CART Drivers Ready For IROC at Charlotte

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CART Drivers Ready For IROC at Charlotte
©1997 SpeedCenter Internet Publishing, Inc.
Unser, Vasser and Zanardi ready to bang fenders
Al Unser Jr., the International Race of Champions career leader with 11 victories, heads a trio of PPG CART World Series competitors who will be chasing the checkered flag in Friday's second IROC round at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.
Unser Jr. won the opening IROC round at Daytona International Speedway in February, giving him a leg up on the $225,000 first prize which goes to the one of 12 elite drivers who captures this season's 21st IROC championship.
IROC drivers compete in equally prepared Pontiac Firebird Trans Ams equipped with Goodyear Eagle radial tires. Following Friday's stop in Charlotte, the series continues on June 21 at the new California Speedway in Fontana before concluding July 27 at Michigan Speedway. The IROC season finale at Michigan is part of the support program for the U.S. 500 Presented by Toyota PPG CART World Series event, also July 27.
Unser Jr. is joined by defending PPG Cup champion Jimmy Vasser and PPG CART World Series Rookie of the Year Alex Zanardi in this year's select IROC field. Former series standout Robby Gordon also is a competitor, as are NASCAR Winston Cup regulars Terry Labonte, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Mark Martin, Dale Jarrett and Darrell Waltrip; defending NASCAR Busch Grand National series champion Randy LaJoie, and SCCA Trans-Am veteran Tom Kendall. Martin won IROC's 1996 debut at Charlotte, finishing 2.7 seconds ahead of Johnny Benson Jr.
As winner of the opening round of the series, Unser Jr. must start at the rear of the field when Friday's 67-lap (100.5 miles) second round takes the green flag at 9:30 p.m. ET. "At Charlotte, it's going to be very tough for me to do what I did at Daytona [where he started last and finished first] because it's so hard to pass on that track," said Unser Jr., who leads the IROC standings with 26 points, nine ahead of second-place Martin (17). "My main goal is to stay out of trouble, get to the finish and rack up some more points."
"Charlotte will be another track I don't know, so I'm looking forward to getting as many practice laps as I can," Vasser said. "Learning the track will be one challenge; racing on it at night will be another. The NASCAR drivers have that experience and I'm sure that will count for a lot."
Zanardi will be looking to make good use of the knowledge he acquired at Daytona, where he finished 10th. That finish places him third on the starting grid at Charlotte.
"I'm a little disappointed," he said of that showing, "but before the race, I had no idea if I'd even be able to keep up with them [his IROC rivals]. I'm not saying I've suddenly become a stock-car driver, but I feel I learned a lot and I did meet my two pre-race aims &3151; I had a lot of fun and I came out of it in one piece."
Source: CART News Service


		JUST RELEASED! — The Official Directory for CART Racing

		CART Drivers Ready For IROC at Charlotte ©1997 SpeedCenter Internet Publishing, Inc. Unser, Vasser and Zanardi ready to bang fenders Al Unser Jr., the International Race of Champions career leader with 11 victories, heads a trio of PPG CART World Series competitors who will be chasing the checkered flag in Friday's second IROC round at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. Unser Jr. won the opening IROC round at Daytona International Speedway in February, giving him a leg up on the $225,000 first prize which goes to the one of 12 elite drivers who captures this season's 21st IROC championship. IROC drivers compete in equally prepared Pontiac Firebird Trans Ams equipped with Goodyear Eagle radial tires. Following Friday's stop in Charlotte, the series continues on June 21 at the new California Speedway in Fontana before concluding July 27 at Michigan Speedway. The IROC season finale at Michigan is part of the support program for the U.S. 500 Presented by Toyota PPG CART World Series event, also July 27. Unser Jr. is joined by defending PPG Cup champion Jimmy Vasser and PPG CART World Series Rookie of the Year Alex Zanardi in this year's select IROC field. Former series standout Robby Gordon also is a competitor, as are NASCAR Winston Cup regulars Terry Labonte, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Mark Martin, Dale Jarrett and Darrell Waltrip; defending NASCAR Busch Grand National series champion Randy LaJoie, and SCCA Trans-Am veteran Tom Kendall. Martin won IROC's 1996 debut at Charlotte, finishing 2.7 seconds ahead of Johnny Benson Jr. As winner of the opening round of the series, Unser Jr. must start at the rear of the field when Friday's 67-lap (100.5 miles) second round takes the green flag at 9:30 p.m. ET. "At Charlotte, it's going to be very tough for me to do what I did at Daytona [where he started last and finished first] because it's so hard to pass on that track," said Unser Jr., who leads the IROC standings with 26 points, nine ahead of second-place Martin (17). "My main goal is to stay out of trouble, get to the finish and rack up some more points." "Charlotte will be another track I don't know, so I'm looking forward to getting as many practice laps as I can," Vasser said. "Learning the track will be one challenge; racing on it at night will be another. The NASCAR drivers have that experience and I'm sure that will count for a lot." Zanardi will be looking to make good use of the knowledge he acquired at Daytona, where he finished 10th. That finish places him third on the starting grid at Charlotte. "I'm a little disappointed," he said of that showing, "but before the race, I had no idea if I'd even be able to keep up with them [his IROC rivals]. I'm not saying I've suddenly become a stock-car driver, but I feel I learned a lot and I did meet my two pre-race aims &3151; I had a lot of fun and I came out of it in one piece." Source: CART News Service