Star Mazda: Milwaukee Mile - Goncalvez loves the ovals.
Leads race in the early stages earns top-five finish

(2009.06.20) Jorge Goncalvez has certainly shown that he likes oval tracks having done very well during testing in May and through the promoter test days at the Milwaukee Mile in the days ahead of this weekend's race. He was second fastest in the final practice and that would also earn him a start from the front row when rain washed out the qualifying session.

Jorge would have a great start and while another car making a move to the front tangled with the pole sitter, Jorge pulled into the lead which he held for twenty-seven laps. He would finish the race in fifth place - his second top-five result this season (4th-VIR). Jorge is eighth overall in the championship.

Team mate David Ostella was also having a good run at the ovals and would start the race from fifth on the grid. His race ended on lap eighty-five and David was scored in eighteenth place.

Click the image above to see a gallery from The Milwaukee Mile
Visit www.starmazda.com to view a video lap of the Milwaukee Mile with Jorge in the AIM Autosport No. 72 Formula Mazda

Click to read David Ostella's Milwaukee Mile race report

A Great Start .. a disappointing but hard fought finish
No. 61 Ford Riley leads early at Mid Ohio - finishes seventh

(2009.06.20) With Mark leading 24 laps in the early going, the No. 61 Ford Riley suffered a setback when a mid race yellow caught them on the wrong part of the track at the wrong time. Burt was running in second place when a group running well back were able to anticipate the caution and get into the pits before yellow came out. By the time the No. 61 came out of the pits under yellow, they had fallen back to 6th. The car had been fast all day so it was not a major issue until a few laps later Burt was forced off course and picked up a lot of grass in the radiator grill. He had to bring the car in for a quick stop to clear the debris and went back out in 10th spot.

A late yellow bunched up the field and it was a fight to the finish over the last twenty minutes. Burt could challenge but there was also a lot of defending going on ahead.

From their best start of the season, AIM Autosport came back to record a solid result that yes, could have been better but as Burt put it, "The car was fantastic and we are in the hunt."

Grand-Am Qualifying: Best start of the season!
Mark puts the No. 61 Ford Riley on row two (3rd)

(2009.06.19) With dark skies threatening, Mark Wilkins took the No 61 Ford Riley out for qualifying this afternoon and on his final lap of the fifteen minute session, recorded a time of 1:18.694 to put the car on the inside of row two for tomorrow afternoon's race. This is the team's best qualifying position so far this season.

"The car was a bit faster in practice this afternoon compared to the morning but we were still fighting for something in the setup" Mark commented. "Ian (Willis), Jim (Malicki) and the entire crew did a great job after practice and gave me a fantastic car for this run."

Mark continued, "I was a bit concerned over the first few laps because even though the car felt good, our lap times were still up there. Once the tires came up to temperature though, it all just came together."

On the next to last lap Mark was fourth behind former team mate (and brother to current team mate Burt) Brian Frisselle. "I was not sure I had anything left but I basically just decided to go for it and it ended up being 'the one'. Now we look forward to the race."

Upon hearing he had secured a second row start Mark called in over the radio, "Good car guys. That was awesome."

This is the best start of the season for the No. 61 Ford Riley (4th at Laguna Seca) and for those of us who might be a bit superstitious, AIM Auntosport was in eighth place in the championship coming to the race at Mid Ohio in 2008 and they are in eighth place this year. The team qualified third in 2008 and went on to earn their best finish of the season (to that point), fourth. Maybe a bit of deja vu? Guess we have to wait and see tomorrow afternoon

AIM Autosport doing a double this weekend - at two tracks
Rolex Series at Mid Ohio - Star Mazda at Milwaukee Mile

(2009.06.18) The Rolex Sports Car Series rolled into the Mid Ohio Sports Car Course this afternoon and AIM Autosport is looking to pick up some ground after the race at Watkins Glen. No 61 Ford Riley had its best finish to date in 2008 at Mid Ohio scoring a fourth place finish and would then go on to get the pole at Daytona (and lead the race) and be strong at Barber before taking back to back wins at Montreal and the Watkins Glen sprint race. The hope is to repeat some of that good fortune over the next few races in a drive to the championship. The Rolex race takes place Saturday (20th) at 5:00 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on SPEED TV.

While the Daytona Prototype squad is in Ohio, AIM's Star Mazda team will be in Milwaukee for the first of two race events on ovals this season. The team started with open testing Wednesday (17th) and will have official practice and qualifying at the famed Milwaukee Mile on Friday. Venezuelan rookie Jorge Goncalvez seems to like racing on ovals and has been at the top of the time sheets both yesterday and today. At the end of all sessions he has the fifth-fastest time.

We will update news from both series throughout the weekend. Check out our Facebook fan page by clicking the link at the top of the column on the right.