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NorthernLight IRL: Gregoire flexes muscle, fastest at Phoenix

18 March 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
PHOENIX - Stephan Gregoire continued his season of speed Friday at Phoenix International Raceway, turning the fastest lap of practice for the MCI WorldCom 200 of 20.950 seconds, 171.838 mph on the 1-mile oval.

"We didnt want to try to go out and have the fastest lap of the day," Gregoire said. "We just wanted to see what low fuel and new tires could do, and we ended up having the fastest lap of the day."

Robby McGehee was second fastest overall at 20.991, 171.502 in the Energizer Advanced Formula-Energizer Motorsports G Force/Oldsmobile/Firestone. Tyce Carlson was third fastest at 21.035, 171.143 in the Hubbard-Immke Racing Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone.

MBNA Pole qualifying starts at 10:45 a.m. (MST) Saturday.

Gregoires fast lap in the Dick Simon Racing-Mexmil-Tokheim-Viking Air Tools G Force/Oldsmobile/Firestone was further validation that he is a contender to earn his first Indy Racing Northern Light Series victory this season. Gregoire was fastest during practice at the season-opening Delphi Indy 200 at Walt Disney World Speedway in January, but electrical and handling problems forced him to an 18th-place finish.

The speed continued during the "Test in the West" last month at Phoenix and Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Gregoire was fourth fastest during the Vegas leg of the test and second fastest at the Phoenix leg with a fast lap of 174.359 in cool conditions.

Only one incident occurred during Fridays practice, as rookie Sam Hornish Jr. brushed the wall in Turn 2 during the afternoon session. He was unhurt, and the PDM Racing team made minor repairs to the Hornish Bros. Trucking-Advantage Powder Coating G Force/Oldsmobile/Firestone, allowing Hornish to return to the session.

The top of the speed chart Friday was curiously devoid of past Indy Racing winners. In fact, 1997 Las Vegas winner Eliseo Salazar was the only past winner in the top five, with a top lap of 169.412 in the Rio A.J. Foyt Racing G Force/Oldsmobile/Firestone.

Defending series champion Greg Ray was ninth fastest at 169.197 in the Conseco-Menards Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone. Defending race winner Scott Goodyear was 12th at 168.840 in the Pennzoil Panther Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone.

Indy Racing Northern Light Series points leader Robbie Buhl was 21st at 165.967 in the Team Purex Dreyer & Reinbold Racing G Force/Oldsmobile/Firestone, while two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser Jr. was 25th at 163.029 in the Galles ECR Racing Tickets.com Starz Encore Superpak G Force/Oldsmobile/Firestone.

1998 Indianapolis 500 winner Eddie Cheever Jr. turned all of his practice laps in a Dallara chassis, as the team switched its primary chassis from the Riley & Scott it used at the season opener to the Dallara. Cheevers best lap was 166.597 in the #51 Excite@Home Indy Race Car Dallara/Infiniti/Firestone.

Text provided by Paul Kelly

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.