Saturday, February 02, 2008


Champ Car World Series Test #1--Sebring, 2008
14 Champ cars took times this morning during the first session of testing for the 2008 Champ Car World Series season at the 1.7 mile short course at Sebring International Raceway. Fastest early was Alex Figge of Pacific Coast Motorsports. The veteran Paul Tracy had fuel pump problems in the early session...but got those solved and was running when we left this afternoon. We'll talk with Tracy on this week's Race-Talk program about the test.
Most wags suggested that a sparse (10 or even fewer) field of cars would take advantage of the first test. Tracy talked with us about season expectations...you have to consider him as a dark horse behind favorite Justin Wilson (now with Newman Haas Lanigan Racing, along with Graham Rahal, who told me he's ready to contend for wins in 2008).
The series needs at least 18 cars to satisfy promoter requirements. The "formal" roll-out is slated for the series' Spring Training at Laguna Seca outside Monterey, California in March.
We've been fortunate to be down here in FL for the 24 Hours, ALMS test and now Champ Car test, while waiting for the festivities to begin at the World Center of Racing. Kevin "Happy" Harvick will be on a New York media blitz after the Super Bowl hoopla settles down...TV and radio appearances for the defending champion of the Daytona 500 before NASCAR's Media Day on February 7.

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