Race No. 8ITT Automotive Detroit Grand Prix
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MARK BLUNDELL | GIL DE FERRAN | ROBBY GORDON |
MAURICIO GUGELMIN | BRYAN HERTA | JEFF KROSNOFF |
BOBBY RAHAL | PAUL TRACY | AL UNSER JR |
#3 Marlboro Penske Mercedes | |
PAUL TRACY | |
"The car was running well at times in practice this morning, but we're still struggling with the setup. My car is loose at high speeds and is bouncing all over the track. It's real edgy and has gotten sideways, especially over the bridge. We're looking at some changes for tomorrow, and hopefully, we'll make gains on the overall balance of my Marlboro car." |
#2 Marlboro Penske Mercedes | |
AL UNSER, Jr. | |
"This morning in practice, we were trying to get the car's overall setup working better, especially through the corners. The changes we made from practice to qualifying didn't help us that much, because my Marlboro car is bouncing all over the place. Towards the end of the session, we found some things to make the car a little more comfortable, so I think we're going in the right direction." |
#21 PacWest Reynard Ford Cosworth | |
MARK BLUNDELL | |
"Right now, I've got nothing good to say about the car. There's no bite going into the turns and there's an incredible amount of push. Then, in the mid-corner and exit, the car goes loose. We didn't do a good job of anticipating what the track conditions would be like this afternoon, so we were off a bit. But, we should have a better read of the track by tomorrow." |
#8 Pennzoil Special Reynard Honda Hall Racing | |
GIL de FERRAN | |
"I think the track puts more emphasis on two things. Starting position and pit work are very important here." |
#28 Shell Reynard Mercedes-Benz Team Rahal | |
BRYAN HERTA | |
"The track was getting better as the session went on, but I got caught in traffic. Of course, that's always a complaint here at Belle Isle. The car was a little loose coming off the corners, and that didn't help my time. If the rain doesn't continue tonight and Saturday, I'm sure the track will improve for Saturday's qualifying. We'll have to adjust for the additional traction. We'll also use some of Bobby's experience from this place to help us with our setup." |
#5 Valvoline/Cummins/Craftsman Special Reynard Ford | |
ROBBY GORDON | |
"We made some changes just before qualifying. We made it a little better. Probably about 25 percent better. But, we still need to work on it. We're having some other problems, too. Basically, we have some sorting out to do with a few things. It wasn't the qualifying run that we wanted. Plus, I knew some guys would go quicker in the second session." |
#25 Arciero-Wells Racing Reynard Toyota | |
JEFF KROSNOFF | |
"It's a lot more fun in my IndyCar than my rental car. Our second session was much better. The car was better, and I was more comfortable. It's quite a fun circuit to drive, from a driving point of view. From a racing point of view, it will be tough, because there's not a lot of room to pass. I think there is room for improvement and we are going to go back right now and study the telemetry and have a think about it." |
#18 Miller Racing Reynard Mercedes-Benz Team Rahal | |
BOBBY RAHAL | |
"We came here to Detroit with an idea about our setup. Bryan [Herta] had a very good test at Mid-Ohio two weeks ago, and we learned quite a bit about the Reynard [chassis]. I think we've been a little behind with the car. But I feel comfortable with it now. You have to get a good rhythm here at Belle Isle. It's a tough place to drive. You must drive hard into the corners, but not too hard. Because those walls come up quickly. I thought I had a chance for pole today, but it's so easy to get caught up with other cars. Traffic is always a problem here. And passing isn't easy either." |
#17 Hollywood Reynard Ford | |
photo Mike Levitt | |
MAURICIO GUGELMIN | |
"I'm not really happy with our qualifying run. We ran out of fuel on my last lap, when I thought I had a pretty good run going. "It's almost like we had just a half-day on track because that first practice session was so confusing with that change in conditions. But we're close. The car is not too bad." |