Noaker Leads Friday Practice at Laguna Seca

Photo: Wes Duenkel/Ford Performance

Robert Noaker led the way on the opening day of Mustang Challenge practice at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca after topping both Friday practice sessions and setting the overall pace in the afternoon.

The reigning series champion and Ford Junior Driver topped the times with a 1:32.640 lap aboard the Dark Horse class points-leading No. 13 Ford Mustang Dark Horse R.

Alfonso Diaz set the second overall fastest lap time of the day, with his Dark Horse Legends class-leading No. 15 TechSport Mustang, comfortably ahead of his nearest class competition, Alex Bachoura, who was sixth-fastest overall on the day.

Fellow TechSport driver Colin Harrison also set his best lap time in Practice 2, recording the third overall best time, and the second-quickest DH time in his No. 21 Mustang, 1.456 seconds off of Noaker’s pace.

RNR’s Sandy Satullo was third-fastest in class and fourth best overall, with Devin Anderson putting three TechSport cars in the overall top five with his best effort from second practice.

Noaker also topped the times in Practice 1, more than a second clear of the next fastest time. Overall, lap times proved to be slightly quicker in Practice 2 under warmer afternoon conditions around the 2.238-mile California circuit.

Both practice sessions ran entirely uninterrupted without so much as an off-track excursion for the field of 20 drivers, which includes Ford Motor Company CEO Jim Farley for the first time since the series debuted at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course last year.

Mustang Challenge Qualifying is scheduled for 5:10 p.m. PST to set the grid for Race 1 of the weekend on Saturday morning.

RESULTS: Practice (Combined)