2|AJ Nealey|Pasadena, MD|Brimtek|1:41.456@90.127
5|29|Devin Cates|Broad Run, VA|Hyperfuels|1:41.556@90.039