News for March 14th 2010
Penske Drivers Lead IZOD IndyCar Pre-Season Test
Pre-season testing for the IZOD IndyCar Series concluded Thursday at Barber Motorsports Park with the trio of Penske drivers — Will Power, Helio Castroneves and Ryan Briscoe — leading the field after two days of running on the 2.3-mile road course located near Birmingham, Alabama. Temperatures in the mid-40s kept lap times about a second off those set in last year’s open test here, which also was headed by Power, and three teams — Dale Coyne Racing, Panther Racing and the new FAZZT organization — all elected to test instead test Sebring, Florida.
But the competition among the 21 drivers taking part at Barber was fierce, with the first 14 cars covered by less than one second, and just 1.6 seconds between first and 19th in the field. The 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series opens March 14 with the Sao Paulo Indy 300 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Will Power (#12 Penske Racing Honda) quickest in testing: “The track got quicker and quicker as more rubber was laid down and as everyone pushed harder and harder. The team did a great job and a 1-2-3 result is a great start for the season ahead. But you can already see just how incredibly competitive this season will be. There’s nothing between almost the entire field. It’s going to be an incredible year.”
Jack Spurney (General Manager, Honda Performance Development) on this week’s pre-season test: “The IZOD IndyCar Series has gotten the 2010 season off to a great start with this week’s test. Barber Motorsports Park is a beautiful circuit, and we had a nice-sized field of 21 drivers take part. Despite the cool weather on both days, the teams were able to get a lot of lap time in preparation for next month’s season-opening race in Brazil. We’re looking forward to returning here on April 11 for the race.”
Edited: March 14th, 2010
APR Motorsport Earns Top Five Finish at Continental Tire Challenge Homestead 200
Despite having to start from pit lane, Kevin Stadtlander and Josh Hurley in the #181 APR Volkswagen Mk V GTI finished fifth in Street Tuner class at the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Homestead 200.
In a weekend beset with racing woes, Stadtlander and Hurley’s performance was the team’s bright spot.
“What a great result,” Hurley said after the race, as reported in an APR press release. “Kevin opened up with an awesome stint and handed me a car that was ready to charge to the front. The crew also set it up perfectly for the conditions, so this result truly belongs to them.”
Stadtlander was equally pleased. “It’s always fun to charge from the back and the APR Volkswagen GTI was perfect for the task. I can’t wait for round three where we should be on track for a podium.”
After running well at Daytona only to finish back in the pack due to bad luck, APR brought its three-car assault to Homestead-Miami Speedway looking to erase those memories with a strong showing in both classes.
Mike Halpin and Mike Sweeney suffered a suspension failure which slowed the #171 car, but they still managed to finish 18th in class, bettering their Daytona performance.
“It’s a shame to finish back here,” Sweeney said as he exited the car. “The car was really good and the crew deserved a good result. We’ll just have to focus on getting a good finish at Barber; which is definitely in the cards seeing how Josh and Ian won and led flag to flag there last year. We’re not going to let a little bad luck get us down.”
Edited: March 14th, 2010