Northern Light IRL: Ray eyes Miami pole after pacing practice

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

April 7, 2001

MIAMI -- Greg Ray showed the way Friday in practice for the Infiniti Grand Prix of Miami presented by 123.com Americatel at Homestead-Miami Speedway with a top speed of 198.166 mph.

If he captures the MBNA Pole Saturday in his No. 2 Johns Manville/Menards Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone, it will mark the 12th time he has started from the coveted inside front-row position in the last 19 Indy Racing Northern Light Series races. Over the last 21 races he has started lower than fourth only once, starting 17th last June at Texas Motor Speedway.

Ray's fast lap on the 1.5-mile oval came in the afternoon session following a 1-hour, 51-minute rain delay. Scott Sharp was second fastest overall at 197.740 in the No. 8 Delphi Automotive Systems Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone, turning his best lap in the morning minutes before the rain started.

"This morning we worked on our race setup," Ray said. "This afternoon we worked a bit on qualifying setup. This is a setup driver's track. You have to be on top of it every single lap.

"The beautiful thing about all the tracks that we're going to run on this year is variety. We've got short tracks, long tracks, flat tracks, banked tracks. It keeps everyone on their toes."

Sam Hornish Jr., winner of the season-opening race at Phoenix, was third overall with a speed of 197.670 in the No. 4 Pennzoil Panther Racing Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone. Next came Miami resident Eliseo Salazar at 197.244 in the No. 14 Harrah's A.J. Foyt Racing Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone. Mark Dismore, Sharp's Kelley Racing teammate, was fifth overall at 196.655 in the No. 28 Delphi Automotive Systems/Bryant Heating & Cooling Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone.

Hornish's speed also was recorded in the morning, while the last two were put on the board in the afternoon. Ray won the MBNA Pole at Phoenix and led 43 laps before engine woes sidelined him in 22nd place after 104 laps. He won five poles in nine races last season, and started from the top spot in the 2000 season opener at Walt Disney World Speedway when qualifying was rained out. He was awarded the position as the league's defending champion.

He has won three races from the pole - Pikes Peak twice in 1999 and Atlanta last year. Sharp, whose five victories are the most by any driver in the Indy Racing League, has not captured a pole since the season opener at Disney World on Jan. 24, 1999. His other pole came at Pikes Peak in 1997.

"I've really enjoyed running here, it's becoming one of my favorite tracks," Sharp said. "I'm really happy with Ilmor (engine builder). The longer we're with them the more success we'll have."

Text Provided By Paul Kelly

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