Northern Light IRL: Fisher to raise speed limit for NASCAR fans in Atlanta
18 November 2000
Posted By Terry
Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
|
Fisher will turn laps in her Walker Racing Cummins Special Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone at 10:45 a.m. Sunday at AMS, slightly more than two hours before the NAPA 500 Winston Cup race on the 1.5-mile oval. The Indy Racing Northern Light Series will return to Atlanta Motor Speedway for the fourth consecutive season in 2001, racing April 28 in the last series event before the Indianapolis 500.
"Im excited about exposing a new potential fan base to the Indy Racing Northern Light Series," Fisher said. "Indy cars are different from the NASCAR cars. Theres a lot more speed during our races, but were also able to race side by side like the Winston Cup cars do. Hopefully when the NASCAR fans see our Walker Racing car at Atlanta, theyll be hooked and will come to our race in April."
Greg Ray won the MBNA Pole for the Northern Light Series event this year at Atlanta at 216.104 mph. The fastest lap by a NASCAR Winston Cup car at AMS is 197.478 mph by Geoffrey Bodine in 1997.
"Atlanta is a very fast race track, and things happen really quickly there," Fisher said. "I love that track. Its one of my favorites."
Fisher also will sign autographs for fans at the track. An Excite@Home Indy Racing car driven by Eddie Cheever Jr. also will be on display in the Midway at AMS during the NASCAR race weekend.
"Im also looking forward to seeing some friends I know that race in NASCAR now, in particular Dave Blaney, since we used to race sprint cars together," Fisher said.
Fisher, 20, an Ohio native who lives in Indianapolis, enjoyed an outstanding rookie season in 2000. She finished a close third in the RaceSearch.com Rookie of the Year standings and 18th in the overall standings despite entering just eight of nine races. Fisher finished a career-best third in The Belterra Resort Indy 300 in August at Kentucky Speedway, the best finish by a woman in Indy-car racing history.
Text Provided By Paul Kelly
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