Although Target/Chip Ganassi Racing was the main headline maker at a pair of official CART test events in the last three weeks, the PacWest Racing Group and team driver Mauricio Gugelmin have been running strong.

At both CART Spring Training at the Metro-Dade Homestead Motorsports Complex in Florida (January 30 - February 1) and CART's open test at California's Laguna Seca Raceway (February 15 - 16), Gugelmin was the fastest non-Ganassi entry. Slightly slower than only Vasser and Zanardi, "Big Mo" turned in the third fastest time of the three-day session at Homestead. At Laguna Seca, Gugelmin drove his No. 17 Hollywood/Reynard Mercedes-Benz to the second-fastest lap of the two-day practice behind Zanardi.

"My frame of mind is really strong," Gugelmin says. "I don't recall having such a strong, positive feeling for years — maybe since Formula 3 in 1985 (when Gugelmin won the championship). We have a good shot at winning not only at Homestead, but at every track on the schedule."

Several factors may be contributing to the team's strong performance. The first is the off-season acquisition of Mercedes-Benz engines and Firestone tires which PacWest runs on the latest Reynard chassis, the team's race car of choice since 1995.

The new combination may be a winning one. Mercedes appears to have gained some ground on Honda while Reynard and Firestone have proven they have winning products the last two PPG Cup seasons.

"I'm very impressed with the work the team has done so far," Gugelmin says, "and also Mercedes, Firestone and Reynard. I think our combination will be very efficient this year."

Other reasons for the team's success may be continuity and experience. PacWest and Gugelmin are entering their third year together while the team is preparing for its fourth season of full-time CART competition.

"The first win will make people aware that PacWest is really arriving," Gugelmin says. "We've been solid, but now we have to mature. We have to be very consistent at the front every week to earn that solid image that Ganassi started to get last year. I can see PacWest as the next team to do that."

PacWest has also acquired the vast experience of new technical director Allen McDonald who had most recently been with Tom Walkinshaw Racing's Formula One efforts. McDonald will oversee technical operations of the PacWest team while former technical chief Alan Mertens will place his focus completely on Galmer Engineering. Galmer will continue to develop special components for the PacWest team.

Gugelmin's second-year teammate Mark Blundell also showed well in testing despite a heavy accident at Homestead which left him sore but uninjured. This season will see him behind the wheel of the No. 18 Motorola/Reynard Mercedes-Benz.

PacWest has completed its pre-season testing and is now preparing for the season-opening Grand Prix of Miami, presented by Toyota, at Homestead, March 2.

Source: CART News Service