Ryan Justice grabs first Star Mazda victory at Houston

Herrington disqualified for non-compliant part in post-race impound

Courtesy Eric McCombs

May 13, 2006. Houston, Texas. Ryan Justice capped off his race weekend at Houston, where he topped the time sheets in every session around the Reliant Park street circuit, with his first career Star Mazda victory in Round Two of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear , being held in conjunction with the American Le Mans and Champ Car Lone Star Grand Prix in Houston this weekend. Justice, driving the #38 Northwest Autosport Mazda, led every lap of the event. Kevin Lacroix, making his series debut this weekend, was awarded second place when Daniel Herrington was disqualified after a non-compliant part was discovered in post-race impound. Michael Potekhen was subsequently moved up to third place to complete this weekend's podium.

"It was a great feeling to cross the finish line and get that first victory," Justice, a native of Portland, Oregon said. "It makes all the hard work, the hour of running every day, the weight training, test sessions and sacrifices drivers make to compete worth it. I also have to give credit to my crew at Northwest Autosport for their long hours to give me a race-winning car. The car didn't handle as well on tires with a heat cycle on them as they did the other days of the weekend, I'm not sure if it was because of the heat or the rubber laid down by the American Le Mans Series last night, and with the yellow flags I wasn't able to pull away from he field as I had hoped but it feels great to cross the finish line first."

Herrington, from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, crossed the finish line in second place, earning what appeared to be his second consecutive second place finish to start off his Star Mazda career. With the disqualification, Lacroix, making his series debut this weekend driving the #74 Uni-Select Auto Parts John Walko Racing Mazda, was awarded second place after a strong race which saw him jump from fifth to third on the opening lap. "I was able to take advantage of some drivers that were very aggressive on the opening lap and pushed wide on the first few corners, " the St. Eustache, Quebec, resident explained. "The car was good but it just wasn't fast enough to get past the cars in front of me."

Potekhen, from Silverthorne, Colorado, worked his way up from fourteenth on the grid to finish fourth on track in his #53 Avenue Communities Apex Racing Mazda, ultimately gaining the third finishing position after the race. "The car was working really well today for me to be able to gain as many positions as I did on this circuit," Potekhen said afterwards. "We are right there in the running for the championship and everyone at Apex Racing is doing a great job."

Rounding out the top six were Matt Varsha, from Atlanta, Georgia, would finish fourth in the #45 Jeff Haas Mazda prepared by Racers Edge Motorsports; Adrian Carrio, from Monument, Colorado, lined up second on the grid this afternoon and would finish fifth in his #14 Rockford Fosgate World Speed Motorsport Mazda; David Stover, from Tulsa, Oklahoma, a regular in the Southwest Formula Mazda Championship, would capture the sixth spot in his #68 Grigsby's Texas Autosports Mazda.

37 drivers took the green flag for today's 22-lap event. Originally scheduled for 34-laps the race around the challenging street circuit would be interrupted by several caution periods. Trouble would strike Jason Bowles on the opening lap as the cars jockeyed for position bringing out the first caution period. Steven Hickham Jr and Ron White would also have their races finish during the opening laps of the event. Round One winner Gerardo Bonilla would also bring out the full course yellow when his car slid into the wall as the cars took the green flag on lap 10.

With two rounds complete of the 2006 Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear Adrian Carrio and Michael Potekhen are tied for first place with 69 points apiece while Matt Varsha sits right on their heels in third place with 68 points. In the Expert Championship, for drivers aged 30-44, Brian Thienes won the class in his JDC Motorsports Mazda and moves into tie for first place with Gerardo Bonilla at 31 points. Dan Tomlin III and Phil Fogg Jr are tied for third with 30 points each. In the Masters Championship, for drivers aged 45 and older, Apex Racing driver Ken Losch captured the victory to move into second place with 31 points. John Pew holds onto first place with 32 points while Jay Poscente and Doug Peterson are tied for third with 26 points each. In the Team Championship World Speed Motorsports climbs to first place followed by Racers Edge Motorsports and Apex Racing.

The series now heads to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in one weeks' time for Round Three of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear to be held in conjunction with the American Le Mans Series at Mid-Ohio on May 18-20. Round Two from Houston is Scheduled to air at 5:00 PM Eastern Time on Sunday, May 28. For more information please visit www.starmazda.com.