CART: Alex Zanardi Test Notes and Quotes, Sebring
9 July 2000
Posted By Terry
Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
SEBRING, Fla.--Alex Zanardi began two days of
testing in the #55 Hollywood/Mo Nunn Racing Mercedes-Benz Reynard today,
ending a lengthy hiatus that began with his departure from the Williams
Formula One team. The two-time CART FedEx Championship Series champion
is running the road course at Sebring International Raceway, putting the
car through its paces for team owner Morris Nunn, who was his engineer
during his three-year run at Target/Chip Ganassi Racing. Regular
Hollywood/Mo Nunn Racing driver Tony Kanaan is recovering from injuries
sustained in Detroit three weekends ago and is hoping to be back in time
for the July 23 Michigan 500.A final testing wrap-up will be issued tomorrow.
ALEX ZANARDI
"Im doing really well. Im also having suddenly a lot of fun. The passion hasnt gone. Its nice to find such a nice car to come back to after a period of vacation. I call it a vacation because it was my decision not to engage myself in any other thing after the Williams period. So, its really good to be back. Im amazed although the circuit today is really green and we havent gotten to the point yet where I can say I have personalized the car the way its set up by how much grip this car has in the corners compared to Formula One car with those grooved tires. This is a car you can play with. Maybe I went over the line already ... I spun three times. I have no reason in the world that I should be pushing over the limit, by how else can you explain that I spun three times already other than that Im having fun.
"Do I sound like Im having the time of my life? Ill need to win another race, another championship, before I can say that for sure. But, certainly, Im doing today what Ive loved to do in so many years of my career. To have a break as long as I did, and to come back to a good car to drive, with big friends all around me, is fun. I have the time to chat with them, have some fun. Morris and all the boys for me are big friends. Tony Kanaan is a big friend. Brad Filbey is a big friend. Tomorrow the Ganassi team is coming and I will be able to see some more friends there.
(Any significance to Ganassi and Alex Zanardi being at the same track on the same weekend?) "The one thing about what you have here in the States, there are not very many great racetracks to test. So all the teams go to all the same places. Youre always going to be there with somebody else. It will be good to see them. Its good to work with Morris again.
"Sebring quite representative of what you find on your (CART FedEx Championship Series) calendar. A little bit of everything. This is a good place to test and to get back into a race car for me.
"Physically, Ive been doing things at home, but never enough. The best thing to do in this business is to drive the car. Im quite surprised that Im feeling in great shape. Obviously, to do a race would be much different than testing. But Im doing really well."
Text provided by Laz Denes
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