Pacific Coast Motorsports Qualifying Notes from Fundidora Park

Friday Qualifying Notes from Fundidora Park

- The first qualifying session for Sunday's Tecate Telmex Grand Prix, got
underway in sunny, but breezy conditions.
- On his opening lap of the 30-minute session, Pacific Coast Motorsports
driver Alex Figge posted the seventh fastest lap.
- Early in the session the track was reported to still be quite slippery.
- By lap five, several cars had entered the pits to make minor changes,
while Figge stayed on course, posting the fourth fastest time, 1:28.481.
- With 20-minutes remaining in the session, Figge had dropped to fifth,
while he searched for a clear lap.
- At the 15-minute mark of the session, Figge bettered his time, posting a
lap of 1:27.734, moving into fourth place.
- Just past the halfway mark of qualifying, Figge entered the pits to make
minor adjustments.
- Rejoining qualifying, Figge found a gap and began posting fast clean laps.
- On lap 14, Figge jumped to the top of the charts, with a lap 1:27.003
(87.059 mph).
- With five minutes remaining in the session, Figge had dropped back to
second place.
- On his final lap of qualifying, Figge looked set to post a very fast lap,
but was forced to abort the lap, when another car spun in front of him.
- As the checkered flag fell, Joey Hand posted a fast lap to capture the
pole, pushing Figge to third place.
- Figge's third place qualifying position is a new career best on a road
course and betters his 11th place starting position last year at Monterrey.
- The second qualifying session for Round 1 of the 2003 CART Toyota Atlantic
Championship season, gets underway Saturday, March 22, at 12:50 p.m. (local
time).

"All in all I'm really pleased with qualifying," said Figge. "We're a new
team and things have been hectic, but the team has given me a well prepared
car. I was able to post a good time early, but late in the session I wasn't
very good at turning a quick lap. Obviously I think the track will be
quicker tomorrow and I look forward to fighting for the pole."



Allan Craighead
Pacific Coast Motorsports
303-883-8521 Cell
www.pacificcoastmotorsports.com