Rocketsports Racing Driver Notes and Quotes
ROCKETSPORTS RACING DRIVER NOTES AND QUOTES TRANS-AM SERIES FOR THE BFGOODRICH TIRES CUP FRIDAY, AUGUST 22ND POST-PRACTICE SCOTT PRUETT, DRIVER OF THE NO. 7 JAGUAR R PERFORMANCE XKR, WAS FASTEST IN THE MORNING PRACTICE SESSION WITH A TIME OF 2:08:362, BREAKING THE PREVIOUS TRACK RECORD OF 2:08:379 SET BY TOM KENDALL IN 1995. NOTE 1 ROAD AMERICA STATSŠPruett has three Trans-Am starts here starting on the pole each timeŠBest finish flag-to-flag win in 1988ŠFinished second after leading laps 1-13 in 1994ŠHas multiple starts here in other series including IMSA GTS and Champ Car World SeriesŠbest Champ Car finish here fifth in 1997. NOTE 2 BACKGROUND STATSŠLeads in the points standingsŠIn 2003, has five wins (St. Petersburg, Mosport, Infineon Raceway, Cleveland, Trois-Rivieres) in seven startsŠRaced in the Winston Cup event at Watkins Glen, scoring a career-best second placeŠCompeted in the Winston Cup race at Infineon Raceway finishing 24th due to contact while running sixthŠHas two Trans-Am Drivers¹ Championships (1987, 1994)ŠIn 2002, did not compete in the Trans-Am SeriesŠCompeted in Winston Cup Series in 2000Š Competed several seasons in CART Champ Car Series, scoring two winsŠHas two IMSA GTO Drivers¹ Championships (1986, 1988). On his practice session Š ³The car¹s good. We¹re using a set-up similar to Mosport and Sears Point and we were great there. Whatever we found, it works. It was easy to drive and it was fast. We¹ll make a few subtle changes, and that¹s it. There¹s no need to do any more. ³The track conditions are different today than during the test day yesterday. This morning the ambient temperature was much different than yesterday¹s heat and humidity which made for less downforce and horsepower. So, naturally we¹d go faster this morning.² JOHNNY MILLER, DRIVER OF THE NO. 64 EATON CUTLER-HAMMER JAGUAR XKR, WAS FOURTH QUICKEST IN THE MORNING PRACTICE SESSION WITH A TIME OF 2:10:335. NOTE 1 ROAD AMERICA STATSŠMiller has eight previous starts hereŠIn 2002, he qualified fifth and finished thirdŠBest finish - second in 2001 when he qualified fourth, started third and was leading when the race was called early due to torrential rains, but ultimately finished second when Series¹ rules determined that the previously scored lap would count as the final race lap...Started on the pole here in 2000. NOTE 2 BACKGROUND STATSŠRemains second in the points standingsŠIn 2003, has one win (Lime Rock) and four additional top-three finishesŠMade his NASCAR Winston Cup debut at Infineon Raceway in June, finishing 24th on the lead lapŠFinished 36th in the Winston Cup race at Watkins GlenŠIn 2002, finished fourth in the points standings with three top-three, three top-five and four top-ten finishesŠIn 2000, scored his first career Trans-Am win at San DiegoŠVoted ³Most Improved Driver² for 1998ŠWon the ³Rookie of the Year² title in 1996. On his practice session todayŠ ³We ran a bunch of miles yesterday in the test sessions and today we¹re still running the same times, so we need to work on the car a little. We keep doing stuff and it changes the car, but it¹s not the right thing we¹re looking for. We¹re not working on the right piece. ³We¹ll keep working at it with what we have. That¹s why we have practice sessions.² PAUL MENARD, DRIVER OF THE NO. 3 JOHNS MANVILLE/MENARDS JAGUAR XKR, WAS NINTH QUICKEST IN THE MORNING PRACTICE SESSION WITH A TIME OF 2:11:688. NOTE 1 ROAD AMERICA STATSŠMenard has only one Trans-Am start here, in 2002 when he finished seventhŠWon the 2001 NASCAR RE/MAX Series race hereŠA Wisconsin native, Menard considers this to be his home track. NOTE 2 BACKGROUND STATSŠHas six career Trans-Am starts and has five top-ten finishesŠHas one Trans-Am start this season at St. Petersburg, finishing 10thŠIn 2003, has joined Andy Petree Racing and will compete in an 18-race schedule including NASCAR Truck, Busch, ARCA, and Winston Cup SeriesŠFinished 29th at the Winston Cup race at Watkins GlenŠFinished 21st in this week¹s Truck Series at Bristol Motor Speedway. On his practice session Š ³We were out most of the session on old tires. Then once we stickered up, I couldn¹t get a clean lap. We tried some things with the shocks and we were working on making it turn in better. All the changes we made were positive and we¹re headed in the right direction. ³The track was good, it was pretty grippy. A couple cars went off which spit up some dirt, but it was cleaned off within a lap. ³I¹m looking for a top five in qualifying and we¹ll be happy with that. Then, we¹ll race from there.² TOMY DRISSI, DRIVER OF THE NO. 5 STUCK ON YOU, THE MOVIE JAGUAR XKR, WAS SECOND QUICKEST IN TODAY¹S MORNING PRACTICE SESSION WITH A TIME OF 2:10:111. NOTE 1 ROAD AMERICA STATSŠDrissi has four starts hereŠIn 2002, he qualified ninth and finished ninth...Best finish sixth in 2000 NOTE 2 BACKGROUND STATSŠRanks 11th in the points standingsŠIn 2003, has two top-ten finishes at Lime Rock and ClevelandŠQualified in the top five three timesŠVoted ³Most Improved Driver² for 2000ŠScored his first and only Trans-Am win at Long Beach in 2000ŠWon the ³Rookie of the Year² title in 1999. On his practice session Š³By the end of the session, I was still hammering for more. The car was great and I¹m very happy with where we are right now, but I want more. (Laughs) I¹m going after (my teammate) Scott Pruett. I mean, I¹m never going to get better if I stay content and don¹t start looking ahead. So this is a good start, the guys gave me a really good car, but I still want moreŠfrom me and the car.² CONTACT: Harry Warren, 517-281-5053 (cell)