LEXINGTON, Ohio -- Stevan McAleer, a Scottish-native living in Putnam Valley, N.Y., led the sole Friday SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup practice at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

McAleer turned the quickest time of the 30-minute session in 1:39.169 (81.969 mph) around the 15-turn, 2.4-mile circuit. McAleer is second in the Championship in the No. 28 CJ Wilson Children’s Charities/Numberix/Blue Mercury Capital MX-5.

“We’ve been quick all weekend [including test day], so we’re definitely looking to be somewhere in the front group again, if not the front row, for qualifying,” McAleer said. “I had an electrical problem, and they found a couple of wires that were not looking like wires anymore. They had the body work off and I actually missed the first 10 minutes of the session. We had some pads to bed and just go out and try to put a good lap in, and they came on the radio and said P1 in practice.

“I feel pretty good – there’s a bit more in both of us, myself and Elliott [Skeer], in terms of speed. The cars are running well. Obviously the competition is quicker as well, so we need to make sure we get a good, clean lap and try to secure the front row.”

Christian Szymczak led the early part of the session in the No. 34 Projections Research/Sick Sideways MX-5, posting a time of 1:39.232 (81.917 mph) to fall just 0.063-second shy of the top spot.

Elliott Skeer, driving the No. 17 MAZDASPEED/Sparco/Pelican Windows MX-5, was third in the session with a time of 1:39.771 (81.475 mph). Skeer is a CJ Wilson Racing teammate of McAleer’s and the winner of Round Three at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Nathan Sparks was fourth on the charts with a time of 1:39.826 (81.430 mph) in the No. 3 OOTSK Performance MX-5. Following Sparks and completing the top five in the session was Dean Copeland’s No. 7 Sync Speed Inc/Copeland Motorsports MX-5 with a lap of 1:39.828 (81.428 mph).

Championship leader John Dean (No. 16 Projections Research/Sick Sideways MX-5) was sixth, followed by Jeff Mosing (No. 12 Frank’s International/Race Now For Autism MX-5), Tim Probert (No. 26 ALARA Racing MX-5), Harrison Williams (No. 00 Albrecht & Associates/Raymond James MX-5) and Beth Chryst (No. 2 Chryst Brothers Construction MX-5).

Bryan Hixon led the Skip Barber Racing School MAZDASPEED Pro Series with a time of 1:40.818 (80.628 mph) in the No. 63 Seven Devils Lodge/Tequila Me MX-5.

The SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup returns to the track for qualifying at 2:25 p.m. (EDT) on Saturday in preparation for Sunday’s race.

More information on the SCCA Pro Racing Playboy MX-5 Cup is available at www.mx-5cup.com.

Follow the MX-5 Cup on Twitter @MazdaMX5Cup.

RESULTS

LEXINGTON, Ohio - Results from Friday’s practice session #1 for Sunday's SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup Round Five race, part of the EMCO Gears Classice at Mid-Ohio Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, with position, class, car number in parentheses, driver, hometown, car, fastest lap time, and speed in miles per hour.

1, MX, (28), Stevan MCAleer(R), Puntam Valley, N.Y., MX-5, 1:39.169, 81.969.
2, MX, (34), Christian Szymczak(R), Palos Verdes, Calif., MX-5, 1:39.232, 81.917.
3, MX, (17), Elliott Skeer(R), Vista, Calif., MX-5, 1:39.771, 81.474.
4, MX, (3), Nathanial Sparks(R), Spanish Fort, Ala., MX-5, 1:39.826, 81.429.
5, MX, (7), Dean Copeland, Bowie, Md., MX-5, 1:39.828, 81.428.
6, MX, (16), John Dean_II(R), Sebring, Fla., MX-5, 1:39.882, 81.384.
7, MX, (12), Jeff Mosing, Austin, Texas, MX-5, 1:40.012, 81.278.
8, MX, (26), Tim Probert, Houston, Texas, MX-5, 1:40.403, 80.961.
9, MX, (00), Harrison Williams, Houston, Texas, MX-5, 1:40.451, 80.923.
10, MX, (2), Beth Chryst, Herndon, Va., MX-5, 1:41.724, 79.910.
11, MX, (29), Brandon Kidd(R), Manilius, N.Y., MX-5, 1:41.792, 79.857.
12, MX, (10), Brent Mosing(R), Lafayette, La., MX-5, 1:41.877, 79.790.
13, MX, (11), Ara Malkhassian, Houston, Texas, MX-5, 1:42.035, 79.666.
14, MX, (27), Ari Straus, Monticello, N.Y., MX-5, 1:42.088, 79.625.
15, MX, (07), Alex Ratcliffe, Berryville, Va., MX-5, 1:42.306, 79.455.
16, MX, (23), Christian Tetzlaff, Athens, Ga., MX-5, 1:42.863, 79.025.
17, MX, (19), Emilee Tominovich(R), Clarksville, Md., MX-5, 1:43.118, 78.830.
18, MX, (15), Thomas Neel(R), Madison, Ala., MX-5, 1:57.535, 69.160.
19, SBMX, (63), Bryan Hixon, San Antonio, Texas, Barber MX-5, 1:40.818, 80.628.
20, SBMX, (62), Zachry Lee, San Antonio, Texas, Barber MX-5, 1:41.182, 80.338.
21, SBMX, (95), Phil Mather, Adrian, Mich., Barber MX-5, 1:41.801, 79.849.
22, SBMX, (97), David Knight, Jericho, Vt., Barber MX-5, 1:42.093, 79.621.