ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (June 21, 2019)– Despite a loss of radio communication, Sick Sideways Racing drivers took the top qualifying spot in both the ND2 and ND1 classes on Friday at Road America. Selin Rollan will start the Alana Long 100 from pole in the Battery Tender Global Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires ND1 class. John Dean II scored the ND2 pole.
Driving the No. 87 Sick Sideways entry, Rollan earned his third pole position of the season by turning a fast lap time of 2:33.0755-seconds around the 4.048-mile road course.
“We had a great run,” Rollan said. “I got to work with my teammate Gresham Wagner who’s on the outside pole with me. I didn’t know I was P1. My radio wasn’t working and it was kind of frustrating, but I’m happy to be on pole for the Alana Long 100. The Sick Sideways MX-5 feels great and I can’t wait to get going.”
Wagner’s No. 5 Sick Sideways machine starts alongside Rollan. Behind them Mazda Road to 24 Scholarship winner Michael Carter qualified third in the No. 08 Copeland Motorsports car and will start alongside the No. 18 McCumbee McAleer Racing entry of Danny Bender.
Underscoring the typical close competition that is on offer in Battery Tender competition, Bender took the fourth spot on the grid by only 0.001-seconds over fifth-place qualifier Robert Stout in the No. 28 McCumbee McAleer Racing MX-5 Cup car.
Citing the same radio issue as his teammate Rollan, Dean captured the ND1 class pole in his No. 16 Sick Sideways entry.
“My radio wasn’t working, which sounds like a trivial thing, but when you’re qualifying and you need to know where your competitors are, it’s frustrating,” Dean said. “Then, when you’re frustrated, you tend not to drive as well. I was still able to get good track position and get some good laps. It went well for me and for the team with our ND2 guys up front. I hope we have a fun, clean race, because it’s a real pain when you have to turn around and fix cars before race two.”
Race One of the Alana Long 100 will be streamed live on MazdaMotorsports.com beginning at 4:40pm CT.