Christian Szymczak, of Palos Verdes, Calif., is getting very familiar with being at the top of the time sheets as he took the pole for Race One of the SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup at Sebring International Raceway, part of the 61st Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida.
 
Szymczak, piloting the No. 34 ALARA Racing MX-5, made his first timed lap count, setting a 2:29.865 (88.880 mph) in the 30-minute qualifying session. The lap was just a tick slower than last year's qualifying lap set by Elliott Skeer at 2:29.195 (89.303 mph).
 
“What you want to do is go as fast as you can straight out of the pits and hope the guy behind doesn't catch you,” Szymczak said. “The car has a sweet spot on laps two, three and four. I was immediately trying to go fast and happened to get it done on the first flying lap.”
 
“We aren't planning on making any changes for the race,” Szymczak added. “We're just going to go out there and try to do what we've been doing.”
 
Sebring native John Dean II, put himself in a good position heading into Race One, posting a time of 2:30.243 (88.656 mph). Driving the No.16 Projections Research/PPG MX-5, he will approach Turn One on the outside pole.
 
Nathanial Sparks, of Spanish Fort, Ala., driving the No. 8 OOTSK Perfomance/Bimmerworld MX-5, starts in the third position for Race One, setting a time of 2:31.029 (88.195 mph). He may be able to assist his teammate, Dean, get past the leaders early in the race.
 
Elliott Skeer, of Vista, Calif., will take the green flag for Race One in the fourth position, posting a time of 2:31.029 (88.195 mph). Driving the No. 17 MAZDASPEED/Pelican Windows/New Balance/Phiten/Alpinestars MX-5, Skeer will be in a good spot to make an early move in the race.
 
Houston native Ara Malkhassian will start fifth in his No. 11 ALARA Garage/ALARA Racing MX-5 with a time of 2:31.405 (87.967 mph). Malkhassian's rookie teammate Bryan Hixson, from San Antonio, will take to the track in Race One in sixth with a time of 2:31.646 (87.836 mph).
 
Dean Copeland, of Bowie, Md., the first of the single-car teams, turned a 2:31.785 (87.755 mph) and will start seventh in his No. 7 Sync Speed Inc. MX-5.
 
Rookie Patrick Gallagher of Thornville, Ohio, set a blistering lap in his No. 28 MAZDASPEED/Howard Concrete/CTL Engineering MX-5. However the stewards determined he had used the draft to achieve the fast time, which is against series regulations. Gallagher's second-fastest lap of 2:32.044 (87.606 mph) will put him in the eighth spot for Race One.
 
Chris Windsor, native of Thurmont, Md., posted a 2:32.338 (87.437 mph) in the No. 38 Windsor Custom.com/Child Print ID MX-5, which landed him in ninth.
 
Rookie Sebastian Landy rounds out the top 10 of the 20-car Mazda MX-5 Cup field for Race One. Landy's best time was a 2:32.834 (87.153 mph) in the No. 49 Excitations.com MX-5.
 
Kenton Koch of Glendora, Calif., will be at the point of the Skip Barber MAZDASPEED Pro Series field. He piloted the No. 63 SBMX-5 to a time of 2:33.019 (87.048 mph).
 
Race One of the 2013 SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup will start later today at 5:20 p.m. (EDT). Round Two of the Mazda MX-5 Cup will take place Friday at 4:30 p.m.
 
Follow the Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup on Twitter @MazdaMX5Cup.
 
SEBRING, Florida - Starting order for Round One of the SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup, part of the 61st Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh From Florida at Sebring International Raceway, with position, class, car number in parentheses, driver, hometown, car, fastest lap time, and speed in miles per hour.
1, MX, (34), Christian Szymczak, Palos Verdes, Calif., MX-5, 2:29.865, 88.880.
2, MX, (16), John Dean_II, Sebring, Fla., MX-5, 2:30.243, 88.656.
3, MX, (8), Nathanial Sparks, Spanish Fort, Ala., MX-5, 2:31.029, 88.195.
4, MX, (17), Elliott Skeer, Vista, Calif., MX-5, 2:31.388, 87.985.
5, MX, (11), Ara Malkhassian, Houston, Texas, MX-5, 2:31.405, 87.976.
6, MX, (12), Bryan Hixon(R), San Antonio, Texas, MX-5, 2:31.646, 87.836.
7, MX, (7), Dean Copeland, Bowie, Md., MX-5, 2:31.785, 87.755.
8, MX, (28), Patrick Gallagher(R), Thornville, Ohio, MX-5, 2:32.044, 87.606.
9, MX, (38), Chris Windsor, Thurmont, Md., MX-5, 2:32.338, 87.437.
10, MX, (49), Sebastian Landy(R), Great Falls, Va., MX-5, 2:32.834, 87.153.
11, MX, (87), Scott Phillips(R), Tucson, Ariz., MX-5, 2:32.839, 87.150.
12, MX, (2), Beth Chryst, Herndon, Va., MX-5, 2:33.294, 86.891.
13, MX, (26), Tim Probert, Houston, Texas, MX-5, 2:33.511, 86.769.
14, MX, (00), Harrison Williams, Houston, Texas, MX-5, 2:34.052, 86.464.
15, MX, (19), Emilee Tominovich, Clarksville, Md., MX-5, 2:34.163, 86.402.
16, MX, (10), Brent Mosing, Lafayette, La., MX-5, 2:34.196, 86.383.
17, MX, (41), Forrest Landy(R), Great Falls, Va., MX-5, 2:34.378, 86.281.
18, MX, (29), Ari Strauss, Cold Spring, N.Y., MX-5, 2:34.948, 85.964.
19, MX, (23), Christian Tetzlaff, Athens, Ga., MX-5, 2:35.674, 85.563.
20, MX, (27), Charles Paquin, Ottawa, Ontario, MX-5, 2:36.827, 84.934.
21, SBMX, (63), Kenton Koch, Glendora, Calif., Barber MX-5, 2:33.019, 87.048.
22, SBMX, (93), Robby Foley, Randolph, N.J., Barber MX-5, 2:34.077, 86.450.
23, SBMX, (60), Lucas Bize, New York, N.Y., Barber MX-5, 2:34.243, 86.357.
24, SBMX, (99), Drake Kemper, Toluca Lake, Calif., Barber MX-5, 2:34.655, 86.127.
25, SBMX, (97), David Knight, Ludlow, Vt., Barber MX-5, 2:34.937, 85.970.
26, SBMX, (95), Russell Muck, Grosse Pointe, Mich., Barber MX-5, 2:36.209, 85.270.
27, SBMX, (69), Greg Holloway, Melbourne Australia, Barber MX-5, 2:36.525, 85.098.
28, SBMX, (90), Fred Chin, Henderson, Nev., Barber MX-5, 2:37.224, 84.719.
23, SBMX, (60), Lucas Bize, New York, N.Y., Barber MX-5, 2:34.243, 86.357.
24, SBMX, (99), Drake Kemper, Toluca Lake, Calif., Barber MX-5, 2:34.655, 86.127.
25, SBMX, (97), David Knight, Ludlow, Vt., Barber MX-5, 2:34.937, 85.970.
26, SBMX, (95), Russell Muck, Grosse Pointe, Mich., Barber MX-5, 2:36.209, 85.270.
27, SBMX, (69), Greg Holloway, Melbourne Australia, Barber MX-5, 2:36.525, 85.098.
28, SBMX, (90), Fred Chin, Henderson, Nev., Barber MX-5, 2:37.224, 84.719.