Rocketsports Champ Car drivers Alex Tagliani and Guy Smith qualified ninth and 18th respectively, in the first qualifying session for the Lexmark Indy 300 in Surfers Paradise, Australia.

Tagliani qualified among the top-ten with a time of 1:35.258 (105.629 mph or 169.993 km/h). "The No.8 Johnson Control car was fast out of the box and has good potential," said Tagliani, who currently ranks fifth in the Champ Car World Series points battle. "I flat-spotted the right front tire and lost some time toward the end of the session, putting us in ninth position today. We're looking for more bite on the track and will continue to tweak the car for a stronger finish tomorrow."

Guy Smith in the No 17 Rocketsports Lola qualified 18th and posted a time of 1:38.897 (101.742 mph or 163.738 km/h). "This is my first time on the Surfers street course. It's an exciting, busy track and it's been a steep learning curve," said Smith. "I had some shifting problems, so I didn't qualify as strong as I had hoped, but I expect the next session will be better."

Catch Smith and Tagliani in the Lexmark Indy 300 on Spike TV at 4:00 PM (EST) on Sunday, October 24, 2004.