NorthernLight Indy Racing: Sharp, Kelly Racing find right setup to lead Las Vegas practice
21 April 2000
Posted By Terry CallahanMotorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
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Sharp was the only driver to top 207 mph in Thursday's opening Indy Racing Northern Light Series practice session. He was clocked at 207.023 mph in his Delphi Automotive Systems-MCI WorldCom Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone car in the morning session and then was second quick behind Tyce Carlson at 205.652 in the steamy afternoon round.
MBNA Pole qualifying for Saturday's race is tomorrow at 12:30 PDT.
Greg Ray captured the MBNA Pole for the first two races of the Northern Light Series, but Robbie Buhl won the first race at Orlando after starting 22nd, and Buddy Lazier won at Phoenix after taking the green flag in 26th and last place. Sharp's not too concerned about his qualifying position.
"I don't think it makes a difference here," Sharp said. "In series qualifying, some people spend time working on qualifying, and it's paid off on Saturday (Friday in this case). Some have worked on a race setup and come on strong. Our objective is to walk out of here with maximum points."
That would be two points for winning the pole, 20 for winning the race and two for leading the most laps.
"I'm pretty excited," he said. "I felt we had a strong test here a couple of weeks ago. Without trying to go fast, we seem to be pretty quick."
An indication that the Kelley Racing team has hit on a speedy setup with the new chassis and 3.5-liter engine is that Sharp's teammate Mark Dismore turned in the third fastest speed of the day in his On Star-GM BuyPower Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone at 206.013.
Squeezing between the Kelley teammates was Denver's Buzz Calkins. Calkins clocked a top speed of 206.068 in his Bradley Food Marts-Sav-O-Mat Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone.
Dismore predicted a pole speed close to 209. Despite the engine size reduction, the 209.465 speed by last year's pole winner Sam Schmidt could be challenged.
Both Sharp and Dismore, who rank eighth and 13th respectively in the point standings, credit their quick speeds to the switch to Firestone tires. The past three years they have driven on Goodyears.
Dismore wasn't totally happy with the way his car worked.
"We've got some issues to straighten out," he said. "We're pretty good through (turns) one and two, but pick up a considerable push through three and four. At about 20 laps I begin to lose the handling."
Ray was fourth fastest at 205.989 and Tyce Carlson was fifth at 205.926.
Text provided by Eric Powell
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