Bully Hill Vineyards 250 Qualifying Driver Quotes
Bully Hill Vineyards 250 Qualifying Driver Quotes Watkins Glen International - August 9, 2001 Mauro Baldi - SportsRacing Prototype & Overall Polesitter Doran Lista Racing #27 Judd Ferrari "When the car is running well, it is easy to drive fast. Today the car is driving very well. In qualifying, James (Weaver) is always fast. It is very difficult to beat him. Today, our car was running very well and it was easy to go really fast, to push it. That was the difference today." "The key to the race is to be in front when the checkered flag waves. That is the key. In the short race there is no time for any problems at all. The long races can have minor problems, but since this race is short, we need clean pit stops and no technical problems in order to win. If we have no technical problems, we and Dyson will be very close in lap times and the race will be close." "A sprint race is a very tight race. You never know what will happen during the race. We know the race will be decided in the last 10 to 15 minutes." "The objective of the team is to win races. I am not running for the championship. Didier (Theys) is running for the championship. For me, the championship is not what is important. It is the race that is important." James Weaver - SportsRacing Prototype & Overall Outside Pole Position Dyson Racing Team Ford Riley & Scott "We changed the engine before practice and were running a bit late getting out there today." "The final practice tonight will be more like what we will be racing in tomorrow." "Over the last few years, I think both us and the Doran car have split with two or three races a piece. It will be incredibly close again." "You were flying, Mauro! I was told to go three seconds faster to beat you and I said, 'Don't be ridiculous! I will give you maybe one tenth of a second, but that is it.' You were bloody flying!" (Mauro quickly replied, "I know, I waved when I went by you but you didn't wave back.") Andy Lally - SportsRacing Prototype II Polesitter Archangel Motorsport Services Nissan Lola "I took the pole and that is important since I'm leading the points, but only by three." "The guy I'm racing against in the points is right behind me on the grid, so it will be flat out." Chris Bingham - GTS Polesitter Fordahl Motorsports/Park Place Racing #5 Saleen S7R "It's pretty warm out there. Luckily I had this cool suit on to keep me cool." "Both courses favor our car, but the short course might be a little better because it has longer straightaways." Randy Pobst - GT Polesitter Fordahl Motorsports/Crazy Redhead Racing #15 Porsche GT3 RS "The Gs are so strong on the short course that we actually popped a tire off the wheel. I didn't blow the tire. It popped off the rim." "The crew has been working feverishly in this 100-degree temperatures to get the car back together (after the wreck in morning practice). We missed the (afternoon) practice session because of it. When I went out for qualifying, I was still learning the track." "The tires stayed on (in qualifying). There is a lot to be said about that." "You can't tiptoe in this class. There are a lot of Porsches and a BMW with a big ole V8 in it behind us." Doug Goad - American GT Polesitter Flis Motorsports Team X-1R Corvette "It was a really nice lap. The X-1R Corvette handles really well. It's kind of a new setup for us, and it's working really well." "Although I've raced here a lot, this is probably only the second time I've run the short course. It offers a lot of different challenges than the long course." "(The weather) feels like it did in Trois-Rivières. It was hot as the dickens up there. We are starting to get used to this." Kyle Petty - GT Class Competitor Orbit Racing #45 Porsche GT3 R "I had more fun in Daytona. We have struggled since we got here." "It's good to see a lot of these guys that are up here because I had a lot of fun with them in Daytona." "Everyone in Grand-Am kind of opened their arms and let the Winston Cup guys, like me and the Earnhardts, come in (at Daytona), and that makes it cool to come back." John Andretti - GT Class Competitor Orbit Racing #45 Porsche GT3 R "We haven't had a lap since we got here that there wasn't a problem. I just stayed out there, but Kyle acted more like a car owner and kept coming in trying to fix it. I just say 'Stay out there, blow the thing up and buy a new one.'" "I started backing off on the back straightaway where I do in a Winston Cup car - at the six marker. By the time I got to the four, I was stopped." "This seat is way nicer than my Winston Cup seat. I wish they would let me put these in my Winston Cup car. It's a really nice seat." "I know what the car is doing, but I don't have a clue how to fix it. We just tell the Orbit guys and let them throw out suggestions to get it working." -30- For more information: Grand-Am Public Relations Christie Hyde (386) 795-1189 cellular email: CHyde@grand-am.com