Kotyk Qualifies on Pole as Championship Battle Rages!

Fantastic track conditions continued to be present here at Pittsburgh International Race Complex. This morning’s practice session saw several drivers getting under the lap record with many others just a few tenths of second behind. That set the stage for a heated qualifying session where drivers could potentially reset the official lap record.

The session got started and as the drivers got up to speed, it was a the local driver, Chris Horan to immediately start pacing the group. He was the first to break into the 1:47’s. It however didn’t take long for others to start turning fast laps.

At the eight minute mark, Simon Sikes was the first to break into the 1:46’s, notably Sikes was the fastest of the drivers in the morning practice session. Shortly thereafter, Dexter Czuba jumped into the top spot, relegating Sikes to second, meanwhile Jonathan Kotyk improved to third, and Josh Green to fourth.

At the halfway mark, still fifteen minutes remain in the session, the positions held fairly stagnant. The Pelfrey duo of Josh Green and Dexter Czuba run nose to tail, obviously working on a drafting plan. The K-Hill duo of the Kotyk and Bryce Aron look to have attempted a drafting scheme, but the two are too separated to effectively make it work. For Josh Green, the drafting seems to have paid off, he’s now the fastest driver on the track, he’s in the mid 1:46’s. Just five tenths cover the top five positions.

Several drivers hit the pits for some changes, but the main protagonists continue to circulate. Jonathan Kotyk now jumps to the lead, he’s bested Green by less than a tenth of a second, Czuba is second, Sikes fourth, and Aron fifth. The warmer conditions seemingly have slowed the field, few have improved their times in the waning minutes. As the checkered flag flies to end the session, the order doesn’t change.