Daly Leads Day Two of Spring Training

Spring Training for the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear resumed on Saturday (January 23), with the cars returning to Sebring International Raceway road course in Florida.

With heavy fog in the area, day two of the lone official pre-season Star Mazda test commenced with a total 22 cars taking to the historic Sebring road course for morning session. While the session was briefly halted for cars off-course, the vast majority of the race pilots were able to quickly get up to speed. When the checkered waved, the top three on the time charts had all bettered the Mikael's Grenier's quick time from day one. Returning race winner Conor Daly led the way, turning a fast lap of 2:01.128 in his Juncos Racing entry.

Fellow former Team USA Scholarship driver and newly signed JDC MotorSports racer Connor De Phillippi was second quickest in the session, making the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Driver Development Ladder pilot the fastest rookie. Grenier in his Andersen Racing entry was third fastest, while 2009 race winner Richard Kent, in a Juncos Racing car, and series veteran Rusty Mitchell, piloting a Mitchell Motorsports entry, completed the top-five.

After an afternoon break for the drivers and teams, the Star Mazda cars returned to Florida road course for another one hour and 10-minute session. While a vast majority of the teams focused on their particular test programs, it was not long before quick times began appearing on the timing monitors. Building on his morning success, Juncos Racing's Daly continued to be the driver everyone was chasing when the checkered flag waved, turning a fast time of 2:01.256, a tenth slower than his morning time. Andersen Racing's Anders Kron, rebounded from gearbox issues in the morning session, moved to second after the lunch break with a time of 2:01.540. Andersen Racing rookie Tristan Vautier continued his strong showing in his inaugural Star Mazda outing, posting the third fastest time (2:01.788). Completing the top-five in the fourth of what will be six sessions during the three-day test, were Team Apex Racing's Jorge Goncalves and Juncos Racing's Court Vernon, the top rookie.

The Spring training for the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear drivers and teams concludes on Sunday (January 24), with two more test sessions at Sebring International Raceway.

Day Two Morning Session Results

Day Two Afternoon Session Results