©1997 SpeedCenter Internet Publishing, Inc.
The ITT Automotive Detroit Grand Prix sees the PPG CART World Series returnto the road courses on one of the toughest temporary circuits in existence.The Raceway on Belle Isle places a premium on engineering and initial setup,as both Friday's and Saturday's qualifying sessions will, for the most part,determine how Sunday's race will be run.
Gualter Salles (driver, Indusval-Marlboro Reynard-Ford Cosworth):
- "Detroit isthe most precise street course we run on each year. Qualifying is veryimportant at Detroit because there are so few places where one can make asafe pass, so the farther up you start the better you will be placedthroughout the race. If you attempt to make a pass, you must be very certainyou can pull it off because the walls are everywhere and every turn will bevery slippery with the tire marbles building up.
"But for that reason, Detroit is a track that I like. All the street circuitshave their challenges and it's the challenges of Indy car racing that I like.You have to be so precise and correct and to not abuse your car, which I trynot to anywhere."
In last year's Firestone Indy Lights race, Salles qualified second and wasrunning second when he crashed. "Belle Isle is probably the most exacting ofall the street circuits on the PPG Cup series because there is so little roomfor error. It is a good track for a driver. I am looking forward to comingback because I did so well last year-qualifying second in Indy Lights-andbecause I think the new changes to the track will make the racing much betterfor the spectators and for the racers."
- "Belle Isle is always one of those races that'sa crapshoot. You never know what's going to happen until it does. Becausethere's few opportunities to pass, it's up to our crew to give Gualter thebest car possible for qualifying and then to make sure we keep him in a goodposition during the race.
"This is the type of track that suits Gualter perfectly. A good driver atDetroit needs to be meticulous and precise, both of which are qualities thatGualter has. There's not much room to pass and there's no margin for errorwhen they're racing. He's been there before and that's to his advantage also.
"From the engineering standpoint, Belle Isle is a study in compromise.There's flat surfaces, crowned roadways, pavement changes and lots and lotsof turns so you can't set up the car for just one type of racetrack. If youdo, you'll be giving your driver a slow car for two-thirds of the circuit."
