Rocketsports Notes and Quotes after Second-Round Practice at Puerto Rico
ROCKETSPORTS RACING SCOTT PRUETT DRIVER NOTES AND QUOTES MOTOROCK TRANS-AM TOUR FOR THE BFGOODRICH TIRES CUP FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24TH POST-AFTERNOON PRACTICE SCOTT PRUETT, DRIVER OF THE NO. 7 MOTOROCK/JAGUAR R PERFORMANCE XKR, DID NOT GO OUT IN THE AFTERNOON PRACTICE SESSIONA PLANNED ENGINE CHANGE AND A 10-MINUTE GREEN FLAG PENALTY FOLLOWING THE MORNING PRACTICE SESSION NEGATED ANY TIME ON THE TRACK IN THIS SESSION. NOTE 1 BACKGROUND STATSClinched his third Trans-Am Driversı Championship with his win in MiamiIn 2003, has eight wins (St. Petersburg, Mosport, Infineon Raceway, Cleveland, Trois-Rivieres, Road America, Denver, and Miami) in ten startsStarted on the pole eight timesIn August, raced in the Winston Cup event at Watkins Glen, scoring a career-best second placeIn June, competed in the Winston Cup race at Infineon Raceway finishing 24th due to contact while running sixthTwo previous Trans-Am Driversı Championships in 1987 and 1994In 2002, did not compete in the Trans-Am TourCompeted in Winston Cup Series in 2000 Competed several seasons in CART Champ Car Series, scoring two winsHas two IMSA GTO Driversı Championships (1986, 1988). NOTE 2 Pruett will race the new Jaguar AJ-V8 four-valve, overhead-cam, fuel-injected engine. Previously, the AJ-V8 debuted in a press event in September and during a practice session during the Motorock Miami 100 race in a Jaguar XKR driven by three-time Trans-Am champion Paul Gentilozzi. This will mark the first time it will compete during in race competition. On the engine change ³We had planned to change the engine anyway after the afternoon practice session. But we found a crack in the oil pan after the morning practice so we decided to do it now. Iım a realist; Iıve been involved with enough development programs to know that you can plan for every detail and still little things will happen. So it was unfortunate we had to change it now, but itıs a new engine; itıs the future of Trans-Am and we want to do things right. On the 10-minute green flag penalty ³It was totally inadvertent. After the red flag, one of the Bosch guys downloaded data. For him, it was a totally normal thing to do because thatıs the way other series do it. But itıs not here, so we made a mistake. Did it cost us? Yes, itıs the first time here and weıre learning the track. Can we recover from it? Absolutely. Iıve got total confidence in the team and the car. Being part of a team, we can look at the data from the other cars and adapt it based on our motor. Weıll be fine. On how it will affect his qualifying session to miss an entire session ³Not at all. Weıre here to go racing. Weıre not here to put on a demonstration lap. Weıll fight for the pole and then weıll fight for the win. ROCKETSPORTS RACING WALLY CASTRO DRIVER NOTES AND QUOTES MOTOROCK TRANS-AM TOUR FOR THE BFGOODRICH TIRES CUP FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24TH POST-AFTERNOON PRACTICE WALLY CASTRO, DRIVER OF THE NO. 3 PUERTO RICO LOTTERY JAGUAR XKR, WAS THIRD QUICKEST IN THIS AFTERNOONıS PRACTICE WITH A TIME OF 1:07:360. NOTE 1 This is Castroıs second career Trans-Am startHis previous start was in 1996 at St. Petersburg in 1996 where he qualified 10th and was running fifth when a broken axle relegated him to a 10th place finish. NOTE 2 BACKGROUND STATSIn 2003, leads the Puerto Rico National Championship GTS class point standings with four wins and one second-place finish, with one race remainingset pole position records at Salinas Speedway and Ponce Race Track. On his afternoon session ³Weıve learned a lot more. The gearing is not quite perfect yet, almost, but not quite. Iım learning a lot more about the tires, too. We had new tires and they really hooked up. The brakes were really good, too. ³The carıs ready to racing right now if we needed to. But Iıd still like to find another half a second. Tomorrow for qualifying, I plan to be conservative. Iım going to go for a top-five spot. CONTACT: Harry Warren, 517-281-5053 (cell)