TACH Speed Channel - #21 Giaffone IRL Kentucky Saturday Qualifying

Felipe Giaffone

#21 Hollywood/Mo Nunn Racing Chevrolet G-Force
Belterra Casino Indy 300 - Saturday, Aug. 10, 2002 - Qualifying Notes/Quotes
Kentucky Speedway - Sparta, Ken. - 1.5-Mile Tri-Oval
Round 12 of 15 on the 2002 Indy Racing League

Felipe Giaffone and the #21 Hollywood/Mo Nunn Racing Chevrolet G-Force
equaled his season's best qualifying effort today by snatching the third
spot on the starting grid for Sunday's Belterra Casino Indy 300 Indy Racing
League event at Kentucky Speedway.  Giaffone, who was one of nine drivers in
the 25-car field to wave off an initial qualifying run due to slick track
conditions, turned a fast lap of 24.1703 seconds (220.430 mph) on his one
remaining qualifying lap around the 1.5-mile tri-oval.  He'll be the highest
starting Chevrolet at the inside-second-row starting position Sunday.
Giaffone's previous-best qualifying effort was third at Pikes Peak in
mid-June.  It was the fifth top-five qualifying effort of the season for the
driver who currently stands fourth in the IRL standings.

Sarah Fisher became the first woman in North American open-wheel-racing
history to capture a pole position, which she accomplished today with a fast
lap of 24.0661 seconds (221.390 mph) in her Infiniti-powered car.  Billy
Boat will start alongside Fisher on the front row after the next-best
qualifying lap of 24.0689 seconds (221.364 mph).  Boat also drives an
Infiniti-powered car.

Race time Sunday is 1:30 p.m. EDT with a live broadcast set for ABC-TV.

FELIPE GIAFFONE

"The track was a little slippery, so we came in and added more downforce. It
was hard for us because we didn't come here to test. In the end, though, the
track changed so much for qualifying, even for the guys who tested, it
didn't make a difference. I think that is where I gained on them. To win the
championship, we have to be consistent."