Pruett Again Sets The Pace At
Mid-Ohio Open Test
Scott Pruett continued to pace the field Wednesday on the second and final day of IndyCar's open test at Mid-Ohio Sports Course.The test was being held in advance of the Aug. 11 Miller 200 PPG Indy Car World Series event at the 2.25-mile, 13-turn Mid-Ohio road course. Nineteen teams participated.
Pruett, driving the Firestone Patrick Racing Lola Ford, was clocked at one minute, 8.966 seconds (117.449 mph) on his quickest circuit of the track on Wednesday morning. He bettered his Tuesday lap of one minute, 9.564 seconds (116.440 mph) which was the top lap of that day. Pruett barely edged Shell Team Rahal driver Bryan Herta who turned a lap of one minute, 8.968 seconds (117.446 mph) with just minutes remaining in the final practice session Wednesday afternoon.
Target/Chip Ganassi Racing's Alex Zanardi, who turned a Wednesday morning lap of one minute, 9.002 seconds in a Reynard Honda, joined Pruett and Herta as the only drivers to crack the 117 mph barrier during the test. Al Unser Jr.'s lap of one minute, 7.773 seconds (119.517 mph) set here in 1994 is the track record.
Both days of the test were hampered by sporadic rain showers although generally sunny conditions made the track dry quickly. The longest period of rain came on Tuesday afternoon, and three teams tried some wet weather set-ups including Jeff Krosnoff in the MCI Reynard Toyota, Juan Manuel Fangio II, in an All American Racers Eagle Toyota and Andre Ribeiro in the LCI International Lola Honda from the Tasman Motorsports Group.
Unser is the two-time defending Miller 200 champion, having won last year's event at an average speed of 107.110 mph. His 1994 average of 110.387 mph is the Mid-Ohio race record.
Mid-Ohio Open Test - Combined Times (Laps shown are each competitors best from the two day session):
1. Scott Pruett Firestone/Patrick Racing Lola Ford 68.966 = 117.449 mph 2. Bryan Herta Shell Team Rahal Reynard Mercedes-Benz 68.968 = 117.446 mph 3. Alex Zanardi Target Chip Ganassi Racing Reynard Honda 69.002 = 117.388 mph 4. Greg Moore Player's Forsythe Racing Reynard Mercedes-Benz 69.406 = 116.705 mph 5. Parker Johnstone Motorola/Brix Comptech Reynard Honda 69.654 = 116.289 mph 6. Mauricio Gugelmin Hollywood/PacWest Racing Reynard Ford 69.683 = 116.241 mph 7. Bobby Rahal Miller Reynard Mercedes-Benz 69.691 = 116.227 mph 8. Raul Boesel Brahma Sport Reynard Ford 69.823 = 116.008 mph 9. Paul Tracy Marlboro Penske Mercedes-Benz 69.824 = 116.006 mph 10. Adrian Fernandez Tecate/Quaker State/Tasman Lola Honda 69.944 = 115.807 mph 11. Robby Gordon Valvoline Walker Racing Reynard Ford 69.958 = 115.784 mph 12. Andre Ribeiro LCI International/Tasman Lola Honda 70.359 = 115.124 mph 13. Mark Blundell Visa/PacWest Racing Reynard Ford 70.407 = 115.045 mph 14. Al Unser Jr. Marlboro Penske Mercedes-Benz 70.474 = 114.936 mph 15. Eddie Lawson Delco Electronics/Galles Lola Mercedes-Benz 71.283 = 113.632 mph 16. Jeff Krosnoff MCI/Arciero Wells Reynard Toyota 71.369 = 113.495 mph 17. Roberto Moreno Data Control/Payton Coyne Lola Ford 71.490 = 113.303 mph 18. PJ Jones All American Racers Eagle Toyota 72.289 = 112.050 mph 19. Juan Fangio II All American Racers Eagle Toyota 72.960 = 111.020 mphSource: IndyCar Media News Service
