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IRL: Brazilian passes rookie test with Panther Racing

20 October 1999

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
FORT WORTH, Texas - Brazilian Airton Dare passed all four phases of the Pep Boys Indy Racing League rookie test Oct. 18 at Texas Motor Speedway in the backup Pennzoil Panther G Force/Aurora/Goodyear.

Indy Lights veteran Dare turned 195 laps during testing in the car normally driven by Indy Racing standout Scott Goodyear. His top speed was 209.1 mph on the 1.5-mile oval, site of the Mall.com 500 season finale Oct. 17.

The rookie test consists of 10 laps in each of four different speed increments. The increments ranged from 190 to more than 205 mph at TMS. Pep Boys Indy Racing League Director of Operations Brian Barnhart and three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Johnny Rutherford observed Dare during the test.

"For me, this is fantastic to be in a car like this," Dare said. "Ive dreamed my whole life of getting a chance like todays. I was a little disappointed in myself that I didnt get fully on the throttle, but it takes time getting used to a new car, and Ive got plenty of time to do that."

Dare, 21, won the Indy Lights round this season at Nazareth, Pa., and last season at Detroit.

"Airton did a great job today," said John Barnes, Panther Racing co-owner and manager. "He was very consistent. In fact, his lap times were within .1 of each other in each phase. Airton ran quick enough to have made the middle of the field for the Mall.com 500 and was pretty impressive on his first time out in this car."

Dare will return to Indy Lights for the 1999 season finale Oct. 31 at Fontana, Calif. "It will be strange getting back into my Indy Lights car," Dare said. "I will want more horsepower, and things go so much faster in the Indy Racing League car."

Indy Racing League veteran John Hollansworth Jr. also turned laps Monday at Texas Motor Speedway, testing the new 3.5-liter Aurora V8 engine in his CompuCom-Lycos-TeamXtreme Dallara/Aurora/Firestone. Courtesy: Indy Racing League

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