![]() source: pcmracing.com Progress Continues for PCM in Australia Alex Figge #29 Conrad Jupiters/DP01/Cosworth/Bridgestone Alex on qualifying: "I think we've made a lot of progress with the Conrad Jupiters car today. One of the things that makes Champ Car challenging is the lack of practice time to develop these cars as we sort of ran out of time today. "This is a tough track to learn and a tough track to set-up for but I love it and I love the challenge. We're not far off the other rookies, but we've been battling quite a bit of understeer. It's tough to get the car turned and on down the road. I am looking forward to keeping my head down tomorrow and doing a good job. "We're going to need to keep a qualifying pace in the race in order to make up some ground on the track, otherwise we'll just benefit from other's mistakes and I'd like to work my way up the field in the Conrad Jupiters car." Mario Dominguez #28 TECATE/DP01/Cosworth/Bridgestone Mario on qualifying: "This result is not what we were expecting with the TECATE car after running fifth this morning and in the top-seven most of the weekend. I was not able to maximize the Bridgestone Red tires. I tried really hard, but I think our set-up was not optimal for the red tires. "I am confident for our race tomorrow, I think if we have a good strategy and stay clear tomorrow; we can get the TECATE car back in the top-seven where we belong! With three podium finishes here in Australia in the last five years, this is my most successful track and I can think of nothing better than a repeat podium this year as we head into the final round at home in Mexico City." Tyler Tadevic, Team Director: "I think the team has done a great job this weekend. Both Alex and Mario have made a lot of progress and done a good job. It is not easy coming here as a rookie team, it's a tough place. Mario was fifth quick this morning, our best session of the year. We were hoping for something similar in qualifying but we missed it with the reds, I don't think we were able to compensate him with a good set-up on the red tires." ![]() source: minarditeamusa.com TOP TEN QUALIFICATION FOR CLARKE ON THE GOLD COAST It was not the best result for Minardi Team USA drivers Robert Doornbos and 'Speedy' Dan Clarke in today's second round of qualifications at the Lexmark Indy 300 but both are looking to the race tomorrow, in which anything can happen. Dan will start the race in tenth position, and Robert in fourteenth. 'Speedy' Dan was indeed living up to the name this morning, as he was near the top of the charts for most of the hour and fifteen minute practice. He ended the session prematurely due to a gearbox gremlin, and ended up eighth fastest. The Englishman and his crew were feeling confident for qualifying this afternoon, looking to improve on yesterday's eleventh place run, but unfortunately didn't get the result they had hoped for. Despite the starting position, Dan is happy with his car, and likes his chance for a strong finish tomorrow. With clever strategy and consistent driving, anything is possible in the race. 'Speedy' Dan Clarke 91.413 seconds "It's frustrating because we were doing great today. The car had too much grip on the last lap and I made a couple of mistakes. I know we have a good race car, however, and all the guys did a good job in spite of the gear box issues we've been having. We know we'll be okay for tomorrow, and we'll hopefully get a good result out of it." Dutchman Robert Doornbos has been uncharacteristically slow thus far in the weekend. Coming to grips with a new circuit, and fighting demons with the car set-up, Robert will have to battle his way through the field from the fourteenth spot on the grid in tomorrow's race. If anyone knows how to come from behind and challenge for the win, it is Robert. He came from last to capture the victory in San Jose, and with a little luck he can do it again. This talented driver has been nominated for the 2007 Autosport Award's Rookie of the Year title, which team-mate Dan Clarke was also nominated for last year. This nomination makes it two consecutive years the team has received this honor. Go to www.autosport.com to vote. Robert Doornbos 91.969 seconds "This is a great place to race, and a fantastic circuit, but I'm sure it would be even more fun if we were at the front. We've been chasing the car these past two events and we're definitely struggling here. We're usually quick on street courses so I'm a bit confused. It will be a long afternoon tomorrow, but hopefully the end result will be good." Keith Wiggins, Team Co-Owner "This track is always challenging as we know. In the early sessions today we were looking strong with Dan, and we worked toward getting both drivers up towards the front for qualifying. It just didn't come together for us today. We need to keep working and focus on the race tomorrow." ![]() source: conquestracing.com Nelson Philippe Will Start 13th for Tomorrow's Lexmark Indy 300 After two days of re-familiarization with the Champ Car World Series and coming to grips with the new DP01, Nelson Philippe (#34 Juniper Soul / Cosworth / DP01 / Bridgestone) will start 13th on the grid for tomorrow's Lexmark Indy 300. He and Conquest will be working to improve the package overnight and be looking forward to a mistake-free competitive race tomorrow. Nelson Philippe Quote "I'm pretty disappointed with our results today. I obviously had higher expectations for today's session," said Philippe. "Possibly they were just a bit too high for what would actually happen. This is my first race in a while and I'm still learning my way around the car so there was a lot to achieve over the past two days. I usually have good results during races and have been previously known as more of a racer than a qualifier. It will be important for us to run a clean race tomorrow and if we can do that I believe that we can end up with a really strong result." Eric Bachelart Quote "We probably underestimated the challenge we had to face coming into this event," said Eric Bachelart, Conquest Racing Team Owner. "This race track is known to be the toughest place of the circuit and all considered I feel that Nelson and the Team have done quite a good job so far this weekend. I know that Nelson will be solid in the race and as we have experienced so many times in Surfers, when comes race day, everything is possible." ![]() source: pkvracing.com ORIOL SERVIA QUALIFIES SECOND FOR PKV RACING IN TOMORROW'S LEXMARK INDY 300 CHAMP CAR GRAND PRIX PKV Racing qualified on the front row with Oriol Servia starting in second place while teammate Neel Jani places eighth for tomorrow's Lexmark Indy 300 Champ Car Grand Prix in Surfers Paradise, Queensland, Australia. Servia, #22 Pay By Touch PKV Racing Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone car, qualified with a fast lap of 90.693 seconds (110.946 mph) on the 2.795-mile, 12-turn street course. Jani, #21 Red Bull Gulfstream PKV Racing Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone entry, had a qualifying time of 91.281 seconds (110.231 mph) putting him on row #4. Servia started the day in the knowledge that he would be on the front row of the grid. Even with this in mind, the team worked hard during morning practice to improve the setup allowing him to continue being the fastest driver out there, posting a quick time of 91.225 seconds (110.299 mph) putting him top of the charts. During the 15-minute afternoon practice/warm-up, he was unable to create a fast lap due to two red flags, resulting in sixth place on the charts with a time of 93.535 seconds (107.575 mph). Qualifying began with another red flag six minutes in, causing Servia to sit in the pits and wait. Once green, he went out for his first stint of four laps on the primary (black) tires setting a time of 91.893 and placing him second. During the brief break, a quick change of ECU (Electronic Control Unit) and red tires, Servia went back out to challenge for pole position, however despite driving faster than yesterday he was unable to remain in pole and slipped back to second setting a time of 90.693 seconds (110.946 mph) Servia, has now qualified in the top-10 six times in 12 attempts with today's starting spot of second being his season's best. The 33-year-old resident of Miami, Florida currently sits sixth in the championship standings with 204 points, just five points out of fifth, 34 out of third and 39 out of second. So far this year he has finished in the top-10 in 10 of his 11 starts with four top-five showings including two podium performances (second at Long Beach and third at San Jose). "I am actually happy with the car, this morning the car was just perfect, easy to drive, fast and this afternoon was still good", Servia said. "In the first run we had some problems with the engine, it sounded like it was dirty, there was a lot of hesitation and we changed the ECU for the second run and it made it a little better but there was still some kind of problem, so we just have to solve it for tomorrow. The car feels great, we are on the front row so we have potential for tomorrow". Jani started the day in 5th on the provisional grid following yesterday's qualifying, with a time of 92.520 seconds (108.755 mph). During this morning's practice, Jani was unfortunate to have a spin on the first corner bringing out a red flag and preventing him from moving up the speed charts. He ended up in 12th place with a time of 93.069 seconds (108.113 mph). In the afternoon warm-up, Jani also suffered with the red flags, putting him in seventh place behind his team mate with a time of (93.686 seconds (107.401 mph). In the final qualifying, he waited till after the red flag, then using his first set of red tires began his first stint. He went six laps and recorded a time of 92.004 seconds putting him in 12th place. For his final run, Jani changed to another set of red tires and was able to gain four places on his final lap putting him up into eighth place, and bak into the top-10. He has now qualified in the top-10 a total of 11 times in 13 attempts with a best starting position of fourth at Houston and Assen. He is ninth in laps led (30) and third in both laps (923) and miles (2011.839) completed. The 23-year-old native of Jens, Switzerland has finished in the top-10 ten times in 12 races and is on a streak of eight consecutive top-10 finishes, including three podium performances (seconds at Toronto and San Jose and third in Cleveland). Jani is currently seventh in the championship standings, six points away from fifth, 35 from third and 40 from second. He also lies third in the Roshfrans Rookie of the Year race with 203 points. Jani commented on his qualifying position, "My first set of reds, I struggled a little bit and was unable to get a good lap. I also had quite a bit of under steer. On the second set it was a little better, the car felt more stable, I had a lot more front grip, but still for my driving style I will need a little more compliance in the front, we also need to find out why I am loosing some top speed. I need to attack the corners differently and that is where I struggle on this circuit quite a bit at the moment". ![]() source: teamaustraliamotorsport.com WILL POWER SCORES BACK-TO-BACK POLES ON THE GOLD COAST Team Australia Champ Car star Will Power has scored his second-consecutive Lexmark Indy 300 pole position in final qualifying for Round 13 of the Champ Car World Series on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia today. Power gave his team co-owner and countryman Craig Gore the best possible 'get well' present by beating the lap record for the Surfers Paradise street circuit that has stood for five years. Gore is at his Gold Coast home recovering from an inner ear operation earlier this week. The previous lap record on the Gold Coast was a 1:30.204 set by Brazil's Cristiano da Matta in 2002, eclipsed today by Power's #5 Aussie Vineyards Team Australia DP01, which scorched around the 4.47-kilometre circuit in a time of 1:30.054. This effort is Power's fourth pole position for the season, following on from poles in Las Vegas, Houston and Edmonton in Canada. Power's scored his debut pole position at last year's Lexmark Indy 300, making today's pole his fifth career Champ Car pole. Amazingly, Power smashed the time that earned him pole for last year's race, with the Toowoomba driver's new-for-2007 Team Australia DP01 Champ Car well quicker than the 1:31.403 that gave Power pole for last year's event. The 26-year-old was second fastest by the narrowest of margins in yesterday's opening qualifying but put the rest of the Champ Car field on notice today, over six tenths of a second quicker than second-fastest driver Paul Tracy. Power went to the top of the qualifying timesheets by beating Oriol Servia's time from yesterday halfway through the 30-minute session on the set of softer 'red' Bridgestone tyres that he also used in yesterday's session. With just under 10 minutes remaining in the session Power returned to the circuit on a brand new set of the 'red' tyres. The proud Aussie soon brought his home crowd to its feet with a sensational lap that had his car using every millimetre of the demanding street circuit. Power later said that his four flying laps on the new tyres were the hardest four laps of his career to date. Efforts by Paul Tracy and Sebastien Bourdais to topple the time in the dying stages of final qualifying, bringing a cheer from Power, who at the end of the session was already watching the timing screens with Team Australia co-owner Derrick Walker and the crew on the pit wall. Soon after the post-qualifying press conference Power was on the phone to Gore, the two agreeing that today's effort is the perfect lead-up to the 'real job' in tomorrow's race. Power's team-mate Simon Pagenaud also performed admirably on the Gold Coast today, driving the #15 Aussie Vineyards Team Australia DP01 to sixth fastest. The effort made the Frenchman the fastest rookie and made Team Australia the only team that will have both its cars start tomorrow's Lexmark Indy 300 from the first three rows on the grid. Will Power - #5 Aussie Vineyards Team Australia DP01 "It was a great job by the team today," said Power. "But we are not getting too excited because it's a long race. "I haven't spoken to Craig Gore yet but no doubt I will soon. I think he'll be pretty happy. He'll be a lot happier if I win the race. "That's probably the hardest four laps I've ever done in my life. I pushed super-hard because I knew we had the car to do it. "I just had to get the lap together. I was even on a quicker one in the last lap, but (Mario) Dominguez blocked me. "I think the key to tomorrow is to get a good start. We have a really good race car and it was very strong in practice early today. We practiced with full fuel loads and everything. So I'm looking forward to tomorrow. We just have a good strategy and get it done. "Yeah, it's a very small part of the weekend, qualifying. We've got to get the race right this time and win it. "We'll just be conservative with our Power-to-Pass. I think if you get out in the lead, you have a really quick car, you don't Power-to-Pass. It's only when someone attacks you, if you have someone slower in front of you or you need to pass someone. "It would be nice to lead away and control the race from the front but Champ Car racing is pretty mixed up, especially this year with the way the yellows have fallen. You can have a perfect strategy, but if the yellows don't go your way, you don't get the right fuel strategy, you can end up absolutely nowhere. "I must say it is easier when you're leading because you have control whether to come in or not to come in. But, yeah, it's a long day tomorrow. "I look forward to this part of the weekend when I actually get to jump in the car. I'm hoping I'll sleep well tonight and be fresh for tomorrow. "There is probably a lot of expectation after last year and also how well we've done this year. You know, that adds a little bit of pressure. I perform well under pressure all the time. Ask Derrick Walker, he knows. He always winds me up if I'm starting to feel comfortable. "Because our team and myself are such a big part of this event, I really feel the atmosphere. Out of all the races you do all year, no matter who you ask in the paddock, they all say this is the best race. "I mean, it's right on a beach, it's a very difficult circuit for drivers. You ask any of the rookies, they say it's the toughest street circuit they've ever been to. It's unforgiving. It's a great event." Simon Pagenaud - #15 Aussie Vineyards Team Australia DP01 "Today was a much better today than it was yesterday," said Pagenaud. "I feel like I tried really hard today and I gained time everywhere. It's such a tough track, but my Aussie Vineyards car did really well and my #15 Team Australia crew has been the best. "We have been great at saving fuel and I think we can save good fuel during the race and jump on the podium. You can expect a good result from us and I'm quite happy with P6 and it's great to be in front of all the rookies. "I want to say hi to Craig and wish he could be here and want to let him know we wish him a quick recovery." Derrick Walker - Team Australia Co-Owner "Well it's half the mission accomplished, tomorrow's the big one," said Walker. "I think it's fair to say Will, Simon and the team are as well prepared as they've ever been for any race. "I feel very comfortable that we have done what we need to get where we are. Big job tomorrow, but I think we are up to it. "If we get some lucky breaks and Power-to-Pass doesn't become too much of a disadvantage for us, then I say we should be running up there with a chance of winning. "I haven't seen or spoken to Craig since I've been at the track, but I have to think if he's not crying with joy I would be very surprised. This race is a part of his dream with this program and I'm sure he's lapping it up just as much as I am. "I wish him a speedy recovery to come here and get as much out of it as I am right now." Craig Gore - Team Australia Co-Owner "We have unfinished business - it ain't done yet," said Gore. "We got the pole last year and did not win the race. "This year Derrick and the team have worked tirelessly for this race with just one thought in mine - getting the job done." ![]() source: rocketsportsracing.com After little, to almost no, time on track during Friday's kick-off Champ Car activities for the Lexmark Indy 300, Rocketsports Racing was able to rebound by getting in quality track time and a suitable car for the final round of qualifying today in Surfers Paradise, Australia. This morning's practice session saw Alex Tagliani, Rocketsports driver of the #8 PBS Equities/Rocketsports Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone, get the track time he was desperately looking for. The French Canadian was able to complete 25 laps in just one session, compared to a rough day on-track yesterday when he completed a total of 18 laps, 11 timed. He rounded out the top ten after this morning's practice, with a time of 1:32.632 (108.623 mph/174.812 km/h), sitting tenth overall. The final round of qualifying allotted each driver to have a maximum of 15 qualifying laps. Tagliani completed 13 laps during the 35-minute qualifying segment this afternoon. He started his first run on black Bridgestone Potenza tires, while switching to the softer Bridgestone Reds for his last stint. In just two laps this afternoon, Tagliani sat P3. Heading out early seemed to be of an advantage, but a red flag would come out in the middle of his first run. When the track went green again, Tagliani went back out to finish his first stint, which consisted of seven laps. With just about eight minutes to go, the Rocketsports driver was back on track to finish his qualifying run. He posted his fastest time of 1:31.664 (109.770 mph) on his 11th lap, which was only good enough to place him 11th on the grid. Tagliani will attempt to make his 130th start when he takes the green flag in Australia. This weekend will mark his eighth start on the streets of Surfers Paradise. It will be the fifth start for the Rocketsports team Down Under. Alex Tagliani #8 PBS Equities/Rocketsports Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone "It was actually a pretty good day for us. We improved quite a bit. I think that we are still struggling a little bit with the overall balance and grip of the #8 Rocketsports car. It seems that we get to the limit pretty quickly because every time we try to push a little bit harder the rear steps out. It is rear locking, and basically the limit factor for us is to brake a little bit deeper and let the car roll at a higher speed into the corner. "We made a big chunk of progress; we have a little bit more to make. Considering that we lost basically almost all day on Friday, I think we did alright today. We are definitely lacking a little bit on the grip side of the car for this particular track, but if we can make improvements and we can get a car that is reasonable, along with a good race strategy, I think that we can have a pretty good race and bring home a reasonable finish."
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