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IRL: Scott Goodyear Hustles Backup Car to Top of Speed Chart at Dover

31 July 1999

DOVER, Del.,- Pep Boys Indy Racing League points leader Scott Goodyear is zeroing in on his first career PPG Pole after posting the fastest lap, 182.315 mph, during practice Friday for the MBNA Mid-Atlantic 200 at the Dover Downs International Speedway.

Goodyear, from Carmel, Ind., edged Eddie Cheever Jr. for the top spot in practice on the 1-mile concrete oval. Cheever, fourth in points, was second fastest at 182.066 in The Children's Beverage Group-Team Cheever Dallara/Infiniti/Goodyear.

Goodyear switched from his primary car to his backup just minutes into the morning practice and stayed in the backup for the rest of the day. He indicated that he will attempt to qualify Saturday afternoon in the backup car.

"The #4 seemed to have some problems," Goodyear said. "It stepped out on me three times in the first 10 minutes of this session, so we brought it in and went to the backup, the #4T."

PPG Pole qualifying starts at noon (EDT) Saturday. The MBNA Mid-Atlantic 200 starts at 12:30 p.m. Sunday.

Defending event champion Scott Sharp was third in the Delphi Automotive Systems Dallara/Aurora/Goodyear at 182.030 followed by Kelley Racing teammate Mark Dismore at 181.938 in the MCI WorldCom Dallara/Aurora/Goodyear. Sharp climbed to second in league points standings from a tie for fifth after winning the most recent Pep Boys Indy Racing League event July 17 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Rookie John Hollansworth Jr. was fifth fastest at 181.378 in the CompuCom-Lycos-TeamXtreme Dallara/Aurora/Firestone.

All drivers praised the smoother track surface at Dover Downs, as sections of the concrete oval were ground down to eliminate bumps. But most also cautioned that the "Monster Mile" still is one of the most intimidating tracks in Indy Racing.

"They smoothed out the track a lot, but you have to be really careful out there," Cheever said. "It is faster and more furious than you might expect at any one given time. This is the only oval where you can keep up the speeds the whole time.

"Unlike some of the other tracks we run on, the speeds, the temperatures and the concrete will make this a very physically demanding race. You're never truly flat with your steering wheel, never on center. It takes a lot of effort, and at the end of the day you're spent."

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