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IRL: Dismore Leads the way for Goodyear Tires at Pikes Peak

27 June 1999

Mark Dismore will be the top Goodyear qualifier for Sunday's Radisson 200 at Pikes Peak International Raceway. The driver of the No. 28 MCI Worldcom entry from Kelley Racing will start third in Sunday's race, coming off his pole position two weeks ago. Billy Boat and Davey Hamilton will start seventh and ninth respectively. The Goodyear-equipped cars of Eddie Cheever, Buddy Lazier, Kenny Brck and Scott Goodyear qualified 11th through 14th for Sunday's race.

PAUL LAURITZEN, Goodyear IRL Operations Manager: The Goodyear Racing Eagles are working well this weekend, both in qualifying and during practice, and the tires are performing consistently throughout the run in all types of track conditions. We feel the Goodyear-equipped teams are in an excellent position to capture our fifth win to open the 1999 Indy Racing League season and continue the Goodyear teams' hold on the top positions in the points standings."

MARK DISMORE, Kelley Racing: "We've done what we can do for the race setup and the car adapted really well to the highest track temperatures we've seen. I'm happy with the way the car qualified; this is the quickest we've gone this weekend. When we go out for final practice the track will be different and it will be different again when we race tomorrow. The car has transferred over very well with each change and that's what we're looking for out of the car. So far so good. If we can have the same results carry right on over to tomorrow, then we have a very good shot at this. The Goodyear Eagles are working very well for us this weekend. We had one set we ran 70 laps on. We're good."

BILLY BOAT, A.J. Foyt Enterprises: "We were struggling, to be honest, so to be in the top 10 for the weekend we've had is pretty good. We picked up three-tenths from our best practice time. I'm happy with the gains we've made and the car is right under us. We're still playing with the combinations that Goodyear has here and we're learning more and improving each time out. We know we have a good car and a solid race setup and we'll be just fine in the race. The heat is what seems to be affecting the handling of the race cars the most. I think the race will come to us tomorrow; it's a very close field and I think a lot of those guys up front will come back to us and that will bunch the field up even more."

DAVEY HAMILTON, Galles Motorsports: "It was an easy run, just flat-out both laps. We couldn't expect much more speed today. This is going to be a great starting spot for tomorrow and that helps. Race conditions are just so much different from qualifying, especially at this racetrack, and we have a great race setup. The Goodyear tires are great. They gave me the grip that I needed for a short run like qualifying. I like that grip, especially tomorrow when it's going to be slick with a hot racetrack and thin air."

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