Mike Hill Captures Top Ten Finish for Round 2 of Formula Star Mazda Championship

Miller Motorsports Park , Tooele, Utah – Eighteen year old rookie contender, Mike Hill from Gilroy, California, No. 53 John Walko Racing/Yovanov Motorsports Mazda has taken a ninth place finish for Round 2 of the 2008 Formula Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear at Miller Motorsports Park .

Having qualified thirteenth for the race, Hill had his work cut out for him on the 3.048 mile outer "perimeter" circuit. Using the standing start procedures that are new for 2008, Hill was able to hold his starting position out of the 29-car field leading into turn one and was able to make two passes before the drama of car contact had unfolded behind him. When the yellow flag came out, three cars had been damaged from contact in the turn while a few others had to return to the pits for repairs before returning to the race.

When the race re-started on lap three, Hill advanced his position with another pass putting him in tenth place where he began his strategy on making another pass in the next lap. After his pass for ninth in lap six, Hill continued to make good progress in working towards additional passes however, he held his position in ninth and after the 45-minute race (22 laps), Hill had captured his first top ten Formula Star Mazda finish in ninth place.

Hill had begun the race weekend for Round 2 by concentrating on car set-ups with his JWR engineer Steve Dreizler making a number of changes that progressively got better with each test session while Hill’s Speed Secrets driving coach Gordon Bentley focused on the high-speed driving techniques needed for this circuit.
For the race, Hill had commented, "I had made a good start and was able to advance my position within the first couple of turns. At the restart I again began setting up passes and gaining positions. It was an exciting race."

"We had a bit of a rough start to the weekend, but the JWR team did a great job. We stayed focused and did what we needed to do. Steve (Dreizler) my engineer and Scotty (Gates) my chief mechanic worked really hard all weekend with me on the car and I was pleased with what I had to work with for the race."

Working with Speed Secrets driver coach Gordon Bentley, Hill was able to learn the track quickly. As the test sessions progressed Hill found some good speed with his times continually being decreased in preparation for his qualifying run.

Combined with the results of his Sebring race (Round 1) and Round 2 at MMP, Hill is now in ninth place in the championship standings. Hill is now preparing for the next event, Round 3 on the 12-race 2008 schedule, which will take place June 7 at Watkins Glen International. This will be the Star Mazda Championship’s first visit to this legendary track and will take place during the Grand-Am Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen weekend.

All the action of Round Two of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear at Miller Motorsports Park can be seen on the SPEED TV broadcast scheduled for Saturday, May 31 and 3:00 pm Eastern.
More information on Mike Hill can be found at, http://www.yoracing.com