Copeland Quickest In Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup Round One Practice At Homestead

HOMESTEAD, March 4, 2011: Dean Copeland, of Bowie, Md., led the way in this morning’s SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup Round One practice at Homestead Miami Speedway, as part of Grand Prix of Miami weekend.

To begin the 2011 season, MX-5 cup racers had to deal with a light rain when they hit the track. But, that did not stop Copeland from setting the pace in his No. 7 Copeland Motorsports/Synch Speed MX-5 Cup with a 1:35.993 (86.256 mph). In fact, he held the top time throughout most of the 30 minute practice. Last season, Copeland competed in four MX-5 events.

Mike Cooper, of Syosset, N.Y., was the second fastest in the No. 6 AMG Racing/Vend3.com MX-5 Cup with a 1:36.382 (85.908 mph). Cooper was an MX-5 Cup rookie last season and recorded a win at New Jersey Motorsports Park. He finished 2010 with a win, four podiums and eight top-five finishes.

Driving the No. 10 ALARA Racing/RaceNowForAutism/Frank’s International MX-5 Cup, Jeff Mosing, of Austin, Texas, turned the third fastest practice lap with a 1:36.522 (85.783 mph). Mosing’s best MX-5 Cup finish last season was second at Miller Motorsports Park.

Former Mazda Miata Cup Pacific Tour Champion Justin Hall, of Davis, Calif., made his return to the series this morning and laid down the fourth fastest lap with a 1:36.693 (85.631 mph). He is driving the No. 4 AMG Racing MX-5 Cup. Scott Shelton, of Los Angeles, was fifth with a 1:36.894 (85.454 mph).

The Skip Barber series will compete in the Playboy MX-5 Cup Round One race, but will not factor into the overall race results. In this morning’s practice session, the top three in the Skip Barber series were Angelo Dinkov, of Clemson, S.C., with a 1:40.789; followed by Jonathan Goring, of Norfolk, Conn., with a 1:41.194; and Tyler Cooke, of Matthews, N.C., with a 1:41.367).

Playboy MX-5 Cup practice continues at 12:45 p.m. (EST) today, followed by qualifying at 3 p.m. (EST). The Round One race is set for 9:50 a.m. (EST) Saturday, March 5.

Live timing and lap notes for all sessions are available at www.mx-5cup.com.