FIGGE CAPTURES TOP-10 PROVISIONAL QUALIFYING POSITION AT LONG BEACH

LONG BEACH, CALIF. (April 11, 2003) –Alex Figge, of Santa Barbara, Calif.,
today qualified seventh in provisional qualifying for Round Two of the 2003
CART Toyota Atlantic Championship at Long Beach.

In typical sunny and hot southern California weather, qualifying for
Sunday's Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach got underway. Immediately Figge,
driving the No. 69 Pacific Coast Motorsports/Patrick Racing Toyota Swift
0.14a, began attacking the 1.968-mile street circuit. On his first flying
lap, Figge posted the third fastest time. As the session progressed, Figge
fell back in standings, though steadily posting faster laps. On his ninth
lap of the 30-minute session, Figge jumped to third on the provisional grid.
Just past the halfway mark of the session, Figge began to encounter traffic
and elected to pit. While in the pits making minor adjustments to the car,
Figge maintained his third place position. Upon exiting the pits, Figge was
forced to slow in order to find a gap in traffic. Late in the session while
pushing to improve his position, Figge briefly brushed the tire wall, not
damaging the car. At the checkered flag, Figge was seventh fastest, with a
fast lap of 1:18.237 (90.556 MPH). The seventh place provisional qualifying
position, significantly betters Figge's 16th place starting position last
year at Long Beach.

"I set a good time early," said Figge. "I tried to better it late in the
session, after making some changes, but unfortunately I ran into some
traffic and was not able to. Hopefully the weather will hold up, because I
think we have a good car."

The second 30-minute qualifying session for Round Two of the 2003 CART
Toyota Atlantic Championship season gets underway, Saturday, April 12, at
3:00 p.m. (PT).