Newcomer John Edwards, the 2007 Atlantic Series racer who joined the 2008 Star Mazda Championship just in time for Round Two at Miller Motorsports Park, set a lap of 1:43.650 (105.864 mph), more than 1.5 seconds faster than his best test time and .691 seconds ahead of the 2nd-place qualifier, Sebring winner Joel Miller.Joel Miller, starting on the outside of the front row with a lap of 1:44.341 (105.163 mph), suffered a suspension failure on the #20 JDC Motorsports/Mazda/K&N Air Filters Mazda and made heavy, head-on contact with the end of the tire barrier in Turn 8 during the closing minutes of the 45-minute qualifying session.Starting third on the grid with a lap of 1:44.799 (104.703 mph) will be Brazilian driver Ernesto Otero, who qualified third at Sebring.Rounding out the top-5 on the starting grid are Tom Gladdis, of Gibraltar, U.K., who turned a lap of 1:44.887 (104.615 mph) in the #5 Andersen Racing/Law firm of Marrache & Co./Allied Mazda, and Irishman Peter Dempsey.Master Series driver Chuck Hulse, who won the class for drivers over 45 in the seasonopener at Sebring, was the leading Master qualifier in this morning's session with a lap of 1:46.068 (103.451 mph) in the #12 JDC Motorsports/Silicon Salvage Mazda. His time will have him starting 15th on the grid.The leading qualifier in the Expert Series (drivers between 30 and 44) was Phil Fogg, Jr. with a lap of 1:46.411 (103.117 mph) in the #29 Northwest Autosport/Consonus Health Services Mazda. He will start from 18th on the grid. Qualifying Results: PosNameBest TmDiff1John Edwards1:43.650-2Joel Miller1:44.341+0.6913Ernesto Otero1:44.799+1.1494Tom Gladdis1:44.887+1.2375Charles Hall1:44.996+1.3466Peter Dempsey1:45.020+1.3707Taylor Hacquard1:45.431+1.7818Eric Freiberg1:45.483+1.8339Patrick O'Neil1:45.576+1.92610Jonny Baker1:45.700+2.05011Billy Goshen1:45.805+2.15512Rick Rosin1:45.965+2.31513Mike Hill1:46.047+2.39714Ciao Lara1:46.066+2.41615Chuck Hulse1:46.068+2.41816Michael Guasch1:46.211+2.56117Scott Rettich1:46.315+2.66518Phil Fogg Jr.1:46.411+2.76119J.C. Kester1:46.860+3.21020Gerry Kraut1:46.893+3.24321Kristy Kester1:47.074+3.42422Chris Cumming1:47.285+3.63523Stan Kohls1:47.888+4.23824Michele Bumgarner1:47.982+4.33225David House1:48.744+5.09426J.W. Roberts1:48.768+5.11827Richard Zoeber1:49.275+5.62528Cody Jolly2:07.468+23.81829Alex Ardoin5:37.022+3:53.372
Star Mazda: Newcomer John Edwards on pole