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Earlier thisweek, Precision Preparation Inc. (PPI) held a test session for anumber of young drivers at the Buttonwillow Raceway Park located nearBakersfield, Calif. The two-day test was a quest for owner Cal WellsIII to find new and talented open-wheel race car drivers.
"We are always looking for that Tiger Woods of motorsports," said CalWells III about why he invests the time and effort into providingthese test opportunities.
On Tuesday, Sept. 16, an Indy car test, sponsored by Toyota, was heldfor the 1997 KOOL/Toyota Atlantic Champion Alex Barron, the rookiewho won the series this year with five wins, four poles, and sixfastest laps. Barron drove the Arciero-Wells/MCI Racing Toyotadriven by Max Papis in the PPG CART World Series.
"Toyota's program of taking their feeder series champion, which isKOOL/Toyota Atlantic, and giving them the opportunity to run abig-bore, hot-rod, single seater is tremendous," said Cal Wells III. "I think that the champion of Atlantics deserves an opportunity. Since we have been given the responsibility of providing thisplatform for the Atlantic champion, it has allowed us to work withsome pretty neat guys and I get a lot out of that. Certainly,Patrick Carpentier last year was a lot of fun and very fast, and thisyear Alex Barron proved to be equally impressive."
The 25-year-old Vista, Calif. resident Alex Barron is a championshipgo-kart racer, who is in his second year of car racing. Working withArciero-Wells team manager Richard Buck, Barron posted 104 miles inhis first Indy car test, with a quick lap time of 1:05.24 on the2.14-mile Buttonwillow road course. Compared to the benchmark laptime of 1:04.62, posted by MCI Toyota driver Max Papis on Monday,Barron's results were impressive.
"I think Alex adapted extremely well to the Indy car," said RichardBuck. "Not only with the speed he adapted but his calmnessthroughout the day. I consider Alex a thinker. He has a very brightfuture in front of him. Today in Indy cars there is a lot of fastguys, but it takes a thinking man as well as being fast. Heexhibited that today. I am extremely happy with him."
"Today, I learned that I definitely want to do Indy car," said AlexBarron about his first CART test. "Jumping from Atlantic to the Indycar, I knew it was going to be a big jump but it actually feltcomfortable right away. When you're new to a car you have to goabout it in a technical way and make improvements throughout thewhole day without making any big mistakes because if you throw it offthe track when you are testing with a team for one day you can domore harm than good. That is how I approached it."
On Monday, Sept. 15, PPI tested two younger drivers, Alex Gurney andAnthony Simone, in the KOOL/Toyota Atlantic cars. MCI RacingAtlantic team manager, Nick Harvey, worked with both of these driversduring their first test with the 240-horsepower MCI Racing Atlanticcars.
"I am impressed with both of them," said Harvey. "Neither of themhave a great deal of experience and they have never driven a car withwings and slicks before. They both adapted quite well. Alex gotgoing very quickly. His feedback was good and he turned a reallyquick lap at the end of the day. Anthony is quite a bit younger andless experienced. His feedback is tremendous for a 17-year-old. Wewere able to make improvements technically with the car with thefeedback he gave us."
Alex Gurney, the youngest son of formula one and Indy car winner DanGurney, posted 165 miles in the MCI Racing Atlantic car, with a quicklap time of 1:19.7. Gurney currently competes in the Skip BarberMidwest Formula Dodge Series and has won nine of 12 events. Gurney,a 23-year-old Newport Beach, Calif. resident, was most recently namedas one of the finalist for the Team Green Academy.
"It has a lot more grip than I am used to," said Alex Gurney abouthis first experience in the Atlantic car. "I run a treaded tire andthis has a slick tire. I got a good workout on the neck through thefast corners. I had a good overall feeling of the car. I got up tospeed reasonably quick. I think I went faster than I thought Iwould. It's a great opportunity coming from doing what I do with theSkip Barber series. It's been unbelievable. A perfect day I think."
Posting 190 miles in the MCI Racing Atlantic car, 17-year-oldCanadian Anthony Simone recorded a quick lap time of 1:20.6. Anative of Aurora, Ontario, Simone currently leads the Dunlop/UnipneuFF1600 championship with two victories in his first season of racing.
"We started with a base line set-up and changed some stuff around,"said Simone about his Atlantic car test. "After I got comfortablewith the car it was good. It was really different than what I amused to, that's for sure."
Cal Wells' interest in developing young and talented drivers datesback to the early days of his off-road racing team when he workedwith drivers like Indy car winner Robby Gordon, who won the 1989Mickey Thompson off-road championship for PPI and Toyota, and NASCARchampion Jeff Gordon, who tested with Wells' off-road team. Now thatCal has ventured into open-wheel racing he is searching for newtalent.
"There are a lot of young guys I have had the pleasure of workingwith," said Wells. "I get tremendous satisfaction out of thatbecause I love this sport. It's just great to give them that shot,because if they are the right guy and they become committed to youand you become committed to them there is nothing more gratifying insports. We are very lucky to have Max Papis, with as talented as heis, but I am looking for someone to partner him in the future. Ayoung, passionate street fighter. I would like to be able to developthat from our own stock."