CART: Bryan Herta Notes and Quotes, Cleveland; Zanardi to test next week
3 July 2000
Posted By Terry
Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
Bryan Herta#55 Hollywood/Mo Nunn Racing Mercedes-Benz Reynard
Marconi Grand Prix of Cleveland
Round 9 of 20 on the 2000 CART FedEx Championship Series
Sunday, July 2, 2000 Race Notes/Quotes
At Burke Lakefront Airport Cleveland, Ohio
Bryan Herta brought the #55 Hollywood/Mo Nunn Racing Mercedes-Benz Reynard home in ninth place in todays Marconi Grand Prix of Cleveland and the Burke Lakefront Airport temporary road course. Herta, subbing for the second weekend in a row for the injured Tony Kanaan, started seventh but immediately dropped to the back of the pack after damaging his front wing in the midst of a massive pileup in the very first turn of the race. (Note: CART officials, for the first time ever today, narrowed the course with cones at Turn 1 for only the first turn of the first lap in an effort to prevent cars from going through six- and seven-wide.) After pitting to replace the wing, he emerged in 19th place, from where he methodically worked his way into the lead by Lap 42 of 100. He pitted for fuel and tires on Lap 43, and required extra time to make a rear wing adjustment. That dropped him back to 16th. He mounted a charge toward the front once again and finished the day in ninth place.
Roberto Moreno scored his first career CART victory today after securing his first career pole yesterday. The next stop on the tour is Round 10, the Molson Indy Toronto, on July 16.
BRYAN HERTA
"Ive got to say right off the bat that its tough sitting on your you-know-what for six weeks and come back to race two tough races like that back-to-back. But Ive also got to say that Im reasonably happy with the progress we made in all of six days in the car. We brought the car home in once piece today, although it looked for a moment that that wasnt going to be the case on that first turn. There was a lot going on there. I dont understand why they coned off the first turn like that. There was a lot going on there. Cars were all over the place, all bunched up and basically falling all over each other. They made things worse with the cones. Before, there was a lot of room to get through and it made for some very creative passing at the start of the race. I dont think it was a good idea, and we paid a price for it. So did a lot of other guys who were damaged or fell completely out of the race right then and there."
ZANARDI TO TEST HOLLYWOOD/MO NUNN RACING MERCEDES NEXT WEEK
To confirm published reports, two-time CART champion Alex Zanardi will test the #55 Hollywood/Mo Nunn Racing Mercedes-Benz Reynard next weekend at Sebring, Fla., in a private session that will not be open to the press. "The door has been open for Alex to come test with us all season long," said co-owner Morris Nunn, who engineered Zanardis 1997-98 championships at Target/Chip Ganassi Racing. "There are some very specific things that we need to take a look at in an effort to keep this program rolling along, and our regular driver (Tony Kanaan) is not available right now. Having worked with Alex in the past, I really am interested in his feedback on our engine and chassis package. Also, looking to the future in hopes of growing this team, we would like to keep Alex in the family in hopes that well run a second car beginning next year. If all goes well next weekend, and Alex is totally comfortable and agrees to it, we just might see him before Tony is fit to resume as our full-time driver."
Text provided by Laz Denes
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