HOMESTEAD, Fla., Thursday,
Jan. 9, 2003 – Offseason IRL IndyCar Series testing resembled a race
weekend practice session Jan. 9 at Homestead-Miami Speedway with 10
drivers turning more than 700 laps without any major problems under
clear, sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-70’s.
The 10 drivers who tested have combined for five Indianapolis 500
wins, three IndyCar Series championships and 20 IndyCar Series
victories, or 28 percent of the 71 races conducted since the series’
inception in 1996.
Two-time defending IndyCar Series champion Sam Hornish Jr. tested his
2003 Pennzoil Panther Dallara/Chevrolet/Firestone for the first time
Jan. 8 and did so again on Jan. 9.
“We’re just trying to learn a little bit each time we go out, and
there’s a lot of stuff to learn yet,” Hornish said. “This is the first
time we’ve got the chassis out there with this engine in it. We had a
lot of laps with the (2003) Chevrolet engine in the 2000-2002 car and
everything went really good with that, so we’re just learning some
more things. A lot of things are being thrown at us at one time, and
it’s going to be tough, but we’ve still got a couple of months and a
lot of practice to go before we throw it in for the race.”
Hornish has won the only two IndyCar Series events conducted at
Homestead-Miami Speedway, winning in 2001 and 2002 and then going on
to capture the championship each season.
“This track has treated us pretty good so far,” Hornish said. “It’d be
really good to get started on the right foot and be able to go out
there and win the third time here. It’d be great momentum to go all
year long and win another championship, but it’s tough to win a
championship, and it’s tough to win two championships in a row, and I
imagine it’s going to be really hard to win three, but we’re going to
do our best.”
Helio Castroneves, winner of the last two Indianapolis 500-Mile Races,
also tested Jan. 8-9 with his 2003 Marlboro Team Penske
Dallara/Toyota/Firestone.
“It’s always difficult when you have a brand new car,” Castroneves
said. “You start from scratch. So basically you have to start all over
again, step by step. Not only that, we also have the new Toyota
engine, which has been great for us. It’s hard work, but you have to
look at it this way, everyone has the same hard work. We just have to
focus on our job and focus on our situation.”
Castroneves is a Miami resident and would love to score a victory at
his home track.
“The track is only 30 or 40 minutes from my home, so we don’t have to
pack and travel,” Castroneves said. “It’s always nice to have the
atmosphere and weather that we’ve had in Miami. So if people miss this
race, they are going to miss a good show.”
Brian Barnhart, Indy Racing League senior vice president of racing
operations, and members of his technical staff were in Miami Jan. 8-9
to observe the test.
“I’m very pleased with the progress of the Dallara and Panoz G Force
chassis, and we are excited about the performance of the Toyota,
Chevrolet and Honda engines,” Barnhart said. “All of the engine
manufacturers and chassis manufacturers have created extremely
competitive packages. XTRAC also has produced a solid new gearbox as
evidenced by no mechanical failures or reliability issues. The new
chassis-engine package will ensure a competitive environment for the
2003 and future IRL Indy Car Series seasons.”
In addition to continued private team testing, the Indy Racing League
will conduct the eighth annual “Test in the West” Feb. 3-7 at
California Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway and then conduct
an open test Feb. 17-18 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
The season-opening Toyota Indy 300 will take place March 2 at
Homestead-Miami Speedway. The race will be broadcast live on ABC and
the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network.
For Toyota Indy 300 ticket information, call (305) 230-RACE or log
onto
www.homesteadmiamispeedway.com.
TEST QUOTES:
MICHAEL ANDRETTI (Andretti Green Racing Dallara/Honda/Firestone):
(About testing Jan. 8): “I was able to run about 50 laps. The car was
really fast, the crew at Andretti Green Racing did an awesome job of
preparing the Dallara, and the Honda engine was very strong. I like
the design changes on the 2003 car; it’s a lot nicer to drive, and
it's even nicer with the Honda engine in it. I think this is a really
good start for us. Unfortunately, we had a problem with the steering
rack, which was installed a little too close for comfort, and I had to
get out of the car after a while. But in spite of that, I was very
pleased with what we had out there today.” (About his first test as an
owner/driver): “It was a little weird knowing that I was driving a car
that I actually owned. The bottom line though is that I was just so
happy to get back into a race car that I didn’t give it all that much
thought. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to get back in the car
tomorrow (Jan. 9), the steering rack change is a major job.
KENNY BRACK (Miller Lite/Pioneer
Dallara/Honda/Firestone): “It has been really a good couple of days
for us. We have been testing engine stuff and car stuff, trying to get
to know this new car. It has been going very well for us. We are
happy. This is a more refined car, both chassis-wise and engine-wise.
Every generation of car will be a little better and better and better.
That is normal, and so is the engine. So I expect that to continue in
the future, too. This car is better than last year’s, I think.”
HELIO CASTRONEVES (Marlboro Team Penske Dallara/Toyota/Firestone):
“It’s always difficult when you have a brand-new car; you start from
scratch. So basically you have to start all over again, step by step.
Not only that, we also have the new Toyota engine, which has been
great for us. It’s hard work, but you have to look at it this way –
everyone has the same hard work. We just have to focus on our job and
focus on our situation. Hopefully we are going to have two more tests,
and when we come back we’ll improve on our time. The Homestead track
is always very tough because of no banking, and plus it’s a very
challenging track. But when you have a good setup, it’s very nice.
We’re already running faster times than the pole position from last
year, so that gives you an idea of how competitive it’s going to be
and how fast we have to be when we come back March 2.
FELIPE GIAFFONE (Hollywood Mo Nunn G Force/Toyota/Firestone): “Well, we got our first day behind us. I’m really excited about getting back into a race car. It was basically a shakedown day, as this is the very first day we have run the 2003 Panoz G Force. We got in about 50 laps just to get a feel for what the car likes and doesn’t like and to get a feel for the new Toyota engine. Then we ran about 35 laps in the 2002 car just to have a little head-to-head comparison. I really like the engine. The power curve and the drivability are really nice. We got to know all of the people from TRD (Toyota Research and Development) that we will be working with, and it looks like we have a really great team. I have a good feeling about the engine, and that’s a good thing to feel confident about so early in the game. As for the new G Force, it’s very early to know how this chassis compares to last year’s. They tell us that it’s going to be a lot better.
SAM HORNISH JR. (Pennzoil Panther Dallara/Chevrolet/Firestone): “I’ve never really had to adapt to a new car or a new engine package. When I first came into the league at the beginning of 2000, we didn’t have a new car until halfway through the year, so we got to adapt to the engine package first and the chassis package afterward, so it wasn’t too things at the same time. We’re just trying to learn a little bit each time we go out and there’s a lot of stuff to learn yet. This is the first time we’ve got the chassis out there with this engine in it. We had a lot of laps with the (new) Chevrolet engine in the 2000-2002 car, and everything went really good with that, so we’re just learning some more things. A lot of things are being thrown at us at one time, and it’s going to be tough, but we’ve still got a couple of months and a lot of practice to go before we throw it in for the race.
TONY KANAAN (Andretti Green Racing Dallara/Honda/Firestone): “Obviously, we expect (the equipment) to be an improvement every year, and it was. It was the first time I’d driven a Dallara, and it’s different than a G Force, but I felt really comfortable. The engine is different, obviously. I think we have more power. The car is producing more downforce, and I was quite happy about that. It’s the first day, so it’s tough to say, ‘Oh, it was really good or really bad.’ I think what’s important is to get used to the car and to get things we want to get done for the race and see what happens. It’s nice to see all the good teams are on this side right now, and we’re making progress as a series. I think we’re going to be the best one. I’m happy. Michael (Andretti) gave me a good car to start off with. I felt really good about the day, and I was pretty comfortable in the car from the start. I thought that I would have more trouble adapting to the Dallara, but it was surprisingly easy. It's my first test with Andretti Green.
JAQUES LAZIER (Johns
Manville Dallara/Chevrolet/Firestone): “It is obviously the first test
of the year, and I’m pleasantly surprised with everything. Obviously
we’re trying to get a grasp of the Dallara chassis before we can begin
to even worry about maximizing it for the engine. All things said and
done, I think we came out of the box pretty strong. I like the chassis
all together. It’s going to be an awesome chassis to race with. That’s
probably its strongest suit. It’s going to be a strong race car. We’re
just trying to get it as consistent as possible. Right now I’m very,
very happy with it. I’m happy with the Chevrolet motor, as well. I
think all things said and done, with a day and half of testing, we’re
further along that I thought we’d be in three days. We just need to
continue this momentum, and we’ll be were we need to be at the end of
the weekend.”
BUDDY RICE (Red Bull Cheever Racing Dallara/Chevrolet/Firestone): “For
the first day of testing, it’s gone really well. We’ve achieved what
we wanted to. We’re quite happy right now. The Chevy program is going
excellent. It’s seems like they’re on pace for power and reliability.
Obviously, we’re on pace right now with our Dallara chassis. We’re
really happy with everything that’s going on. So we’re just going to
try to keep striding forward and try to get ready for the Test in the
West, and we’re just trying to get good data here for when we come
back here for the race in Homestead.”
TOMAS SCHECKTER (Target Chip Ganassi Racing G Force/Toyota/Firestone):
“Everything so far on the G Force/Toyota is going well. It’s gone well
for me. We’re just working at it and making changes. We’re just
finding what the car does when we do certain changes to it, and I
think we’re just going to carry that onto tomorrow so we get a good
base for the next time we come here when it’s an official (Open)
test.”
SCOTT SHARP (Delphi Dallara/Toyota/Firestone): “It’s great to be back
in the car. It took a little while to get used to. There’s so much
different. It’s the first time I’ve driven the Toyota engine, which
was awesome. It was so smooth. From a smoothness standpoint, it was
incredible. There was a lot of good response, and I was really
impressed. It took a little getting used to that. The new car from
Dallara is significantly different. The Kelley team had a great plan
to run me at the end for just a little bit time just to get somewhat
acclimated so that we can have as much productivity as possible
tomorrow.” (About running a 2003 chassis and engine combination): “For
us significant, because we’ve got a new car that Dallara has been
pretty radical about. We’ve got a new engine, and we’ve got basically
a lot of new people with a new set up on the car. So, it’s like a
whole new deal. So you really can’t compare.
AL UNSER JR. (Corteco/Bryant
Dallara/Toyota/Firestone): “So far, the main difference is the engine
– going from the Chevy to the Toyota. The Toyota has great power, and
the electronics on it are super. I'm really impressed with the way the
Toyota is running. We are looking at the competition for sure. That is
what we are racing against. The level has gone up again this year,
with the Andretti team coming in, Target running a full season again,
Honda and Toyota. The big manufacturers have made it more competitive
than it ever has been. So this season, by far, is going to be the
closest and most competitive of all.”
BRIAN BARNHART (Senior Vice President of Operations, Indy Racing
League): “I’m very pleased with the progress of the Dallara and Panoz
G Force chassis, and we are excited about the performance of the
Toyota, Chevrolet and Honda engines. All of the engine manufacturers
and chassis manufacturers have created extremely competitive packages.
XTRAC also has produced a solid new gearbox as evidenced by no
mechanical failures or reliability issues. The new chassis-engine
package will ensure a competitive environment for the 2003 and future
IRL Indy Car Series seasons.”
JOHN BARNES (Co-owner, Pennzoil Panther Racing): “It’s a learning
experience. We really didn’t have a lot of time to make changes we
wanted to the car when we got it. We just running the car as a basic
car and learning what it likes and then will get home with it, and we
change the things we’d like to have changed had we had the time to
make the changes. The level of competition goes up every year; it has
since 1996. We’ll see – it’s out intention to do what we’ve done.”
TIM CINDRIC (President, Penske Racing): “It is quite a bit different
for us, so we are just trying to understand what we have. We’ve been
running the Toyota engine now for four or five months. So we have a
pretty good idea of what that is, but the car itself, we have very
limited data. It is good to come out with everyone else and see how
you stack up, but it is a little early maybe to understand if you are
fast or not fast. The wind was blowing down the backstretch pretty
good. Turns 3 and 4 were definitely more difficult than Turns 1 and 2.
As more cars ran, more and more grip gets in the track. It will be
more like a race weekend when we come back for the Open Test. We love
it here. With our two drivers based here, it is an advantage for them,
as well. Hopefully the city of Miami will recognize what we do. I
think the more people that do come will come back, for sure.”
MIKE HULL (Team manager, Target Chip Ganassi Racing): “We feel like
we’re certainly ready to race in 2003 with both Target cars. We had a
good test with our G Force car at Texas right before Christmas
holiday, so this is our second time out with the car. It’s good, it
responds to change, it seems to like the racetrack, so we like the
car. I think the way 2003 works is the same way 2002 works. The
chassis manufacturers and the race teams take the rules they’re
presented and just try to make the most out of it each day. Each day
is a new day, and you work hard each day.”
MAX JONES (Team manager, Red Bull Cheever Racing): “For the first day,
I think it is going really well. We made a lot of headway. We probably
still need another day or so to get it sorted out. I’m impressed with
everything so far.” (About new role with Red Bull Cheever Racing): “It
is a big adjustment, going from stock cars and road racing. The IRL
cars are a lot different, but I’m enjoying it. It is a steep learning
curve for me.”
BUTCH MEYER (General Manager, Team Menard): “The ‘03 equipment is a
lot better. We are running faster. We are running less rpm in the
engine, but we are still running as fast as we did last year. The
Chevy engine, even though only it is turning 10,3 (10,300 rpm) we are
going to end up making more power than we did turning 10,7 (10,700
rpm). With the new car being slipperier, better aerodynamics and
everything, the '03 formula is a good formula.”
TONY COTMAN (Team manager, Andretti Green Racing): "We came down here
for Michael’s (Andretti) and Tony’s (Kanaan) first time to be in the
new car. Obviously, for the team, it is a pretty new experience.
Dallara has made a beautiful new car this year. Basically, we are just
down here pounding around to see what we can do. We are happy with how
the two days went. We are very, very happy with the Honda engine. For
the first test everything is very good. Everything went according to
plan.”
STEVE NEWEY (Vice president of racing operations, Kelley Racing): “I
think everything is going very well so far. We had a couple of
teething problems yesterday, but the afternoon and really all day
today we had a good day. We had a couple hundred miles today, and
Scott (Sharp) got in the car at the end of the day and is really
excited about the car, and the car felt very good to him. The Toyota
engine is very, very smooth. He’s very impressed with the engine. So,
all in all it’s a very positive day for Kelley Racing. The competition
is going to be amazing. I think the level of competition is such that
there is any one of a dozen drivers or more that can win the race
every weekend. It’s makes our job difficult because the competition is
so deep, but that’s what the show is all about, and that’s what this
series is all about. I think each team has their work cut out for them
to put the best car out on the racetrack every Sunday.
PETER PARROTT (Team manager, Mo Nunn Racing): “The new equipment is
certainly a plus over the ‘02 equipment. It is early yet, obviously.
We haven’t done many miles. We are still feeling our way with the new
car. Until we get it to how we like it, then we can better assess. The
season is going to be very exciting. More teams are coming in, a lot
of very competitive teams. You can already see that. So I think it
will be a very interesting start of the season. It is about who has
done the most homework.”
SCOTT ROEMBKE (Chief operating officer, Team Rahal): “We’re really
pleased with the way the first test went. It’s a brand-new car and a
new motor program for us. Really, our IRL experience last year was
pretty limited, so it’s a whole new ballgame for the company, but
we’ve got some good guys on the team and having Kenny (Brack) here to
sort through it. So, we’re really pleased. We ran two days without any
hiccups, and we learned a lot about where we’re going.”
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