Bomarito tops Day 1 Atlantic MSR Test Times

Ray and Leslie Mathiasen knew the potential for their team to be quick when they tapped Jonathan Bomarito to test with their Mathiasen Motorsports squad at MSR Houston, but there was no way to expect they would see the team atop the charts so quick as the veteran racer posted the fastest lap in the first day of testing at MSR Houston for the Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda.

In the afternoon session, Bomarito posted a lap at 1:19.431 (108.774 mph) in the No. 26 Mathiasen Motorsports Swift 016 to top the time chart. It was Jonathan’s first test day with the Mathiasen Motorsports team and his first action since Sebring. He had to miss the Spring Training event at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca when the original Atlantic team with which he signed for 2008 elected to discontinue its Atlantic program. Jonathan quickly showed that these events had not slowed him in the slightest as he began the day second fast in the first session and moved to the top by days end.

Top-10 Times

Pos. Name Time
1. Bomarito 1:19.431
2. Lacroix 1:19.793
3. Hinchcliffe 1:19.833
4. Skerlong 1:19.922
5. Garza 1:20.012
6. G Mansell 1:20.226
7. Strous 1:20.255
8. Simona 1:20.480
9. Cameron 1:20.542
10. Muermans 1:21.017

17 cars turned afternoon times

Simona had hard-off mid day, damaged suspension but returned later in day and set personal best time.

Bomarito sat out from 1PM – 4:30 PM with mechanical issue, went out set fast time and backed it up within 0.1 second.