Thursday, June 09, 2005 WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. - On the last lap of this morning's first practice session -- when the track and ambient temps were at their coolest -- Sy Aryeh put up what would be the fastest lap of the day, a 2:12.016. He backed it up with a 2:12.838 in the much hotter 11:30 a.m. session, then was third overall in the last practice of the day. The weekend is being run on the treaded BFG g-Force Sports. Also having top-of-the-charts days were Dick Lippert (second, fourth and fourth), Peter Ludwig (ninth, third and first), Murray Marden (fourth, seventh and fifth) and Ivo Guerguev (seventh, second and second). The Invitational group impressed with their lack of "offs," and the biggest mechanical issue was a bad fuel pump on Roger Cote's R/T 2000 in the second session.
Sy "I Am NOT a Master" Aryeh was quickest of them all around the Glen today.
Ivo Guerguev is going to be a force to be reckoned with. Here he is in pitlane moments before the start of practice two.
Peter Ludwig put his stamp on today's proceedings, outpacing the field by a half-second in the last session -- when the conditions were what Friday's race one are most certainly to be like.
Dick Lippert, very much used to the cut-and-thrust of the Masters National races, has got to be a favorite this weekend.
Friday, there will be one more practice session (8:45 a.m.) before qualifying (11:40 a.m.) for race one (3:25 p.m.).
Practice times, all three sessions, Watkins Glen International, SBRS Invitational Session 1: 1. Sy Aryeh, 2:12.016 / 92.716 mph 2. Dick Lippert, 2:13.030 / 92.009 3. Charles Anti, 2:13.728 4. Murray Marden, 2:13.918 5. Roger Cote, 2:14.131 6. John Mayes, 2:14.218 7. Ivo Guerguev, 2:14.499 8. Keith Fisher, 2:14.785 9. Peter Ludwig, 2:15.209 10. Keith Lorentzen, 2:16.416 11. Jeff Relic, 2:17.159 12. Michael Gomez, 2:17.279 13. Forest Barber, 2:18.084 14. Joe Trevino, 2:18.202 15. Michele Marden, 2:19.631 16. Ari Gatoff, 2:21.090 17. David Riddle, 2:21.718 18. Robert Ward, 2:22.153 19. Todd Hanson, 2:22.595 20. Alain Roger Matrat, 2:23.218 21. Henry Zogaib, 2:24.592 22. Eddie Hennessey, 2:34.161
Session 2: 1. Sy Aryeh, 2:12.838 / 92.142 mph 2. Ivo Guerguev, 2:13.313 / 91.814 3. Peter Ludwig, 2:13.981 4. Dick Lippert, 2:14.032 5. Keith Fisher, 2:14.252 6. John Mayes, 2:14.296 7. Murray Marden, 2:14.505 8. Charles Anti, 2:14.895 9. Keith Lorentzen, 2:15.408 10. Jeff Relic, 2:15.678 11. Robert Ward, 2:16.459 12. Michael Gomez, 2:17.067 13. Roger Cote, 2:17.227 14. David Riddle, 2:17.911 15. Joe Trevino, 2:18.606 16. Forest Barber, 2:19.458 17. Ari Gatoff, 2:19.781 18. Michele Marden, 2:20.210 19. Henry Zogaib, 2:20.956 20. Todd Hanson, 2:22.482 21. Alain Roger Matrat, 2:26.424 22. Eddie Hennessey, 2:27.912
Session 3: 1. Peter Ludwig, 2:12.683 / 92.250 mph 2. Ivo Guerguev, 2:13.178 / 91.907 3. Sy Aryeh, 2:13.284 4. Dick Lippert, 2:13.774 5. Murray Marden, 2:14.352 6. Charles Anti, 2:14.885 7. Keith Lorentzen, 2:15.109 8. Jeff Relic, 2:15.865 9. Keith Fisher, 2:15.952 10. John Mayes, 2:16.339 11. Roger Cote, 2:16.752 12. Robert Ward, 2:16.802 13. Michael Gomez, 2:17.015 14. Forest Barber, 2:17.087 15. Joe Trevino, 2:18.688 16. Ari Gatoff, 2:19.552 17. Henry Zogaib, 2:20.068 18. Todd Hanson, 2:20.335 19. Michele Marden, 2:21.648 20. Dario Cioti, 2:21.908 21. Alain Roger Matrat, 2:24.186 22. Eddie Hennessey, 2:25.785
Murray Marden has made tremendous progress over the past 12 months and is now driving at the sharp end of the field.
Rick Roso
