Wilson and RuSPORT fastest at Fontana
source:
f1.racing-live.com
It has long been said that the curse of having
potential is the burden of having to eventually live up to it. Nowhere is that
adage more true than in the Champ Car World Series, but the second-year RuSPORT
squad with sophomore sensations Justin Wilson and A.J. Allmendinger appear ready
to answer the bell. The Colorado-based team showed a glimpse of its potential on
a sunny Wednesday in Fontana as Wilson put up the best time of the day, getting
around the 1.45-mile road course in a best time of 52.71 seconds.
"I think we have everything in place to be competitive this season," Wilson
said. "The team is doing a great job, we're all learning and building our
chemistry. We have the parts to be good, it is just a matter of putting all the
pieces together."
Tuesday's test leader Cristiano da Matta had another strong day, stopping the
clocks at 52.81, improving nearly a half-second over his best time from
Tuesday's session. Allmendinger was third with a 52.86 while Paul Tracy turned a
late lap of 52.91.
PKV Racing's Jimmy Vasser found some more speed after Tuesday's testing,
dropping his best time to 53.11. The revamped PKV squad is finding its legs
after the inclusion of general manager Jim McGee and Steve Krisiloff, and Vasser
believes that his team will be one of the ones to beat as the 2005 Bridgestone
Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford season gets rolling.
"We were definitely competitive at times out here today," Vasser said. "I
think Cristiano has been a great addition to the team and things are really
starting to work. I think Champ Car fans are going to see a whole new side of
PKV Racing this year."
As was the case yesterday, the first six cars were within six-tenths of a second
apart at the end of the session. Andrew Ranger tested for the second consecutive
day in the Mi-Jack Conquest Lola and improved to a best time of 53.30, just 0.59
seconds off the session- leading effort of Wilson. Ranger was denied a chance to
put up a quicker time at the end of the day when he suffered a punctured
Bridgestone Potenza just before the end of the session.
The close grouping of the times over the last two days of testing has many teams
and drivers brimming with optimism for the upcoming season, which gets underway
with the April 10 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.
"We're getting close on our program here at PKV Racing, but it's going to be a
tough deal because there are going to be a lot of strong cars," said Vasser.
"More than half the field is going to be very strong and fans are going to be
rewarded with a great championship because a lot of guys are going to have a
chance to win races."
Teams will hit the testing trail again at the end of the month with sessions
being held at Sebring and Fontana March 22-24.
Fontana - 09/03/05
1) Justin Wilson, RuSPORT - 52.71
2) Cristiano da Matta, PKV Racing - 52.81
3) A.J. Allmendinger, RuSPORT - 52.86
4) Paul Tracy, Forsythe Championship Racing - 52.91
5) Jimmy Vasser, PKV Racing - 53.11
6) Andrew Ranger, Mi-Jack/Conquest Racing - 53.30