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USAC: IRL tests for Darland, Gamester and Coons slated at Texas March 22-24

29 February 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

The Pennzoil Panther Racing Team will continue its commitment to USAC's top open wheel talent March 22-24, offering Indy Racing League tests to Dave Darland, Russ Gamester and Jerry Coons, Jr. at the Texas Motor Speedway near Fort Worth.

Bad weather forced a postponement of the tests, originally scheduled late last year. The three drivers are expected to have an opportunity to take to the 2-mile Texas oval March 22-23 during pauses in the Firestone testing sessions, then have the entire day March 24 as part of a scheduled Pennzoil Panther test.

Darland earned his chance to participate by winning the 1999 Stoops Freightliner Sprint Car Championship, while Gamester finished second in the 1999 Coors Light Silver Bullet Series and Coons was third in the 1999 MCI WorldCom National Midget Car Series. Gamester and Coons were selected because drivers who finished ahead of them in their respective series already had completed IRL tests.

The car utilized in the March 22-24 tests will be Scott Goodyear's 1999 G-Force/Aurora/Firestone with which he won last year's 200-mile IRL race at Texas Motor Speedway.

Text provided by USAC

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