EDMONTON, Alberta — A first-lap mishap proved very costly for Carl Skerlong Friday in the opener of a Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda doubleheader at the Rexall Edmonton Indy.
Dane Cameron, who started next to Skerlong on the second row, ran into the Mukilteo, Wash., racer on the first lap, sending him to the pits for repairs. Skerlong finished the race 19th, three laps down.
Jonathan Bomarito, who started second, won the race, with Markus Niemla finishing second, polesitter James Hinchcliffe coming in third, Cameron winding up fourth and David Garza rounding out the top five.
Earlier Friday, Skerlong won his first career Atlantic pole for Saturday’s race.
“The day started off great. I qualified on the pole for the race (Saturday) and had an awesome car to drive in the race,” Skerlong said. “I had a good start, but I got punted by Cameron (Dane) on the first lap and had to come into the pits for repairs. … Everything seemed like it was going to go well today, but all I can say is that things happen.”
Frankie Muniz, Skerlong’s Pacific Coast Motorsports teammate, started 14th and finished 12th.
Friday at Rexall Speedway, Edmonton, Alberta
Lap length: 1.973 miles (Start position in parentheses)
(All chassis Mazda-Cosworth, all engines Swift 016.a)
1. (2) Jonathan Bomarito, 38 laps, 99.269 mph.
2. (5) Markus Niemela, 38.
3. (1) James Hinchcliffe, 38.
4. (4) Dane Cameron, 38.
5. (6) David Garza, 38.
6. (8) Jonathan Summerton, 38.
7. (11) Kevin Lacroix, 38.
8. (13) Simona De Silvestro, 38.
9. (12) Greg Mansell, 38.
10. (10) Tom Sutherland, 38.
11. (7) Daniel Morad, 38.
12. (14) Frankie Muniz, 38.
13. (9) Junior Strous, 38.
14. (17) Henri Karjalainen, 38.
15. (20) Douglas Soares, 38.
16. (19) Luis Schiavo, 37.
17. (18) Leo Mansell, 37.
18. (15) Christopher Zoechling, 37.
19. (3) Carl Skerlong, 35.
20. (16) Dominick Muermans, 31, contact.
Race Statistics
Time of Race: 45 minutes, 18.942 seconds.
Margin of Victory: 0.691 seconds
Caution Flags: One for three laps.
Points Standings: 1. Niemela, 94. 2. Hinchcliffe, 93. 3. Strous, 82. 4. Bomarito, 76. 5 (tie). De Silvestro and Summerton, 70. 7. Garza, 62. 8. Cameron, 58. 9. Lacroix, 57. 10. Skerlong, 55.
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