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 Team MER driver, Marc Miller, of Holland, Mich., was the fastest driver in SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup Round Five practice at Barber Motorsports Park, part of the Porsche 250 Presented by Legacy Credit Union weekend. Miller set the fastest MX-5 Cup practice time of the day at Barber Motorsports Park.
After ending the first practice session of the day in second, Miller found more than 1.3 seconds in session two, to set the fastest lap of the day at a track he'd only previously seen in a shifter kart.
"It"s definitely a rhythm track,” Miller said. “It’s extremely smooth and there are a lot of tricks here and, admittedly, it’s taken awhile to get adjusted. The rain on the promoter test day did not help [Team MER] drivers’ confidence, especially those that haven’t been here, but with us this weekend is last year’s Champion, Eric Foss, and he’s had a lot of laps around here and he’s put a lot of insight in. All of our team drivers share data and we’re each doing good things on different parts of the track. Once we put all of that together and put a sticker set on, go out and really try to hustle the car around, we’re rewarded with a good lap time.”
Miller’s lap of 1:43.310 (82.934 mph) in the No. 28 Team MER/MOCA/Race Now for Autism/MMP Design MX-5 was the only one to break the 1:43-mark around the 17-turn, 2.38-mile track.
“I think at this point we’re looking for a car that’s going to run a consistent race and not fall off,” Miller said. “Pole is going to be whatever pole is, but my approach is to make sure we have a car that’s going to be good at the beginning, end and the middle, and try to stay in the lead pack at all times. Right now I feel like we have a car we can run consistent times with, given the track and the changing conditions. I feel pretty confident.”
After finishing runner-up to Lamb in the previous three rounds, Miller is hopeful of a return to the top step on the podium this weekend.
“Todd’s pretty fast,” Miller said. “Obviously, he’s been the class of the field in qualifying the last couple of races, but I think we’re closer now than we have been. I think a lot of our cars are on par with him now. It’s about timing; taking the right stab at the lap at the right time, and checking every detail before we go out. I hope we can score my first pole. I don’t qualify particularly well. I’m more of a racer than a qualifier, so if I’m on pole I’m going to be very confident going into the race.”
Nick Mancuso, of Mettawa, Ill., ended the second session fourth, with a lap of 1:44.773 (81.776 mph) in the No. 29 Team MER/LakeForestSportsCars/Tire Lyna MX-5. Team MER had two additional drivers in the top 10 overall at the end of combined of practice with Joliet, IL's Zach (Insight Beverage MX-5) Ply seventh quick and Jeff Mosing of Austin TX rounding out the top 10 in his RaceNowForAutism.org/Franks Mazda MX-5.
Three more Team MER drivers were in the top 15 as Mike and Mark Jenkins and Chris Rhoades were 12th through 14th in the 24-car field. Brad Adams returned to competition after missing rounds three and four in New Jersey to log the 18th fastest lap. Susan Krohn returned to the series after over a year break and is also looking forward to improving her times entering qualifying.
Qualifying for Round Five of the SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup will take place Saturday, July 18, at 10:30 a.m. (CDT).
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