Vasser Fastest in Japan

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Vasser Fastest in Japan
©1997 SpeedCenter Internet Publishing, Inc.
11,000 attend CART test at TwinRing Motegi
Jimmy Vasser of Target/Chip Ganassi Racing concluded the inauguralChampionship Auto Racing Teams open test at the new Honda-owned TwinRing Motegi oval Sunday by recording a weekend-best lap of over 215miles per hour before a paid crowd of more than 11,000.
Vasser, driving a Target Reynard Honda, posted his top lap of 25.915seconds (215.180 mph) during the afternoon session on the 1.549-mileoval situated approximately 60 miles northeast of Tokyo. The laptopped the two-day open test's previous best of 214.485 mph (25.999seconds) set by Vasser in Sunday's morning session.
"The speeds are faster than expected," said Vasser, the 1996 PPG Cupchampion. "It's hard to tell yet with the track still green, but Ithink we might be able to get up to 220 [miles per hour]. The trackis very smooth and wide, and the times will only get better. It's agreat place and the width in the corners will allow side-by-sideracing. The fans will be the winners. It should be a great show."
The 14 CART drivers who participated are preparing for the inauguralrace at Twin Ring Motegi, the Budweiser 500k scheduled for Saturday,March 28.The Budweiser 500k, a points-paying event, will serve asRound 2 of the 19-race schedule in 1998. The season kicks off March15 with the Marlboro Grand Prix of Miami in Homestead, Fla.
Eleven drivers participated in Sunday's final day of testing and ran1,208 laps in the two three-hour sessions. Over the course of the twodays, 14 drivers completed 2,283 laps (3,536.367 miles) without anincident. Christian Fittipaldi (Kmart/Texaco/Havoline Swift Ford)logged the most laps of any driver over the two days with 253. Theopen test weekend was witnessed by a two-day paid attendance of morethan 17,000.
"This was the biggest crowd I have ever seen at a test," Team KOOLGreen driver Dario Franchitti said. "The fans here are veryenthusiastic and it was a great feeling. When the place is packed[for the Budweiser 500k], it will be tremendous. It will be a very,very good atmosphere."
Vasser was followed by Franchitti and Richie Hearn for the quickestlaps Sunday. Franchitti, making his debut at Twin Ring Motegi onSunday, ran a lap of 213.614 mph (26.105 seconds) in the KOOL ReynardHonda. Hearn was next at 212.986 mph (26.182 seconds) in theRalphs-Food 4 Less/Budweiser Swift Ford. The top three laps fromSunday's afternoon session also were the quickest of the weekend.
The drivers who participated in Sunday's sessions were (top lapspeeds in parentheses): Fittipaldi (Kmart/Texaco/Havoline Swift Ford,212.111 mph), Greg Moore (Player's/Indeck Reynard Mercedes, 211.788mph), Gil de Ferran (Valvoline/Cummins Special Reynard Honda, 210.573mph), Mark Blundell (Motorola PacWest Mercedes, 210.073 mph), AndreRibeiro (Marlboro Penske Mercedes, 209.867 mph), Hiro Matsushita(Panasonic Duskin Reynard Toyota, 206.243 mph), Juan Fangio II(Castrol Reynard Honda, 204.999 mph) and Max Papis (MCI ReynardToyota, 201.248 mph).
Source: CART News Service


		NOW AVAILABLE! — The Official Directory for CART Racing

		Vasser Fastest in Japan ©1997 SpeedCenter Internet Publishing, Inc. 11,000 attend CART test at TwinRing Motegi Jimmy Vasser of Target/Chip Ganassi Racing concluded the inauguralChampionship Auto Racing Teams open test at the new Honda-owned TwinRing Motegi oval Sunday by recording a weekend-best lap of over 215miles per hour before a paid crowd of more than 11,000. Vasser, driving a Target Reynard Honda, posted his top lap of 25.915seconds (215.180 mph) during the afternoon session on the 1.549-mileoval situated approximately 60 miles northeast of Tokyo. The laptopped the two-day open test's previous best of 214.485 mph (25.999seconds) set by Vasser in Sunday's morning session. "The speeds are faster than expected," said Vasser, the 1996 PPG Cupchampion. "It's hard to tell yet with the track still green, but Ithink we might be able to get up to 220 [miles per hour]. The trackis very smooth and wide, and the times will only get better. It's agreat place and the width in the corners will allow side-by-sideracing. The fans will be the winners. It should be a great show." The 14 CART drivers who participated are preparing for the inauguralrace at Twin Ring Motegi, the Budweiser 500k scheduled for Saturday,March 28.The Budweiser 500k, a points-paying event, will serve asRound 2 of the 19-race schedule in 1998. The season kicks off March15 with the Marlboro Grand Prix of Miami in Homestead, Fla. Eleven drivers participated in Sunday's final day of testing and ran1,208 laps in the two three-hour sessions. Over the course of the twodays, 14 drivers completed 2,283 laps (3,536.367 miles) without anincident. Christian Fittipaldi (Kmart/Texaco/Havoline Swift Ford)logged the most laps of any driver over the two days with 253. Theopen test weekend was witnessed by a two-day paid attendance of morethan 17,000. "This was the biggest crowd I have ever seen at a test," Team KOOLGreen driver Dario Franchitti said. "The fans here are veryenthusiastic and it was a great feeling. When the place is packed[for the Budweiser 500k], it will be tremendous. It will be a very,very good atmosphere." Vasser was followed by Franchitti and Richie Hearn for the quickestlaps Sunday. Franchitti, making his debut at Twin Ring Motegi onSunday, ran a lap of 213.614 mph (26.105 seconds) in the KOOL ReynardHonda. Hearn was next at 212.986 mph (26.182 seconds) in theRalphs-Food 4 Less/Budweiser Swift Ford. The top three laps fromSunday's afternoon session also were the quickest of the weekend. The drivers who participated in Sunday's sessions were (top lapspeeds in parentheses): Fittipaldi (Kmart/Texaco/Havoline Swift Ford,212.111 mph), Greg Moore (Player's/Indeck Reynard Mercedes, 211.788mph), Gil de Ferran (Valvoline/Cummins Special Reynard Honda, 210.573mph), Mark Blundell (Motorola PacWest Mercedes, 210.073 mph), AndreRibeiro (Marlboro Penske Mercedes, 209.867 mph), Hiro Matsushita(Panasonic Duskin Reynard Toyota, 206.243 mph), Juan Fangio II(Castrol Reynard Honda, 204.999 mph) and Max Papis (MCI ReynardToyota, 201.248 mph). Source: CART News Service