Adrian Carrio fastest at Portland – Still Leads Championship

July 23, 2006. Portland, Oregon.

After waiting until the final seconds of qualifying at Miller Motorsports Park to capture the pole position one week ago Adrian Carrio came out swinging early at Portland International Raceway, posting the pole winning lap early in today's qualifying for Round Seven of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear. Driving the #14 World Speed Motorsports Rockford Fosgate Mazda, the Monument, Colorado native lapped the 1.944-mile circuit in a time of 1:08.988 (102.487 MPH) to secure his second consecutive pole and third pole position this season.

Carrio got off to a great race start and led into turn one when he was hit by another driver. “It was unfortunate that we were crashed out, because I really believe that this would have been an easy win. We really had the car dialed in, and we turned the fastest time of the entire weekend,” said Carrio. “I’m looking forward to Three Rivers as World Speed has raced there many times with their Atlantic program and has always been competitive.”

Despite getting knocked out of the race on the opening lap Carrio continues to lead the championship with 251 points overall. In the team championship World Speed Motorsports is in second, behind by only one point.

Five races remain in the 2006 championship as the series now travels back into Canada in two weeks time as the series becomes the featured event at the Grand Prix of Trois-Rivieres for Round Eight of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear on August 4-6. Round Seven from Portland is scheduled to air at 1:00 PM Eastern Time on Saturday, August 5th.