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IRL: Schmidt leads practice; Aiming for first PPG Pole at Las Vegas

25 September 1999

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
LAS VEGAS - Sam Schmidt is on target to claim his first PPG Pole after posting the fastest lap, 208.849 mph, in practice Friday for the Vegas.com 500 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Schmidt, from Las Vegas, turned the fastest lap in both the morning and afternoon practice sessions in Treadway Racings Sprint PCS G Force/Aurora/Firestone on the 1.5-mile oval. Schmidt finished second at this event last year to Arie Luyendyk, the former Treadway Racing driver.

"Its definitely great to be on top of the board, but really all that matters is Sunday," Schmidt said. "We plan on taking the team position here last year, which was first place.."

Greg Ray, Pep Boys Indy Racing League points leader, was second fastest Friday at 208.631 in the Glidden-Menards Dallara/Aurora/Firestone. Stephan Gregoire was third in the Dick Simon Racing-Mexmil-Tokheim-Viking Air Tools G Force/Aurora/Firestone at 207.333 followed by Mark Dismore at 206.572 in the MCI World Com Dallara/Aurora/Goodyear. The top four drivers posted their fastest laps in the morning practice session, but Buddy Lazier was fifth fastest in the Delta Faucet-Coors Light-Hemelgarn Racing Dallara/Aurora/Goodyear with a lap of 206.256 in the afternoon practice session.

PPG Pole qualifying starts at 3 p.m. (EDT) Saturday. The Vegas.com 500 starts at 2:30 p.m. (EDT) Sunday.

Scott Goodyear, second in the series points standings, was seventh fastest at 206.154 in the Pennzoil Panther G Force/Aurora/Goodyear.

Defending Pep Boys Indy Racing League champion Kenny Brack, third in the standings, was the eighth fastest at 205.950 in the A.J. Foyt Power Team G Force/Aurora/Goodyear. The A.J. Foyt Power Team switched from a Dallara chassis to a G-Force chassis this weekend after a recent test.

Willy T. Ribbs, who was 21st fastest, is one of two drivers making his Pep Boys Indy Racing League debut this weekend. Ribbs, in the Cole Bros. Water-Team Losi-Fast Rod G Force/Aurora/Firestone, turned a lap of 200.870. Also making his debut this weekend is Niclas Jonsson in the Blueprint Racing G Force/Aurora/Firestone. Jonsson, a native of Bankeryd, Sweden, turned a lap of 198.537.

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