source:
redbullcheeverracing.com
IndyCar Series open testing at Homestead-Miami Speedway came to a close today
with 20 cars chasing one another around the 1.5 mile oval. For Red Bull Cheever
Racing¹s Alex Barron and Patrick Carpentier it was three days of intense on
track preparation for the 2005 season.
Wednesday and Thursday kicked off the first days of open testing for the
2005 IndyCar Series teams. Drivers raced around the road course practicing their
right-hand turns before today¹s final day of testing on the oval.
Although he is no stranger to racing, today marked Carpentier¹s first
opportunity to run in traffic on the oval with the No. 83 Red Bull Cheever
Racing Toyota.
For me this was like my test in Sebring back in December,² Carpentier said.
I was able to get my feet wet and start to see how everything works. Now that I
understand more I can work with my engineers to make things better.²
Carpentier completed 101 laps with a fast speed of 212.206 mph. He was ranked
14th of the 20 drivers on track today.
For Barron, the team veteran, his day was all about adjustments and working with
a new teammate. He finished 19th with a top speed of 210.143 mph.
We were able to run all day and test a wide variety of car setups,² Barron said
of his 56 laps around the track today. From here we can return to Indianapolis,
analyze each one and try a few more in Phoenix. It wasn¹t a great day, but we
will be able to learn a lot from it.²
From Homestead, both men will head to Orlando for an intense week of physical
training before heading into the cockpit early next month for the open test at
Phoenix International Raceway, Feb. 9 and 10.