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NorthernLight Indy Racing: Infiniti Indy Practice Report, Las Vegas

21 April 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Infinti Indy and Team Cheever kicked off practice for the Vegas Indy 300 today by placing in the top ten on the daily speed charts. Running the No. 51 Excite@Home Dallara-Infiniti-Firestone car, Eddie Cheever Jr. finished the day by lapping the 1.5-mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway at an average speed of 205.393 mph. It was the third fastest speed of the afternoon practice session and ninth fastest of the day. Practice continues tomorrow at 9 a.m. and qualifying for the MBNA Pole starts at 1 p.m. The Vegas Indy 300 starts at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 22 (local times).

RACE COVERAGE

Vegas Indy 300 Qualifying, Friday, April 21, 5:30-6:30 p.m.(EDT), ESPN2 Indy Racing 2Day, Saturday, April 22, 3:00-3:30 p.m. (EDT), ESPN2 Vegas Indy 300, Saturday, April 22, 3:30-5:30 p.m. (EDT, Check local times), ABC

QUOTES

Eddie Cheever Jr., No. 51 Excite@Home Infiniti: "We're trying to make the #51 Excite@Home Indy Race Car work more in traffic, which is always a challenge at Las Vegas. This is a very difficult track because of the minimal banking, and you really have to make the car work more. I have been antagonizing every guy out there today--not because I want to bother them, but because I want to see how the car behaves in traffic. I'd say that Vegas and Indianapolis are the toughest tracks in traffic, which is another reason this race is great preparation for Indy."

PRACTICE TIMES

Practice 1 (morning)

1. Scott Sharp, #8 Dallara-Oldsmobile, 207.023
2. Buzz Calkins, #12 Dallara-Oldsmobile, 206.068
3. Mark Dismore, #28T Dallara-Oldsmobile, 206.013
4. Greg Ray, #1 Dallara-Oldsmobile, 205.989
5. Donnie Beechler, #98 Dallara-Oldsmobile, 205.589
*13. Eddie Cheever Jr., #51 Dallara-Infiniti, 204.329

Practice 2 (afternoon)
1. Tyce Carlson, #20 Dallara-Oldsmobile, 205.926
2. Scott Sharp, #8 Dallara-Oldsmobile, 205.652
*3. Eddie Cheever Jr., #51 Dallara-Infiniti, 205.393
4. Al Unser Jr., G-Force-Oldsmobile, 205.066
5. Eliseo Salazar, G-Force-Oldsmobile, 204.747

Text provided by Heather Handley

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