---

NorhternLight IRL: Ray fastest in opening Atlanta practice; Tight pack close behind

15 July 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

HAMPTON, Ga., -- Perennial fast guy Greg Ray showed the way in practice Thursday for Saturday nights Midas 500 Classic at Atlanta Motor Speedway by ripping off the days fastest lap of 213.616 mph.

But Frenchman Stephan Gregoire put his name in the hopper as one of the MBNA Pole contenders during qualifications Friday when he ended the two-session practice period by recording laps of 212.022 and 212.573 just before the track closed for the night at 10 p.m.

For Gregoire, driver of the Mexmil/Tokheim/Viking Air Tools/Cigarette G Force/Oldsmobile/Firestone, it would be a special occasion for him if he should win the pole since it would happen on Bastille Day, the July 4th of France.

But also dont discount another upstart pole challenger. Rookie Sarah Fisher, still three months shy of her 20th birthday, turned in two scintillating lap speeds in both the afternoon and night sessions. She was clocked at 212.064 in the 90-degree heat of the afternoon and 211.981 under a beautiful Georgia moon driving the Walker Racing Cummins Special Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone.

Ray, meanwhile, spent the night session working on race setups in his Conseco/Quaker State/Menards Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone backup car. Still, his best lap in the evening was 211.906.

"We actually ran quicker in the primary car," said Ray, the defending champion of the Indy Racing Northern Light Series, "and close to the same speed as everybody else in the T car.

"I think we just completed 67 laps, so we were working on race setup stuff. And were still really only a couple ticks off Gregoire. I dont know whether he was trying to go fast or not. Were just focusing on our deal.

"Im not concerned with what everybody else is doing. Were just trying to stay focused this weekend. Were working on all the details and trying to execute some of the small things we havent really focused on in the past this year. Were hungry."

After winning three races last year, Ray has no finish better than ninth this season. He has completed only 852 of 1,207 laps and holds down 19th in the Northern Light Cup standings with only 93 points.

Gregoire is another who hopes to put some life into his season this weekend. He is 15th in the standings with 105 points with a best finish of eighth. His best start has been seventh.

"The team did a great job, and it was easy to go fast," Gregoire said.

"My car just got faster and faster. I didnt do anything more than drive it. We were still using my Pikes Peak motor for this session with 200 laps of racing on it. The setup we have now on my primary car is almost perfect."

Fisher will try Friday to become the highest-qualifying woman driver in Indy Racing history. Lyn St. James qualified sixth for the Indianapolis 500 in 1994. This only will be the seventh race of Fishers career. Her best start has been 12th.

"I think its real neat to come to a new track and never having tested here or ran here before, and to have run so well right out of the box," Fisher said.

Slightly behind the top three was Donnie Beechler, who ran a fast lap of 211.973 in his Cahill Racing Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone. Fifth quickest at 211.889 was rookie Jeret Schroeder, driving the Tri Star Motorsports car co-owned by NASCAR Winston Cup star Tony Stewart.

Rounding out the top 10 were: Jimmy Kite, 211.823; Davey Hamilton, 211.748; Buddy Lazier, 211.682; Mark Dismore, 211.599, and Eliseo Salazar, 211.334.

Twenty-four times were turned in the 25-second bracket, ranging from Rays 25.279 to Billy Boats 25.930.

Text provided by Paul Kelly

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.