Northern Light IRL: Hornish unleashes 200 mph Panther Power in Homestead
Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
HOMESTEAD, Fla.- At Homestead-Miami Speedway Friday, Feb. 23, Sam Hornish Jr. powered his No. 4 Pennzoil Panther Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone to the top of the day's speed chart with a lap of 26.981 seconds, 200.134 mph.
Hornish was the fastest of 14 drivers participating on the first day of a two-day open test for the teams of the Indy Racing Northern Light Series in preparation for the April 8 Infiniti Grand Prix of Miami presented by 123.com Americatel.
Earlier in the month, Hornish was unseated from top honors on the daily speed chart in Phoenix during the Test in the West by a late-day run by Stephan Gregoire. But, he found redemption Friday when he unleashed the only 200-mph lap during his final run of the day in the closing minutes of the afternoon session.
"It makes us feel great that we had the fastest time of the day," said Hornish. "I was getting ready to go out, and I asked the guys, 'Do you think we can go 200?' They said, 'Well we know you can.' So, I had to do it for them. It gives me more of a thrill to make them happy.
"When we quit testing at Phoenix, we were six tenths faster (than second place). We were going to make sure we were out (on the track today) the last 10 to 15 minutes to take advantage of what we didn't take advantage of in Phoenix."
Defending Indy Racing Northern Light Series champion Buddy Lazier, driver of the No. 91 Tae-Bo/Coors Light/Delta Faucet/Hemelgarn Racing Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone posted the second-fastest time of the day with a lap of 27.255 seconds, 198.127 mph.
Felipe Giaffone, a Brazilian who pilots the No. 21 Hollywood G Force/Oldsmobile/Firestone for Treadway Racing, took the third spot with a lap of 27.314 seconds, 197.696 mph.
Although there were several cautions for track inspections, the only caution of the day for a car problem was at 2:20 p.m. when Greg Ray, driver of the No. 2 Johns Manville/Menards Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone, was towed in from the back straightaway after he lost an engine. Despite the malfunction, Ray posted the fourth fastest time of the day with a lap of 27.346 seconds, 197.463 mph.
The Homestead-Miami Open Test continues Feb. 24 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (EST).
The day's best laps with time and speed follow:
Position Driver Best Lap Time Speed Laps
- 1. Sam Hornish Jr. 26.9819 200.134 mph 156
- 2. Buddy Lazier 27.2552 198.127 mph 92
- 3. Felipe Giaffone 27.3147 197.696 mph 102
- 4. Greg Ray 27.3469 197.463 mph 62
- 5. Stan Wattles 27.4071 197.029 mph 100
- 6. Jeff Ward 27.5406 196.074 mph 46
- 7. Eliseo Salazar 27.5408 196.073 mph 68
- 8. Airton Dare 27.5423 196.062 mph 80
- 9. Eddie Cheever Jr. 27.8924 193.601 mph 98
- 10. Robbie Buhl 27.9574 193.151 mph 105
- 11. Sarah Fisher 28.0782 192.320 mph 144
- 12. Buzz Calkins 28.3126 190.728 mph 59
- 13. Tyce Carlson 28.3816 190.264 mph 17
- 14. Jon Herb 28.3823 190.259 mph 151
Text Provided By Paul Kelly
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