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IRL: Robby Unser Fastest at 215 MPH in Final Texas Practice

12 June 1999

FORT WORTH, Texas - Robby Unser sent a message to his fellow Pep Boys Indy Racing League competitors Friday, turning the fastest lap, 215.192 mph, in the final practice before the Longhorn 500 presented by MCI WorldCom at Texas Motor Speedway.

1998 Sprint PCS Rookie of the Year Unser qualified 12th at 211.286 on Thursday night in the PetroMoly-Team Pelfrey Dallara/Aurora/Firestone, but he produced a speed 3.906 mph faster during the last minute of the final practice today as temperatures hovered in the mid-90's.

"I can't really say as I know," Unser said about the secret behind the increase in speed. "We just got the car dialed in. We did a lot of running finally. That last session we got in and out, made changes, did all of our tire stuff, and it came to us."

Unser, son of three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Unser, finished second here last September in the Lone Star 500 for Team Cheever.

The Longhorn 500 presented by MCI WorldCom starts at 7:30 p.m. (EDT) Saturday. The race will be broadcast live on Fox Sports Net.

PPG Pole winner Mark Dismore was seventh fastest overall Friday at 214.584 in the MCI WorldCom Dallara/Aurora/Goodyear. His Kelley Racing teammate and fellow front-row starter, Scott Sharp, was sixth fastest at 214.593 in the Delphi Automotive Systems Dallara/Aurora/Goodyear.

Scott Goodyear posted the second- and third-fastest speeds between the two sessions Friday at 214.857 and 214.760, respectively, in the Pennzoil Panther G Force/Aurora/Goodyear. Greg Ray was fourth fastest at 214.681 in the Glidden-Menards Dallara/Aurora/Firestone.

Rookie Ronnie Johncox was fifth fastest at 214.619. Johncox will start 10th in the ADT Security Systems Dallara/Aurora/Goodyear for his Pep Boys Indy Racing League debut.

Rookie Scott Harrington suffered a fractured right fibula after hitting the outside retaining wall in Turn 1 during the first practice in The CertainTeed Building Products Special Dallara/Aurora/Firestone. Harrington was transported to North Hills Hospital.

Series points leader Jeff Ward was 22nd fastest at 212.849 in the Yahoo!-MerchantOnline Dallara/Aurora/Goodyear. Defending event champion Billy Boat was ninth fastest at 214.242 in the Harrah's A.J. Foyt Racing Dallara/Aurora/Goodyear.

1999 Indianapolis 500 winner Kenny Brack and 1998 Indianapolis 500 winner Eddie Cheever Jr. didn't participate in practice due to racing in the IROC series event at Michigan Speedway. Brack finished eighth in the all-star series race; Cheever 12th.

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