Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup Qualifying Road Atlanta Braselton, Georgia August 30, 2008 (All on KTM RC125s and Dunlop tires) 1. Emerson Connor, 1:39.169 2. Jacob Gagne, 1:39.178 3. Benny Solis, 1:39.305 4. Hayden Gillim, 1:39.649 5. Austin DeHaven, 1:39.958 6. Corey Rech, 1:40.112 7. Huntley Nash, 1:40.124 8. Joey Pascarella, 1:40.213 9. Tomas Puerta, 1:40.234 10. Bryce Prince, 1:40.314 11. Jesse Stevens, 1:40.333 12. Jacob Cunningham, 1:40.483 13. Corey Alexander, 1:40.917 14. Leandro Mercado, 1:41.300 15. Cameron Gish, 1:41.349 16. Travis Wyman, 1:42.461 17. Jacob Mormon, 1:42.732 18. Garet Tomlinson, 1:44.144 19. Otavio Lucchini, 1:48.090 More, from a press release issued by Red Bull: Just Peachy: Emerson Connor Blazes To Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup Pole Position At Road Atlanta Braselton, Ga. (August 30, 2008) — Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup qualifying from Road Atlanta saw Canadian rider Emerson Connor earn his first-ever Rookies Cup pole position for Sunday’s race. Connor, from Burlington, Ontario, set the quickest time in the session with a lap of 1:39.169. Joining Connor on the front row for tomorrow’s race are Jacob Gagne, Benny Solis, Jr., and Hayden Gillim. “It’s great winning my first pole. I was giving it all I had in the session,” Connor said. “At VIR, I found some speed and I am hoping it is a preview of how fast I can be next year and through the end of this season. The KTM RC 125 is a good motorcycle and I’m thankful for my mechanic and everyone who helped me get here.” Gagne, of Ramona, Calif., was on Connor’s tail with a best lap of 1:39.178. “I like this track and I felt really comfortable,” said Gagne, who turned 15 years old this week. “I rode with some fast guys today and I got my times down to where they needed to be. I’m looking forward to the race tomorrow and I think it will be a good one.” Solis, of North Hollywood, Calif., was third quickest on Saturday. “It was a positive session for me,” said Benny. “We made some changes to the bike and it was an improvement. I think I’ll be able to go for the win. I seem to be better in the races than I am in qualifying and I like racing with my fellow competitors. I think it makes us all better and the lap times usually show it.” Gillim, of Owensboro, Ky., who has won the last two Rookies Cup races, will start in fourth position on Sunday. “I didn’t think I was going that fast,” said Gillim. “I went out right at the end but didn’t get much time after I had pitted so I am kinda surprised I’m on the front row. It’s good the be up front because it seems like the entire field is going fast here and I think this really is going to be a good race.” The qualifying session, held at the end of a hot and sunny Georgia day, saw Austin DeHaven of Los Angeles, Calif., as the first rider to break 1:40 when he set a time of 1:39.996 midway through the session. DeHaven was fifth at the end of the session, followed by Corey Rech of Liverpool, New York. Local rider Huntley Nash of Marietta, Ga., turned in one of his best qualifying performances of the season to secure the seventh starting spot. Joey Pascarella of Vacaville, Calif., will join them on the second row in eighth position. Ninth-place racer Tomas Puerta (Colombia) and Bryce Prince (Bakersfield, Calif.) rounded out the top ten. The top 13 riders qualified within two seconds of pole time at the 2.54-mile track, making for a narrow margin between the Rookies. Austin Medrano and Frankie Lee Gillim failed to set a time in the session. Those at the Road Atlanta circuit paid their respects to Rookies Cup rider Toriano Wilson with a moment of silence before the Superbike contest on Saturday.