Veteran Bill Auberlen of Southern California out-dueled Max Angelelli and Scott Pruett down the stretch in the featured Daytona Prototype class to win the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series Linder Industrial Komatsu Grand Prix of Miami Saturday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Auberlen has driven a variety of cars in a number of series, mostly with BMW power, winning races and championships regularly at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in the process. He was teamed with young Matt Alhadeff Saturday in the #05 Sigalsport Riley with, what else, BMW power to win round three of the series in southern Florida.
Auberlen and company will be at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca May 18-20 for the U.S. Sports Car Invitational delivered by Luggage Express, kicking off the storied circuit’s 50th anniversary season.
Sylvain Tremblay held off defending GT class champion Andy Lally to win the GT class in the SpeedSource Mazda RX-8 with the distinctive sound of Mazda’s fourth-generation rotary engine.
Tickets are available for the U.S. Sports Car Invitational delivered by Luggage Express May 18-20 by calling 1-800-327-SECA (7322) or logging on to www.laguna-seca.com.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Flying Frenchman Obliterates Record
As reported on AP, here's the story on Sebastien Bourdais' record run.
Throughout his four-year Champ Car World Series career, Frenchman Sebastien Bourdais, the reigning three-time series champion, has shown a flair for the dramatic and he did so once again Saturday on the second and final day of Champ Car’s Spring Training at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
Moments before a red flag came out that ended the day’s testing when his former teammate, Bruno Junqueira, ran off course, Bourdais blistered the 2.238-mile, 11-turn permanent road course with a lap of 1 minute, 5.880 seconds (122.295 miles per hour) to set a new, albeit unofficial, track record, smashing the prior mark established by Ricardo Zonta in Toyota’s TF106 Formula One car.
Official records must be set in race conditions, either in qualifying sessions or during the race itself so the mark by Bourdais goes into the book with an asterisk.
After three drivers, including Paul Tracy of Forsythe Championship Racing, Bourdais of Newman Haas Lanigan Racing and rookie Neel Jani of PKV Racing, had come within about four-tenths of a second of Zonta’s unofficial mark of 1:06.309 (121.504 mph) on Friday, Champ Car posted a $5,000 "bounty" payable to the first driver to eclipse the mark Saturday.
The official track record was set by Helio Castroneves in 2000 when he qualified at 1:07.722 (118.969 mph).
"It’s great that we were able to get under the track time set by the 2006 F1 car," said Bourdais who became a father during the off season. "We used Push to Pass (a feature giving the car an extra boost of horsepower) but it’s only good for a couple of tenths here so we would have broke it without using it.
"The track has a lot of grip; it’s really fun to drive here. Unfortunately there is so much grip that I really doubt we can use any of the information we gained at any of the tracks this season. The information might be completely irrelevant. We were able to work through some issues with the car. Cosworth is really trying to get some issues resolved and have made some progress and Hewland has improved the gearbox.
"The McDonald’s boys (his crew) have fixed what they could but now it is in the hands of the suppliers. There aren’t any tests left so I really hope they can fix the problems but we won’t know until we get to Las Vegas. You hardly ever win a championship with a good start to the season but you can lose it if you have a bad start."
Though seven drivers, including Bourdais, turned times of under 1:07 in the morning session Saturday, none but Bourdais approached the record in the afternoon. He flashed across the start-finish line on the record-setting lap with just under 10 minutes remaining in testing. There wasn’t enough time to collect Junqueira and clean the track, so the test session was ended.
The final hour of Champ Car’s last of three open tests, the drivers practiced standing starts, which Champ Car has said it wants to use at some point during the season which begins April 8 on the streets of Las Vegas.
Will Power of Team Australia had set the early test standard Saturday morning with a time of 1:06.424 (121.294 mph). Power never got below that and the time held as second best for the two days. Jani, who can hardly be considered a rookie because of his experience racing in Europe and as an F1 driver, was third quickest over the two days at 1:06.516 (121.126 mph).
Eight other drivers did dip below 1:07, including 18-year-old sensation Graham Rahal of Newman Haas Lanigan Racing, rookie Simon Pagenaud of Team Australia, Tracy, Justin Wilson of RuSPORT, rookie Matt Halliday of Conquest Racing and Robert Doornbos of Minardi Team USA. Junqueira, testing for Dale Coyne Racing, was the last driver under the official track record with a time of 1:07.048 (120.165 mph).
Throughout his four-year Champ Car World Series career, Frenchman Sebastien Bourdais, the reigning three-time series champion, has shown a flair for the dramatic and he did so once again Saturday on the second and final day of Champ Car’s Spring Training at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
Moments before a red flag came out that ended the day’s testing when his former teammate, Bruno Junqueira, ran off course, Bourdais blistered the 2.238-mile, 11-turn permanent road course with a lap of 1 minute, 5.880 seconds (122.295 miles per hour) to set a new, albeit unofficial, track record, smashing the prior mark established by Ricardo Zonta in Toyota’s TF106 Formula One car.
Official records must be set in race conditions, either in qualifying sessions or during the race itself so the mark by Bourdais goes into the book with an asterisk.
After three drivers, including Paul Tracy of Forsythe Championship Racing, Bourdais of Newman Haas Lanigan Racing and rookie Neel Jani of PKV Racing, had come within about four-tenths of a second of Zonta’s unofficial mark of 1:06.309 (121.504 mph) on Friday, Champ Car posted a $5,000 "bounty" payable to the first driver to eclipse the mark Saturday.
The official track record was set by Helio Castroneves in 2000 when he qualified at 1:07.722 (118.969 mph).
"It’s great that we were able to get under the track time set by the 2006 F1 car," said Bourdais who became a father during the off season. "We used Push to Pass (a feature giving the car an extra boost of horsepower) but it’s only good for a couple of tenths here so we would have broke it without using it.
"The track has a lot of grip; it’s really fun to drive here. Unfortunately there is so much grip that I really doubt we can use any of the information we gained at any of the tracks this season. The information might be completely irrelevant. We were able to work through some issues with the car. Cosworth is really trying to get some issues resolved and have made some progress and Hewland has improved the gearbox.
"The McDonald’s boys (his crew) have fixed what they could but now it is in the hands of the suppliers. There aren’t any tests left so I really hope they can fix the problems but we won’t know until we get to Las Vegas. You hardly ever win a championship with a good start to the season but you can lose it if you have a bad start."
Though seven drivers, including Bourdais, turned times of under 1:07 in the morning session Saturday, none but Bourdais approached the record in the afternoon. He flashed across the start-finish line on the record-setting lap with just under 10 minutes remaining in testing. There wasn’t enough time to collect Junqueira and clean the track, so the test session was ended.
The final hour of Champ Car’s last of three open tests, the drivers practiced standing starts, which Champ Car has said it wants to use at some point during the season which begins April 8 on the streets of Las Vegas.
Will Power of Team Australia had set the early test standard Saturday morning with a time of 1:06.424 (121.294 mph). Power never got below that and the time held as second best for the two days. Jani, who can hardly be considered a rookie because of his experience racing in Europe and as an F1 driver, was third quickest over the two days at 1:06.516 (121.126 mph).
Eight other drivers did dip below 1:07, including 18-year-old sensation Graham Rahal of Newman Haas Lanigan Racing, rookie Simon Pagenaud of Team Australia, Tracy, Justin Wilson of RuSPORT, rookie Matt Halliday of Conquest Racing and Robert Doornbos of Minardi Team USA. Junqueira, testing for Dale Coyne Racing, was the last driver under the official track record with a time of 1:07.048 (120.165 mph).
Blistering the Track
Sebastien Bourdais came 0.071 seconds from breaking Toyota's F1 record before an appreciative and sun-drenched crowd this morning at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
Bourdais is the three-time reigning Champ Car World Series champion driving for Newman Haas Lanigan Racing. His time this morning was 1:06.380 (121.374 mph); the unofficial record, set by Ricardo Zonta in the Toyota TF106 at 1:06.309 (121.504 mph).
Team Australia's Will Power was another tick behind Bourdais with a quick lap of 1:06.424 (121.294 mph).
Eleven drivers have now eclipsed the official track record set by Helio Castroneves in 2000 at 1:07.722 (118.969 mph).
Bourdais is the three-time reigning Champ Car World Series champion driving for Newman Haas Lanigan Racing. His time this morning was 1:06.380 (121.374 mph); the unofficial record, set by Ricardo Zonta in the Toyota TF106 at 1:06.309 (121.504 mph).
Team Australia's Will Power was another tick behind Bourdais with a quick lap of 1:06.424 (121.294 mph).
Eleven drivers have now eclipsed the official track record set by Helio Castroneves in 2000 at 1:07.722 (118.969 mph).
$5000 Bounty
The Champ Car World Series has placed a $5,000 bounty on the (unofficial) track record set by Toyota's Formula One car, the TF106, that was set last year.
With three drivers within a few ticks after yesterday's first of the two-day Spring Training, the F1 mark is almost assured of falling. Ricardo Zonta took the Toyota around Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca's 2.238 mile, 11-turn permanent road course in 1:06.309 (121.504 mph) at the Rolex Monterey Historics.
The bounty will be paid to the first who eclipses the mark. Yesterday, Paul Tracy, Sebastien Bourdais and Neel Jani were all within about .4 seconds of the record.
With three drivers within a few ticks after yesterday's first of the two-day Spring Training, the F1 mark is almost assured of falling. Ricardo Zonta took the Toyota around Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca's 2.238 mile, 11-turn permanent road course in 1:06.309 (121.504 mph) at the Rolex Monterey Historics.
The bounty will be paid to the first who eclipses the mark. Yesterday, Paul Tracy, Sebastien Bourdais and Neel Jani were all within about .4 seconds of the record.
Friday, March 9, 2007
New Chassis Quick
Nine drivers eclipsed the existing track record led by Forsythe Championship Racing's Paul Tracy in the first day of testing at the Champ Car World Series spring training Friday at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
Tracy, the 2003 series champion, turned a quick lap of one minute, 6.707 seconds (120.779 miles per hour). The official track record was established in 2000 by Helio Castroneves at 1:07.722 (118.969 mph).
Tracy, Sebastien Bourdais of Newman Haas Lanigan Racing (1:06.737, 120.725 mph) and rookie Neel Jani of PKV Racing (1:06.749, 120.703 mph) were all within a few ticks of the exhibition mark set by Ricardo Zonta in the Toyota TF106 Formula One car at last year's Monterey Historics. Zonta turned a 1:06.309.
Testing concludes today with on-track activity from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. as the teams complete their final shake downs of the new DP01 chassis before the season-opening race April 6-8 at Las Vegas.
Complete results can be found at www.champcar.ws.
As part of the raceway's kickoff of its Golden Anniversary season, motorsports artist Bill Patterson, the official artist for Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, will do a painting during the lunch hour Saturday in front of the Souvenir Store. It's fascinating to see how fast he can produce a high quality painting. Good exhibition to see.
Tracy, the 2003 series champion, turned a quick lap of one minute, 6.707 seconds (120.779 miles per hour). The official track record was established in 2000 by Helio Castroneves at 1:07.722 (118.969 mph).
Tracy, Sebastien Bourdais of Newman Haas Lanigan Racing (1:06.737, 120.725 mph) and rookie Neel Jani of PKV Racing (1:06.749, 120.703 mph) were all within a few ticks of the exhibition mark set by Ricardo Zonta in the Toyota TF106 Formula One car at last year's Monterey Historics. Zonta turned a 1:06.309.
Testing concludes today with on-track activity from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. as the teams complete their final shake downs of the new DP01 chassis before the season-opening race April 6-8 at Las Vegas.
Complete results can be found at www.champcar.ws.
As part of the raceway's kickoff of its Golden Anniversary season, motorsports artist Bill Patterson, the official artist for Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, will do a painting during the lunch hour Saturday in front of the Souvenir Store. It's fascinating to see how fast he can produce a high quality painting. Good exhibition to see.
Champ Car's Kalkhoven On the Air
Champ Car World Series owner Kevin Kalkhoven will be a guest on the Dave Coffin Motorsports Show Saturday morning between 11 a.m. and noon on KNRY AM-1240.
Each Saturday, founding host Tony Karis and Dave Coffin interview personalities from the world of motorsports live on the air. The show can be heard on line at www.knry.com.
Kalkhoven, Gerry Forsythe and Paul Gentilozzi, each a team owner in the series, formed Open Wheel Racing Series LLC, bought the assets of CART and rescued the series from bankruptcy in January of 2004. Since then, the emphasis has been on street festivals in urban markets. After running at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in '04, the series pulled out and now does a street race in San Jose.
Kalkhoven is in town for the Champ Car spring training event at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, the final of three pre-season test sessions for the series. He is still a principal in PKV Racing, along with 1996 CART champion Jimmy Vasser, who went to high school at Live Oak High in Morgan Hill.
Kalkhoven will call into the show (831-373-1234) from the track during the Saturday morning test session.
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca will also be hosting an open house at the track Saturday with a number of community events, including a fan forum, to jump start the 50th anniversary celebration of the track's first race in November, 1957. There is no charge for the event.
Each Saturday, founding host Tony Karis and Dave Coffin interview personalities from the world of motorsports live on the air. The show can be heard on line at www.knry.com.
Kalkhoven, Gerry Forsythe and Paul Gentilozzi, each a team owner in the series, formed Open Wheel Racing Series LLC, bought the assets of CART and rescued the series from bankruptcy in January of 2004. Since then, the emphasis has been on street festivals in urban markets. After running at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in '04, the series pulled out and now does a street race in San Jose.
Kalkhoven is in town for the Champ Car spring training event at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, the final of three pre-season test sessions for the series. He is still a principal in PKV Racing, along with 1996 CART champion Jimmy Vasser, who went to high school at Live Oak High in Morgan Hill.
Kalkhoven will call into the show (831-373-1234) from the track during the Saturday morning test session.
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca will also be hosting an open house at the track Saturday with a number of community events, including a fan forum, to jump start the 50th anniversary celebration of the track's first race in November, 1957. There is no charge for the event.
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Frenchman Continues to Fly
Rookie Franck Perera of Montpellier, France, led every session of the Cooper Tires Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda the past two days, closing out the Atlantics spring training at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca with his quickest lap of one minute, 0.67 seconds (105.917 miles per hour).
Half a dozen drivers joined Perera under the 1:17 mark and all were below the official Atlantic track record set by A.J. Allmendinger in the second qualifying session in 2003 at 1:16.986 (104.653 mph). That record is pretty secure, however, as Champ Car (including Atlantics) pulled out of Laguna Seca following the 2004 season.
Brazilian Rafael Matos of Sierra Sierra Enterprises was second quickest in Thursday's final session at 1:16.216 (105.710 mph) and Monterey's Jonathan Bomarito, driving for PR1 Motorsports, had his best session of the two days, finishing with a 1:16.374 (105.491 mph).
To call Perera a rookie really isn't indicative of his experience. He has been racing in Europe and has tested for an F1 team. The 22-year-old who is racing for Condor Motorsports, is one of a number of drivers in Champ Car and Atlantics who have come over from Europe.
Half a dozen drivers joined Perera under the 1:17 mark and all were below the official Atlantic track record set by A.J. Allmendinger in the second qualifying session in 2003 at 1:16.986 (104.653 mph). That record is pretty secure, however, as Champ Car (including Atlantics) pulled out of Laguna Seca following the 2004 season.
Brazilian Rafael Matos of Sierra Sierra Enterprises was second quickest in Thursday's final session at 1:16.216 (105.710 mph) and Monterey's Jonathan Bomarito, driving for PR1 Motorsports, had his best session of the two days, finishing with a 1:16.374 (105.491 mph).
To call Perera a rookie really isn't indicative of his experience. He has been racing in Europe and has tested for an F1 team. The 22-year-old who is racing for Condor Motorsports, is one of a number of drivers in Champ Car and Atlantics who have come over from Europe.
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Frenchman First Day Surprise
Franck Perera of Montpilier, France had never driven an Atlantic car before Wednesday. Don't tell that to the veterans around the Cooper Tires Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda series.
Perera, another discovery of Condor Motorsports, paced both the morning and afternoon test sessions on the opening day of Champ Car's four-day Spring Training, bettering the existing single-lap track record for Atlantics in the process. Condor Motorsports also brought Charles Zwolsman to the U.S. and he promptly won the 2005 Atlantic championship.
Perera turned a one minute, 16.978 seconds (104.664 miles per hour) in the morning, just a tick better than A.J. Allmendinger's qualifying mark in 2003 of 1:16.986. In the afternoon, Perera dropped his time to 1:16.634 (105.133 mph).
Brazilian Rafael Matos of Sierra Sierra Enterprises was the only other driver to drop below 1:17, turning a quick lap of 1:16.684 (105.065 mph) in the day's second session.
Perera is anything but a novice, despite no previous seat time in an Atlantic car. He has test in Formula One and competed last year in GP2 in Europe.
Monterey native Jonathan Bomarito, who won the season-ending Atlantic race at Road America last year, was third quickest in the morning with a 1:17.244 (104.303 mph). Bomarito drives for PR1 Motorsports out of Fresno.
Perera, another discovery of Condor Motorsports, paced both the morning and afternoon test sessions on the opening day of Champ Car's four-day Spring Training, bettering the existing single-lap track record for Atlantics in the process. Condor Motorsports also brought Charles Zwolsman to the U.S. and he promptly won the 2005 Atlantic championship.
Perera turned a one minute, 16.978 seconds (104.664 miles per hour) in the morning, just a tick better than A.J. Allmendinger's qualifying mark in 2003 of 1:16.986. In the afternoon, Perera dropped his time to 1:16.634 (105.133 mph).
Brazilian Rafael Matos of Sierra Sierra Enterprises was the only other driver to drop below 1:17, turning a quick lap of 1:16.684 (105.065 mph) in the day's second session.
Perera is anything but a novice, despite no previous seat time in an Atlantic car. He has test in Formula One and competed last year in GP2 in Europe.
Monterey native Jonathan Bomarito, who won the season-ending Atlantic race at Road America last year, was third quickest in the morning with a 1:17.244 (104.303 mph). Bomarito drives for PR1 Motorsports out of Fresno.
Champ Cars are Coming
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is the place to be this week as the Champ Car World Series makes its return to the hallowed hills of one of America’s premier road racing venues.
We don’t get a race, but we do get the next best thing as both the Atlantics and Champ Cars will hold their Spring Training on the world-renowned, 2.238-mile, 11-turn circuit today (Wednesday) through Saturday.
Cruise the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca web site for exciting details on the Open House to begin the celebration of the track’s Golden Anniversary of the inaugural race in November of 1957. There will be fan activities – including a fan forum with Champ Car folks, car displays, a tribute to 1957 and so on, culminating with an old fashioned sock hop in the Red Bull Hospitality Center Saturday night.
This is such a great opportunity to see the stars and cars of the premier open-wheel road racing series in the country. The highly-competitive Atlantic Series will be running the new Swift chassis with 300-horsepower Mazda power on the dry lake for the first time. And this year, the Atlantics are shod with a new tire supplier as Cooper Tires takes over following a super successful tenure with Yokohama.
After two days of Atlantic testing, the Champ Cars take over for the final open test session before the season begins April 6-8 on the streets of Las Vegas – a brand new event for the series this year.
More details are available in my weekly Pitstop column in the Monterey Herald. Please click on the following link to go to the column: http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/sports/16817538.htm.
Further info on the Atlantics heading into the final two-day test today and Thursday can be found at the following link: http://www.champcaratlantic.com/News/Article.asp?ID=2788.
Read more on Champ Car testing at the following link, which chronicles Day 2 of the Houston open test: http://www.champcarworldseries.com/News/Article.asp?ID=11264.
Rainey to be Honored
Wayne Rainey, whose home with wife Shea and son Rex is in the hills just outside Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, is one of the greatest motorcycle racers of all time. April 26 at Talladega, Rainey will get his due as he is inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame (IMHOF).
Wayne, who won three consecutive 500cc World championships from 1990-1992 and a pair of AMA Superbike titles, was a major player in bringing MotoGP back to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
Stay tuned for more on this well-deserved honor as well as a profile on the guy who heads my personal IHBHOF (International Human Being Hall of Fame).
The Mikeys
From time-to-time during a race weekend, we (the media) experience a bit of down time. With, really, nothing better to do, that can result in some interesting blogging. Two weekends ago and with the Oscars about to be awarded (I hope your favorite won), veteran Associated Press Motorsports Writer Mike Harris awarded his inaugural “Mikeys.”
Read all about it at the following link (scroll down to the Saturday, Feb. 24 item): http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/SPT_CAR_NASCAR_WEBLOG?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2007-02-28-22-28-50.
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is the place to be this week as the Champ Car World Series makes its return to the hallowed hills of one of America’s premier road racing venues.
We don’t get a race, but we do get the next best thing as both the Atlantics and Champ Cars will hold their Spring Training on the world-renowned, 2.238-mile, 11-turn circuit today (Wednesday) through Saturday.
Cruise the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca web site for exciting details on the Open House to begin the celebration of the track’s Golden Anniversary of the inaugural race in November of 1957. There will be fan activities – including a fan forum with Champ Car folks, car displays, a tribute to 1957 and so on, culminating with an old fashioned sock hop in the Red Bull Hospitality Center Saturday night.
This is such a great opportunity to see the stars and cars of the premier open-wheel road racing series in the country. The highly-competitive Atlantic Series will be running the new Swift chassis with 300-horsepower Mazda power on the dry lake for the first time. And this year, the Atlantics are shod with a new tire supplier as Cooper Tires takes over following a super successful tenure with Yokohama.
After two days of Atlantic testing, the Champ Cars take over for the final open test session before the season begins April 6-8 on the streets of Las Vegas – a brand new event for the series this year.
More details are available in my weekly Pitstop column in the Monterey Herald. Please click on the following link to go to the column: http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/sports/16817538.htm.
Further info on the Atlantics heading into the final two-day test today and Thursday can be found at the following link: http://www.champcaratlantic.com/News/Article.asp?ID=2788.
Read more on Champ Car testing at the following link, which chronicles Day 2 of the Houston open test: http://www.champcarworldseries.com/News/Article.asp?ID=11264.
Rainey to be Honored
Wayne Rainey, whose home with wife Shea and son Rex is in the hills just outside Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, is one of the greatest motorcycle racers of all time. April 26 at Talladega, Rainey will get his due as he is inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame (IMHOF).
Wayne, who won three consecutive 500cc World championships from 1990-1992 and a pair of AMA Superbike titles, was a major player in bringing MotoGP back to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
Stay tuned for more on this well-deserved honor as well as a profile on the guy who heads my personal IHBHOF (International Human Being Hall of Fame).
The Mikeys
From time-to-time during a race weekend, we (the media) experience a bit of down time. With, really, nothing better to do, that can result in some interesting blogging. Two weekends ago and with the Oscars about to be awarded (I hope your favorite won), veteran Associated Press Motorsports Writer Mike Harris awarded his inaugural “Mikeys.”
Read all about it at the following link (scroll down to the Saturday, Feb. 24 item): http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/SPT_CAR_NASCAR_WEBLOG?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2007-02-28-22-28-50.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
MotoGP: Revved Up for New Season
Defending World champion Nicky Hayden (The Kentucky Kid) is looking for speed, fellow American Colin Edwards (The Tornado) is showing flashes of brilliance and five-time MotoGP champ Valentino Rossi (The Doctor) has served notice he intends to take back the title Hayden snatched from him in 2006.
While none of the three topped the time charts on the third and final day of testing Thursday (Feb. 15) at Qatar, the first official round of testing prior to the MotoGP season-opener March 10, they still attracted a lot of attention on the Losail International Circuit last week.
Hayden used the return of MotoGP to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in 2005 to launch his motorcycle racing career to new heights. The breakout victory (his first in the world championship) came in dominant fashion and set the stage for his championship season in 2006, during which he won again at the dry lake.
Hayden, Italian heart-throb Rossi – who won his five world titles in consecutive fashion from 2001-’05, Edwards and fellow Americans John Hopkins (second fastest at Qatar) and Kenny Roberts Jr., the 2000 world champion, and the rest of the highly competitive MotoGP field make their lone U.S. stop at the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix July 20-22 at Laguna Seca.
Tickets are available now but, once again, many packages are already sold out. Call 1-800-327-SECA for information and to buy tickets or log on to www.laguna-seca.com.
Hayden’s Honda teammate Dani Pedrosa topped the Qatar test session as riders actually dipped below the 2006 pole-winning time on the circuit situated on the Arabian Gulf. Riders are finding the new 800cc machines to be quicker than last season’s 990cc bikes. The first two days at Qatar, Edwards, Rossi’s Texan teammate, put his factory Yamaha out front.
While Hopkins was second-quickest with Suzuki power at Qatar, a crash in the morning session will probably cost him any seat time this week at Jerez, but he is expected to be ready for the season-opener.
World Champion Hayden was nearly two seconds off Pedrosa’s pace-setting time as he is still searching for pace after coming back from shoulder surgery. The “Kentucky Kid” spent a week ago in California with doctors analyzing his progress and suffered two crashes onboard his 2007 bike at Qatar.
“After yesterday (Wednesday), I just needed to come in and do some laps to try to get the feeling back, so today (Thursday), I got comfortable and didn’t get too carried away chasing lap times,” Hayden said. “I’ve been trying to get some more feeling from the front – that’s what we’re working towards. I’d have liked to have gone a bit faster today but we’re still positive and we’ll go back to work in Jerez and make some improvements.
“Things started out so good on the first morning here – since then, it’s been a tough couple of days. Sometimes this is a hard game and you’ve got to adjust to it. I go away from here healthy and hopefully we’ll go to the next test and get some things sorted out with me and the bike. I want to thank my team because yesterday was pretty hard on those guys and they were really cool about it.”
Hayden was 14th on the new Honda RC212V out of 20 riders who tested Thursday.
Defending World champion Nicky Hayden (The Kentucky Kid) is looking for speed, fellow American Colin Edwards (The Tornado) is showing flashes of brilliance and five-time MotoGP champ Valentino Rossi (The Doctor) has served notice he intends to take back the title Hayden snatched from him in 2006.
While none of the three topped the time charts on the third and final day of testing Thursday (Feb. 15) at Qatar, the first official round of testing prior to the MotoGP season-opener March 10, they still attracted a lot of attention on the Losail International Circuit last week.
Hayden used the return of MotoGP to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in 2005 to launch his motorcycle racing career to new heights. The breakout victory (his first in the world championship) came in dominant fashion and set the stage for his championship season in 2006, during which he won again at the dry lake.
Hayden, Italian heart-throb Rossi – who won his five world titles in consecutive fashion from 2001-’05, Edwards and fellow Americans John Hopkins (second fastest at Qatar) and Kenny Roberts Jr., the 2000 world champion, and the rest of the highly competitive MotoGP field make their lone U.S. stop at the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix July 20-22 at Laguna Seca.
Tickets are available now but, once again, many packages are already sold out. Call 1-800-327-SECA for information and to buy tickets or log on to www.laguna-seca.com.
Hayden’s Honda teammate Dani Pedrosa topped the Qatar test session as riders actually dipped below the 2006 pole-winning time on the circuit situated on the Arabian Gulf. Riders are finding the new 800cc machines to be quicker than last season’s 990cc bikes. The first two days at Qatar, Edwards, Rossi’s Texan teammate, put his factory Yamaha out front.
While Hopkins was second-quickest with Suzuki power at Qatar, a crash in the morning session will probably cost him any seat time this week at Jerez, but he is expected to be ready for the season-opener.
World Champion Hayden was nearly two seconds off Pedrosa’s pace-setting time as he is still searching for pace after coming back from shoulder surgery. The “Kentucky Kid” spent a week ago in California with doctors analyzing his progress and suffered two crashes onboard his 2007 bike at Qatar.
“After yesterday (Wednesday), I just needed to come in and do some laps to try to get the feeling back, so today (Thursday), I got comfortable and didn’t get too carried away chasing lap times,” Hayden said. “I’ve been trying to get some more feeling from the front – that’s what we’re working towards. I’d have liked to have gone a bit faster today but we’re still positive and we’ll go back to work in Jerez and make some improvements.
“Things started out so good on the first morning here – since then, it’s been a tough couple of days. Sometimes this is a hard game and you’ve got to adjust to it. I go away from here healthy and hopefully we’ll go to the next test and get some things sorted out with me and the bike. I want to thank my team because yesterday was pretty hard on those guys and they were really cool about it.”
Hayden was 14th on the new Honda RC212V out of 20 riders who tested Thursday.
I’d Rather Be Lucky
What will it take to win today’s Daytona 500, NASCAR’s Nextel Cup Series “Super Bowl? Veteran motorsports journalist Lewis Franck says preparation alone is not enough; it will also take some luck.
Read Franck’s analysis on SI.com. You can use the following link to go right to the article: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/lewis_franck/02/14/winning.edge/index.html
Rookie Sensation
Teen-ager Graham Rahal, son of former three-time CART champion and Indy 500 winner Bobby, has been lightning fast in the Champ Car World Series’ first two test sessions of the season.
While official information coming out of the Newman/Haas Racing team camp says they are exploring sponsorship options to put Rahal, runner-up in last year’s Champ Car Atlantic Championship, in a car for 2007, don’t kid yourself. Graham’s in and three-time series runner-up Bruno Junqueira is looking for a ride. What I have heard is that NHR, paced by three-time defending series champion Sebastien Bourdais, might consider a three-car operation (with Bruno in the third seat) if the funding materializes.
Read some more using the following link: http://www.champcarworldseries.com/News/Article.asp?ID=11275
While we no longer have a Champ Car race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, the series will hold its “Spring Training” on the storied 2.238-mile, 11-turn permanent road course March 9-10. That’s a Friday and Saturday and will follow two days of Champ Car Atlantic testing here March 7 and 8.
This will be a great opportunity to see all the stars and cars in action in a far more relaxed atmosphere than a race weekend. I heartily recommend playing hooky from work to come out and get up close and personal with the teams as they make their final preparations for the season-opener on the streets of Las Vegas April 6-8.
Unfinished Business
For all the wins in his illustrious career, former CART champion and current IRL team owner Michael Andretti still feels there is some unfinished business and it’s going to put him behind the wheel again this May.
Andretti has never won the Indianapolis 500 and he wants to change that. Last year, Andretti came out of retirement (as a driver) to run at Indy with his son, young phenom Marco. Michael led late and wound up third as he watched winner Sam Hornish school his son to steal the win from the rookie on the last lap.
Read some more at the following link: http://www.indycar.com/news/story.php?story_id=8206
Best Laid Plans
When last I posted in this space, I said we’d march forward with some consistency in Pitstop with Dave Coffin. Alas, my body said otherwise and I went through another physical shut down. Thanks to Dr. Chris Carver – who has been intimately involved with my cervical spine restoration – and the talent of anaesthesiologist Dr. Michael Herhusky for a well-placed epidural, I’m back on track. As long as the fingers keep working, I’ll do all I can to keep you legions of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca fans and fellow motorsports enthusiasts updated on what’s going on in the racing world. Please give us your feedback; we’ll try to bring you some inside info along the way.
Meanwhile, see you at the track.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Drivers Get a Kick Out of Daytona
Please forgive me, but we’ve fallen behind a wee bit as we get this blog started while I began working through another physical challenge that’s been placed in front of me. A lot is going on and it’s going to get busier yet as Lowe’s Motor Speedway hosts the annual NASCAR Media Tour and the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series kicks off its season with the grueling 24 (hours) At Daytona.
I had never been to the 24 until a couple of years ago when I got a personal invitation from my friend Adam Saal, who is the Senior Director of Marketing and Communications for Grand Am. He told me it would be a great event and it was. If you haven’t gone, consider this my personal invitation to you to make the trek to Daytona.
A bunch of folks from NASCAR, The Champ Car World Series, the Indy Racing League and more will be participating in this year’s 45th edition of the twice-around-the-clock competition. They all – most notably the Nextel Cup guys – found it a much more relaxed atmosphere than they faced week-in and week-out in their regular series.
A driver lineup that really caught my attention includes Memo Gidley, Michel Jourdain Jr. and Oriol Servia. All three have competed successfully in Champ Car in the past, as well as other disciplines. They will be joined in the Doran Racing JE4 Ford by Fabrizio Gollin, who has been a regular in Grand Am.
More on the announcement of the drivers can be found at :
http://www.grand-am.com/News/Article.asp?ID=7549
or Gidley’s web site:
www.memogidley.com
There’s trouble in Paradise. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his step-mom, Teresa, have apparently traded some barbs. Teresa took over Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI) when the NASCAR icon lost his life in a crash at the end of the 2001 Daytona 500. Junior drives for DEI but he wants more say in the racing operation.
Lewis Franck proposes a solution – form two companies. Read what Lewis has to say on SI.com in his weekly Inside NASCAR column:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/lewis_franck/01/15/earnhardts/index.html
There’s more to come, including what some folks have been saying about the loss of Benny Parsons, who finally succumbed in his battle with cancer. I will also be at the NASCAR Media Tour Monday through Thursday and at the 24 At Daytona next weekend and will file a number of reports from those two events. Have a great day.
I had never been to the 24 until a couple of years ago when I got a personal invitation from my friend Adam Saal, who is the Senior Director of Marketing and Communications for Grand Am. He told me it would be a great event and it was. If you haven’t gone, consider this my personal invitation to you to make the trek to Daytona.
A bunch of folks from NASCAR, The Champ Car World Series, the Indy Racing League and more will be participating in this year’s 45th edition of the twice-around-the-clock competition. They all – most notably the Nextel Cup guys – found it a much more relaxed atmosphere than they faced week-in and week-out in their regular series.
A driver lineup that really caught my attention includes Memo Gidley, Michel Jourdain Jr. and Oriol Servia. All three have competed successfully in Champ Car in the past, as well as other disciplines. They will be joined in the Doran Racing JE4 Ford by Fabrizio Gollin, who has been a regular in Grand Am.
More on the announcement of the drivers can be found at :
http://www.grand-am.com/News/Article.asp?ID=7549
or Gidley’s web site:
www.memogidley.com
There’s trouble in Paradise. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his step-mom, Teresa, have apparently traded some barbs. Teresa took over Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI) when the NASCAR icon lost his life in a crash at the end of the 2001 Daytona 500. Junior drives for DEI but he wants more say in the racing operation.
Lewis Franck proposes a solution – form two companies. Read what Lewis has to say on SI.com in his weekly Inside NASCAR column:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/lewis_franck/01/15/earnhardts/index.html
There’s more to come, including what some folks have been saying about the loss of Benny Parsons, who finally succumbed in his battle with cancer. I will also be at the NASCAR Media Tour Monday through Thursday and at the 24 At Daytona next weekend and will file a number of reports from those two events. Have a great day.
Friday, January 5, 2007
Earnhardt Revisited
Every year about this time, as folks begin to gear up for the new racing season, the tragic accident that claimed Dale Earnhardt’s life six years ago becomes a topic of discussion among race fans, many of whom are still in mourning over the loss of “The Intimidator.”
Earnhardt tied “The King” Richard Petty for the most championships ever in NASCAR’s premier series, each winning the title seven times. Many feel The Intimidator had at least one more championship in him when, at age 49, he suffered the fatal injuries on the final lap of the season-opening Daytona 500 in 2001.
On my weekly radio show, the award-winning Dave Coffin Motorsports Show, this Saturday (Jan. 6), noted neurosurgeon Chris Carver will join the show’s founding host, Tony Karis, and myself to talk about Earnhardt’s accident and what really claimed his life. Dr. Carver will also address why doctors sometimes induce comas, such as when open-wheel star Cristiano da Matta was involved in his freak testing crash at Road America.
Dr. Carver is the man I believe God used to spare me from a wheel chair in 2005. He is a partner in Central Coast Brain & Spine Associates with offices in Monterey and Salinas and a very gifted neurosurgeon.
If you have questions for Dr. Carver, or any of the guests Tony and I have on the show, you can call (831) 373-1234. The show is on every Saturday morning from 11 a.m. to noon (Pacific time) on historic news talk radio KNRY-1240 AM. You should also be able to pick up the show on the web at www.knry.com.
An official announcement will be coming out shortly, but get ready because tickets go on sale Monday for all the events at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca except the Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races. Tickets and information are available by calling 1-800-327-SECA (7322) or logging on to www.laguna-seca.com. There are still tickets available for the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix, but I would recommend you get on that as soon as possible because they will go fast.
Earnhardt tied “The King” Richard Petty for the most championships ever in NASCAR’s premier series, each winning the title seven times. Many feel The Intimidator had at least one more championship in him when, at age 49, he suffered the fatal injuries on the final lap of the season-opening Daytona 500 in 2001.
On my weekly radio show, the award-winning Dave Coffin Motorsports Show, this Saturday (Jan. 6), noted neurosurgeon Chris Carver will join the show’s founding host, Tony Karis, and myself to talk about Earnhardt’s accident and what really claimed his life. Dr. Carver will also address why doctors sometimes induce comas, such as when open-wheel star Cristiano da Matta was involved in his freak testing crash at Road America.
Dr. Carver is the man I believe God used to spare me from a wheel chair in 2005. He is a partner in Central Coast Brain & Spine Associates with offices in Monterey and Salinas and a very gifted neurosurgeon.
If you have questions for Dr. Carver, or any of the guests Tony and I have on the show, you can call (831) 373-1234. The show is on every Saturday morning from 11 a.m. to noon (Pacific time) on historic news talk radio KNRY-1240 AM. You should also be able to pick up the show on the web at www.knry.com.
An official announcement will be coming out shortly, but get ready because tickets go on sale Monday for all the events at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca except the Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races. Tickets and information are available by calling 1-800-327-SECA (7322) or logging on to www.laguna-seca.com. There are still tickets available for the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix, but I would recommend you get on that as soon as possible because they will go fast.
Thursday, January 4, 2007
Sports Cars a Big Hit
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca opens its Golden Anniversary season in May with the U.S. Sports Car Invitational featuring the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series. Good move.
I have to admit I wasn’t terribly excited when the formation of the series was announced and began operations in 2000. We already had the American Le Mans Series for sports car racing, which ran at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in its inaugural season in 1999 and had done so each year since.
The Rolex series added a Daytona Prototype class in 2003, starting with only five regular cars that year. Each year since, however, the DP class has experienced phenomenal growth, with grids of some 60-plus prototypes and GT cars at the Rolex 24 (hours) At Daytona. Huge fields have also shown up at each of the other events.
In the Rolex Sports Car Series, engines and chassis must meet defined standards to be eligible to compete. ALMS is a showcase for technology in its two prototype divisions. The Rolex series usually has very tightly contested races and the ALMS runs four classes of cars on track at each venue, promoting a ton of passing and the best cars money can buy.
At Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, we are blessed to have both series here in two fabulous events to open and conclude the season schedule.
The Rolex 24 At Daytona has attracted a large number of drivers from other disciplines, including NASCAR, Champ Car, the IRL and even the ALMS.
Last month, some of those other drivers got in some testing and – just as they do during the race weekend – they all had a blast. Among those in cars were four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon (who is from Vallejo) and newly crowned Cup champ Jimmie Johnson of El Cajon, who drives a Hendrick Chevy co-owned by Gordon. Also, Sam Hornish Jr., who just won his third IRL/IndyCar championship, was there driving a prototype for Michael Shank racing.
They all had a ball. If you haven’t already seen it, use the following link to read their comments at the test session.
http://www.grand-am.com/News/Article.asp?ID=7443
The Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series is holding a three-day open test session that began today (Jan. 4) at Daytona. My friend Lynne Hunting (whose handle is Press Snoop) is at the test session and will be sending me info I’ll pass along for you to read.
Humid weather with scattered clouds greeted 68 cars that were entered for the annual three-day test for the Rolex 24 At Daytona, Lynne wrote.The Grand-Am Entry List has 28 Daytona Prototypes and 40 GT cars. With an average of three drivers per car, this adds up to more than 200 drivers, not counting all those who are hanging out hoping to get into a car. After all, this is a test session and as such Grand-Am, does not control who is in the car, driver transponders aren't required, and all times are unofficial. Some teams have not listed some or all of their drivers, for a variety of reasons including benign neglect. One of the two CHIP GANASSI teams lists only SCOTT PRUETT of Auburn as driver because the team is making its full Rolex driver lineup announcement Friday as part of a batch of Media Conferences. When Pruett's co-driver is in the car, the live Timing & Scoring shows no name. But the Shadow Knows! It was SALVADOR DURAN of Mexico.The No.11 SAMAX Pontiac Riley lists TBA as drivers, but the four are: PATRICK CARPENTIER of Canada, RYAN DALZIEL of Scotland, DARRIN MANNING of England, and perhaps the only female driver for the test - MILKA DUNO of Venezuela.For the Rolex 24 Hours At Daytona race a current valid FIA license is required, but there is no such requirement for the test. All the cars are seen by Grand-Am scrutinizers prior to going on track, but the process is less stringent than for a race weekend and they aren't checked after track sessions. One of the reasons for Pre Tech is familiarization for the teams, so they get used to the process, what tools are used and how things are measured.For the 2007 season, no new safety requirements have been imposed. The series already mandates the HANS Device, the only permissible head and neck restraint. Grand-Am also has required Vectran wheel tethers on all four wheels of the DP cars. The GT cars can use them but they aren't required. It's more difficult to install tethers on a GT car and the need hasn't been shown.GORDON, who drives theNo.24 Dupont Chevrolet Monte Carlo in Cup, will be making his Rolex debut this year. He's driving the No.10 SunTrust Racing Pontiac Riley, with MAX ANGELELLI of Italy, JAN MAGNUSSEN of Denmark, and team owner WAYNE TAYLOR of South Africa. Angelelli was fastest near the end of the first practice session Thursday morning at 1:44.976 (122.085 mph). He also was fastest in the last session, with a lap of 144.357. Gordon had a lot of seat time Thursday. His is the first of several Press opportunities Friday afternoon, but I grabbed a chance to chat him up in one of his few moments out of the car. Gordon didn't know how many laps he'd done, but said he'd been in the car a lot. He didn't have 'expectations' per se as he didn't know what to expect, but is enjoying it. “The car does what I want it to.” Gordon had nothing but praise for the team and his teammates, who have helped him a lot. He is looking forward to the race.BILL AUBERLEN of Redondo Beach CA was the fastest driver overall Thursday afternoon in the second practice session, turning a lap of 1:44.977 (122.084 mph) in No.05 Sigalsport BMW Riley DP
In the larger GT class, DIRK WERNER of Germany was fastest overall for the day in No.85 Farnbacher Loles Motorsports Porsche GT3 Cup with a lap of 1:53.036 (113.38 mph). The sister Farnbacher Loles car was fastest in the morning session. CRAIG STANTON of Long Beach CA drove No.88 Farnbacher Loles Motorsports Porsche GT3 Cup with a lap of 1:53.409 (113.007 mph).
ANDY LALLY of Dacula GA was fastest in the second_GT session, driving TRG No.66 Porsche GT3 Cup at 1:53.706 (112.712 mph), good for twenty-seventh overall. Among his co-drivers is team owner KEVIN BUCKLER of Petaluma.
Testing resumes Friday morning and includes night practice.
I’ll continue to share the info Lynne sends (including some behind-the-scenes stuff) as the test session continues.
Later this month, I will be at the annual NASCAR Media Tour hosted by Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, NC and will provide reports out of the four-day extravaganza in which we visit most of the Nextel Cup participants’ shops. At the end of that week, I’ll be at the Rolex 24 At Daytona and send reports from there.
HAPPY NEW YEAR to all and thanks to Lynne for the assist at the test days.
I have to admit I wasn’t terribly excited when the formation of the series was announced and began operations in 2000. We already had the American Le Mans Series for sports car racing, which ran at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in its inaugural season in 1999 and had done so each year since.
The Rolex series added a Daytona Prototype class in 2003, starting with only five regular cars that year. Each year since, however, the DP class has experienced phenomenal growth, with grids of some 60-plus prototypes and GT cars at the Rolex 24 (hours) At Daytona. Huge fields have also shown up at each of the other events.
In the Rolex Sports Car Series, engines and chassis must meet defined standards to be eligible to compete. ALMS is a showcase for technology in its two prototype divisions. The Rolex series usually has very tightly contested races and the ALMS runs four classes of cars on track at each venue, promoting a ton of passing and the best cars money can buy.
At Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, we are blessed to have both series here in two fabulous events to open and conclude the season schedule.
The Rolex 24 At Daytona has attracted a large number of drivers from other disciplines, including NASCAR, Champ Car, the IRL and even the ALMS.
Last month, some of those other drivers got in some testing and – just as they do during the race weekend – they all had a blast. Among those in cars were four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon (who is from Vallejo) and newly crowned Cup champ Jimmie Johnson of El Cajon, who drives a Hendrick Chevy co-owned by Gordon. Also, Sam Hornish Jr., who just won his third IRL/IndyCar championship, was there driving a prototype for Michael Shank racing.
They all had a ball. If you haven’t already seen it, use the following link to read their comments at the test session.
http://www.grand-am.com/News/Article.asp?ID=7443
The Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series is holding a three-day open test session that began today (Jan. 4) at Daytona. My friend Lynne Hunting (whose handle is Press Snoop) is at the test session and will be sending me info I’ll pass along for you to read.
Humid weather with scattered clouds greeted 68 cars that were entered for the annual three-day test for the Rolex 24 At Daytona, Lynne wrote.The Grand-Am Entry List has 28 Daytona Prototypes and 40 GT cars. With an average of three drivers per car, this adds up to more than 200 drivers, not counting all those who are hanging out hoping to get into a car. After all, this is a test session and as such Grand-Am, does not control who is in the car, driver transponders aren't required, and all times are unofficial. Some teams have not listed some or all of their drivers, for a variety of reasons including benign neglect. One of the two CHIP GANASSI teams lists only SCOTT PRUETT of Auburn as driver because the team is making its full Rolex driver lineup announcement Friday as part of a batch of Media Conferences. When Pruett's co-driver is in the car, the live Timing & Scoring shows no name. But the Shadow Knows! It was SALVADOR DURAN of Mexico.The No.11 SAMAX Pontiac Riley lists TBA as drivers, but the four are: PATRICK CARPENTIER of Canada, RYAN DALZIEL of Scotland, DARRIN MANNING of England, and perhaps the only female driver for the test - MILKA DUNO of Venezuela.For the Rolex 24 Hours At Daytona race a current valid FIA license is required, but there is no such requirement for the test. All the cars are seen by Grand-Am scrutinizers prior to going on track, but the process is less stringent than for a race weekend and they aren't checked after track sessions. One of the reasons for Pre Tech is familiarization for the teams, so they get used to the process, what tools are used and how things are measured.For the 2007 season, no new safety requirements have been imposed. The series already mandates the HANS Device, the only permissible head and neck restraint. Grand-Am also has required Vectran wheel tethers on all four wheels of the DP cars. The GT cars can use them but they aren't required. It's more difficult to install tethers on a GT car and the need hasn't been shown.GORDON, who drives theNo.24 Dupont Chevrolet Monte Carlo in Cup, will be making his Rolex debut this year. He's driving the No.10 SunTrust Racing Pontiac Riley, with MAX ANGELELLI of Italy, JAN MAGNUSSEN of Denmark, and team owner WAYNE TAYLOR of South Africa. Angelelli was fastest near the end of the first practice session Thursday morning at 1:44.976 (122.085 mph). He also was fastest in the last session, with a lap of 144.357. Gordon had a lot of seat time Thursday. His is the first of several Press opportunities Friday afternoon, but I grabbed a chance to chat him up in one of his few moments out of the car. Gordon didn't know how many laps he'd done, but said he'd been in the car a lot. He didn't have 'expectations' per se as he didn't know what to expect, but is enjoying it. “The car does what I want it to.” Gordon had nothing but praise for the team and his teammates, who have helped him a lot. He is looking forward to the race.BILL AUBERLEN of Redondo Beach CA was the fastest driver overall Thursday afternoon in the second practice session, turning a lap of 1:44.977 (122.084 mph) in No.05 Sigalsport BMW Riley DP
In the larger GT class, DIRK WERNER of Germany was fastest overall for the day in No.85 Farnbacher Loles Motorsports Porsche GT3 Cup with a lap of 1:53.036 (113.38 mph). The sister Farnbacher Loles car was fastest in the morning session. CRAIG STANTON of Long Beach CA drove No.88 Farnbacher Loles Motorsports Porsche GT3 Cup with a lap of 1:53.409 (113.007 mph).
ANDY LALLY of Dacula GA was fastest in the second_GT session, driving TRG No.66 Porsche GT3 Cup at 1:53.706 (112.712 mph), good for twenty-seventh overall. Among his co-drivers is team owner KEVIN BUCKLER of Petaluma.
Testing resumes Friday morning and includes night practice.
I’ll continue to share the info Lynne sends (including some behind-the-scenes stuff) as the test session continues.
Later this month, I will be at the annual NASCAR Media Tour hosted by Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, NC and will provide reports out of the four-day extravaganza in which we visit most of the Nextel Cup participants’ shops. At the end of that week, I’ll be at the Rolex 24 At Daytona and send reports from there.
HAPPY NEW YEAR to all and thanks to Lynne for the assist at the test days.
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