BARBERDODGE: Hundertmark Earns Career High and 'Cannonball' Ride
12 May 1999
LIME ROCK, CONN-- Rockledge, Florida resident Terri Hundertmark celebrated her auto racing career-high finish here at historic Lime Rock Park. She bettered her career-best sixth with a fourth-place in Fridays opening round of the Skip Barber Formula Dodge Eastern Series. It was a weekend of good news for the Colorado-native as she was also named as a driver in the 118 car Michelin Car and Driver One Lap of America field.Hundertmark took the green flag in the first of the two-race weekend on Friday in tenth position. The sixteen car field was the toughest that the former jet-ski champion had faced in Skip Barber competition the 16 entries were separated by only three seconds.
Hundertmark made a name for herself in personal watercraft racing in large part due to her almost instinctive reaction times. She has carried that with her to the asphalt becoming one of the sports best starters. With the green flag waving Hundertmark quickly passed two competitors before turn one. She moved to seventh at the same point on the second lap.
A significant accident on lap 13 of the 18-lap event slowed the field behind the pace car. Hundertmark again used the race-craft she has acquired in her past year of racing to cushion against her pursuers and close on the leaders. Sitting in a tightly packed train with the leaders she hounded her immediate challenge. The second place car eventually spun in front of her leaving Hundertmark clear to pursue her first career victory. "I was gaining on the cars in front of me on No Name Straight," Hundertmark commented on her sprint through the field, "I late braked and passed a car on the uphill. I about scared myself to death but pulled off the pass."
Running in fourth, Hundertmark nipped at the gearbox of the third-place car. She set up a precision pass on the white flag lap but was unable to complete it. "I pushed hard into turn one to overtake the third place car. I got beside of him but didn't have the corner. Then, in the downhill I didn't have enough momentum to draft past him at the finish line. If I had only one more lap!" She finished a mere .4 seconds off the final podium position.
While disappointed by not reaching the third tier on the post-race celebration, Hundertmark was thrilled to set a new standard in her career. "I am extremely excited about my finish. The field of cars was extremely fast. I am happy with my finish but I won't be satisfied until I win. And then keep winning!"
The first stop on the Eastern Series is always one of the most challenging of the season. Rain on Saturday made it more so. The up-and-coming racer gridded fourth.. based on the previous days finish.. for race two. The rain began to fall as the cars took to the track for their warm-up laps. Having raced in the rain several times already this season Hundertmark adapted her style and her line.
She got a clean start and moved up to third before the end of lap one. However, the driver running in second was slow enough to allow the leader to distance himself and just fast enough to keep Hundertmark behind him on the rain-slicked track. She continued to challenge but was unable to get around the slower car as the field packed up behind. The closeness of the Skip Barber cars allows them to draft on the straights here at Lime Rock and the stock car-like train eventually overpowered Hundertmark and the second-place car. She fell deep into the pack but was able to race back to a seventh place finish.
Capping a successful weekend was the announcement in Detroit that Hundertmark would be competing in this years Michelin Car and Driver One Lap of America in the Michelin-Johnson Controls Ford Mustang Cobra SVT. "The race is going to be intense! Spending seven days in the car, driving over 5,000 miles.. Id call that intense. Our car is awesome and it is going to be a pleasure to drive. It will be a thrill for me to represent Johnson Controls and Michelin. I also think that Dale and I will make a great team." She will have Detroit News assistant business editor Dale Jewett as her co-driver. The Michelin One-Lap is an extension of Brock Yates original Cannonball Run concept.
The Michelin One Lap challenges drivers with seven different race tracks in seven days. What is even more challenging is that the car used on the track must then be driven to the next track on public roads. The duo will cover over 5,000 miles in the trek competing on racetracks in Michigan, Kansas, Colorado, Texas, Tennessee, and Georgia. The race gets the green flag at Michigan Speedway on May 15 and will conclude in Detroit on May 22.
Hundertmark will wheel the 1998 Mustang Cobra.. outfitted with racing safety features, Michelin Pilot Z4 Tires and Johnson Controls innovative Pressure Safety Information system (PSI).. during the on-track portions of the race. Jewett will handle the bulk of the highway travel.
Hundertmark will next be seen competing in the Michelin One Lap of America during the week of May 15-22 in the Johnson Controls-Michelin Ford Mustang Cobra SVT.
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