CART: Walker Racing Miller Lite 200 Race Preview, Mid Ohio
12 August 1999
What: MILLER LITE 200Round Fourteenth of the 20-races FedEx Championship Series for the PPG Cup
When: Sunday, August 15th, 1999 at 2:30 PM ET.
Where: The Mid-Ohio Sports Road Course lies 10 miles to the SW of Mansfield, which is situated on interstate 71, about 70 miles SW of Cleveland and 60 miles NE of Columbus in Ohio.
Derrick Walker: Team Owner: "High hopes for this event, both Gil and Naoki have tested there and some we feel we know the best starting point. Mid Ohio is also, I think, a last chance to stay in the hunt. No points scoring race would put us out of reach of challenging for the PPG cup. Pressure is on!"
The Circuit: Often regarded as North America's best road course, the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is a very technically and physically demanding, classic racetrack. The track, set in picturesque, rolling countryside near Lexington, has everything to challenge the driver: long curves, right off-camber corners, long straights, and lots of hills. It was built in 1962 but bought in 1981 by the late Jim Trueman, In his family's hands, the circuit has been considerably improved through widening and resurfacing.
Distance: 187.414 miles - 83 laps
Type of track: 2.258 mile - 13 turns permanent road course
Track width is 40' Pit lane is 40' wide
28 pits Pit lane is 1,160' long
3 garages, totaling 28 stalls
1999 Improvements:
4,500' of debris fencing added around the racing circuit
1,500' of existing debris fencing raised in height around the track
14-stall paddock garage with spectator balcony reconstructed
1998 Champion : Adrian Fernandez
Defending Polesitter: Dario Franchitti
Track Records:
Qualifying (one lap):1998, Dario Franchitti 123.766 mph 1:05.679
time
Race - 1994, Al Unser Jr., 110.770 mph
Broadcast: ESPN2 CART Qualifying 8:00 PM - (08/14)Saturday ESPN2 CART Qualifying 12:00 AM early Sunday (08/14)Saturday ESPN2 CART 2Day 11:00 AM - (08/15)Sunday WYXZ98.7AM CART Radio 2:30 PM Local - (08/15)Sunday ESPN CART Race 3:30 PM ET - (08/15)Sunday EuroSport CART Race 20:30 GMT - (08/15)Sunday ESPN CART Replay 3:00 PM ET (08/17)Tuesday FedEx Championship Series Points (after 13 of 20 races): 1. Dario Franchitti - 136 2. Juan Montoya - 131 3. Michael Andretti - 119 4. Paul Tracy - 106 5. Christian Fittipaldi - 101 6. Greg Moore - 95 7. Adrian Fernandez - 95 8. Gil de Ferran - 88 9. Max Papis - 68 10. Tony Kanaan - 62 11. Jimmy Vasser - 54
Mid-Ohio " Fast Facts"
Road course
Greatest variety of corners. Limit on top speed of 185-190 mph.
The Setup
Most difficult type of circuit to set up a car for, because there is such
a
wide speed range: 65- to 145-mph corners.
Mechanical grip: springing, ride height and road control are extremely important.
The Driving Style
You must be as aggressive as possible in the low-speed corners, but change
your technique to be very smooth when you go faster
GIL DE FERRAN # 5 VALVOLINE/CUMMINS - HONDA/REYNARD/GOODYEAR
RACE PREVIEW: MID-OHIO
De Ferran is 8th in the PPG Cup standings with 88 points; has finished on the podium in four races, including a victory at Portland, runner-up effort at Motegi and Cleveland , third at Milwaukee. He also has qualified among the top three drivers for six events, including pole at Motegi and Toronto, second at Cleveland, third at Portland, Road America and Detroit.
Gil de Ferran: "We have tested quite a lot here and that can only help us. I am confident that we will have a strong showing this weekend. The focus will be fine-tuning the car and work toward a solid race set-up. I believe that starting position is important here, because sometimes you can get stuck in a bit of a traffic jam, and the closer you are to the front the better chance you have of avoiding that type of situation. The Mid-Ohio Course is one of the finest traditional road courses in America."
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