MONT-TREMBLANT, Quebec — Dutch racer Junior Strous earned his first career Atlantic Championship pole position Saturday, turning a lap at 106.251 mph at Circuit Mont-Tremblant in the No. 6 Condor Motorsports/Team Holland entry.
Strous’ fast lap came during the first of two qualifying sessions for the Sunday race, just as the weather began to change. The final qualifying session was run almost entirely in rain.
“I’m really happy with my first pole,” Strous said. “I worked really hard for it. The first qualifying session was so hectic, because we had the threat of rain. We were out kind of late and when it started raining we were panicking a bit, because I was fourth at the time. Luckily, the track dried up and we could come back.”
Canadian Kevin Lacroix will start second in the No. 25 Walker Racing entry. Lacroix posted a best lap at 91.330 mph in the second session, which was substantially slower than his speed of 105.242 mph in the earlier session, but Atlantic rules stipulate that the quickest driver in each qualifying session is guaranteed a front-row starting position. Lacroix was fifth in the first session.
Finnish rookie Markus Niemela will start third in the No. 8 Brooks Associates Racing entry.
Despite crashing near the end of the second qualifying session, Carl Skerlong of Mukilteo, Wash., will start fourth in the No. 14 King Taco entry with a best lap at 1:29.316 (105.643 mph). The Pacific Coast Motorsports driver is looking to continue his momentum from a second-place performance in Monterey last month.
Points leader James Hinchcliffe, who finished one spot ahead of Skerlong in Monterey, will start one spot behind him in Mont-Tremblant. The Canadian turned a best lap at 1:29.389 (105.557 mph) in the No. 3 Indeck/Tire Rack/NOCO entry for Forsythe/Pettit Racing.
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