For the fourth straight Indy Pro 2000 qualifying session, the Mazda/Firstex Industries/Bell Helmets/Sabelt sponsored Soul Red No. 28 of Kyle Kirkwood was the fastest car on the track. The 20-year-old will start on the pole for the fourth time this year, and for the ninth time in two-years of Road To Indy Presented by Cooper Tires competition.

Once again, the Jupiter, Fla. native had a four-tenth advantage over his closest competition. Yesterday, it was points leader Rasmus Lindh that was second quickest, and today it was Exclusive Autosport rookie Danial Frost, a different championship contender.

Parker Thompson will start third again and will be joined on the second row by Sting Ray Robb.

Qualifying for the second Cooper Tires Indy Pro 2000 Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio began under sunny skies, with the ambient temperature at 75F, the track temperature at 80F and the humidity at 69%.

Reigning USF2000 champion Kirkwood, who won three times at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course last year, was the early leader.

With Kirkwood still on the provisional pole, and a few minutes before the halfway point of the session, a dozen of the 14 Indy Pro 2000 drivers came to pit road to the attention of their crews for attention and fresh Cooper Tire slicks.

Thompson, who was the only driver not on track early in the session, finally went out on the clean track with 10-minutes remaining. He moved up to the third spot on his second hot lap but could get no closer than four-tenths of his championship rival.

With five minutes remaining, Robb held the provisional pole by a slim 0.0679-second margin over Kirkwood, but two minutes later, Kirkwood went back to the provisional pole and continued to go quicker on his next three-lap. Robb will start on the outside of the second row.

Cooper Tires Indy Pro 2000 Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio Qualifying #2

RANK CAR. NO DRIVER TEAM QUICK LAP DIFFERENCE
1 28 Kyle Kirkwood RP Motorsport Racing 1:15.100 –.—-
2 68 Danial Frost Exclusive Autosport 1:15.516 0.4161
3 8 Parker Thompson Abel Motorsports 1:15.548 0.4478
4 2 Sting Ray Robb Juncos Racing 1:15.636 0.5361
5 5 Ian Rodriguez RP Motorsport Racing 1:15.838 0.7376
6 10 Rasmus Lindh Juncos Racing 1:15.916 0.8160
7 51 Jacob Abel Abel Motorsports 1:15.981 0.8811
8 90 Nikita Lastochkin Exclusive Autosport 1:16.234 1.1336
9 98 Phillippe Denes FatBoy Racing 1:16.249 1.1493
10 6 Moises de la Vara DEForce Racing 1:16.582 1.4815
11 7 Kory Enders DEForce Racing 1:16.669 1.5691
12 11 Antonio Serravalle Pserra Racing/Jay Howard Driver Development 1:17.176 2.0755
13 3 Antoine Comeau Turn 3 Motorsport 1:17.198 2.0981
14 83 Charles Finelli FatBoy Racing 1:20.638 5.5376

For the second straight day, the middle rung of the Road To Indy is the final track activity, with the 25 lap race scheduled to get the green flag at 5 pm.