IROC: True Value IROC Teams Gear Up for Indy Finale
Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
August 1, 2001Indianapolis, Indiana - The True Value IROC series began final preparations for this Saturday's 2001, 25th anniversary, championship finale to be held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
True Value IROC President, Jay Signore said, "Our primary goal on the first day is to shake down all 17 of the Pontiac IROC Firebirds, which takes quite a long time. We time each car, every lap and gather driver comments. We take a close look at everything; inspect everything, on every car, from nose to tail. We check tire temperatures and air pressure build up, as well as, how each tire set feels overall. We inspect the oil filter screens after every run, on every car; we're checking for the volume of metal particles, which could indicate an internal problem.
Each car has a book, and the mechanics record all of the information the test drivers relay, and every lap time, tire set changes, fuel capacity; any and everything is written down, from cloud cover, to the line the driver takes on the race track: It's a virtual history or biography on that particular car's life."
Our test drivers, Andy Hillenburg, Dick Trickle, Dave Marcis and Jim Sauter, are working hard, hopping in and out of racecars all day."
Dave Marcis, lead test driver said, "Indianapolis is a challenging race track when it comes to setting up a race car as heavy as a stock car. We take a lot of speed and throw a lot of weight around these corners with these (stock cars). Getting the car through the short shoots as smoothly, and quickly, as possible is what we're after."
"We tested here in June, after our Michigan race (True Value IROC race three) and came away feeling pretty good. But, you know, this track changes and I think we're dealing with some different conditions today, so -- we'll adjust for what we're facing today, and take from here."
Fresh from his win in Chicago Sunday, CART FedEx driver, Kenny Brack is expected to start practicing for his run at the championship today. The 1998 Indy Racing League champion, and 1999 Indy 500 winner, Brack sits one-point behind 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup champion, and 2000 Brickyard 400 winner, Bobby Labonte.
Ironically, both Brack and Labonte enter the True Value IROC finale as current winners in their native series: Labonte, also a winner in Sunday's NASCAR Winston Cup event at Pocono.
The 2001 True Value IROC finale will take the green flag start this Saturday, August 4 at 2:00 p.m. local (Indianapolis) time and will broadcast on ESPN, Friday, August 10 at 7:00 p.m. (EDT.)
Text provided by George Signore
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