Scheckter fastest at 'test in the west' day one

[SevenGrain]

Courtesy of the IRL

Tomas Scheckter, a test driver for Cheever Indy Racing, turned the fastest lap at California Speedway on opening day of the Indy Racing League Test in the West.

In the afternoon session, Scheckter posted a quick lap of 32.4395 seconds, 221.952 mph driving the No. 52 Red Bull Cheever Racing Dallara/Infiniti/Firestone.

"Today went well," said Scheckter, a former Formula One test driver and son of 1979 F1 World Champion Jody Scheckter. "I am just getting used to it. This is a new circuit for me again and only the second time I have driven on an oval. It's gone really well. Eddie's (Cheever) helped me a lot. I am glad to see how quick we are going."
The one-day preseason test was the first official Indy Racing League event at California Speedway, located just outside of Los Angeles in Fontana, Calif. Twenty-five drivers turned a total of 2,380 accident-free laps (4,760 miles) on the 2-mile oval.

"It's been a very productive two days here at California Speedway," said Brian Barnhart, vice president of operations for the Indy Racing League. "Bill Miller (president and general manager of California Speedway) has assembled an excellent staff here, and we look forward to working with them through the race. The California portion of the Test in the West has gone flawlessly.

"Phil Casey and the rest of the technical staff are comfortable with the aero package for this 2-mile track. With speeds topping out around 221, the Indy Racing League is going to put on a great race in March."

The inaugural Indy Racing event at California Speedway is scheduled for March 24. The Indy Racing season opener is March 2 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Jaques Lazier, from nearby Alta Loma, Calif., posted the second-fastest lap of the day at 32.4541, 221.852 in the No. 2 Team Menard Dallara/Chevrolet/Firestone. Cheever, who hasn't named a driver for the No. 52 machine, posted the third-fastest time of the day at 32.4638, 221.785 in his No. 51 Red Bull Cheever Racing Dallara/Infiniti/Firestone.

"Having a rookie (Scheckter) run with you at speeds like this and with traffic makes for some anxious moments for a car owner," Cheever said. "We ran Tomas in (a private test) Las Vegas, and he was impeccable. We ran him here in traffic, and he beat me on speed. He didn't get in trouble all day long, and he's making my decision on who we are going to pick for a second driver a lot easier.

[gomick]

still prefer to see dan wheldon get the drive....

[Dr. Austin]

Sounds like it is done. I don't think anyone expected the guy to go that fast. If he is going faster than Cheever it will be really hard to send him away. How could you ever justify that to Infinity or Red Bull? Or to any of the fans?

But he has to get out of london. All the bobbies in the red light district are on the lookout for him.

"Hey. baby, wanna take a ride in my Jag?"

[marcus]

LOL
he certainly has shown some speed that not many thought he would.

Time will tell if he will get the drive but there is someone else waiting in the wings.
John De Vries has past his rokkie test (Im not sure who with?) his personal sponsors are Red Bull and he performed brilliantly in his test and could pull a surprise.
I saw him race down here in Australia two years ago in Formula Holden and he won the Silver star award (for older model cars) with great class and red Bull are very impressed with him , so there may be a third driver to throw into the equation.

anyone of them would do a good job

[rlinter]

So what does he put on the imigration paperwork when he arrives in the US - there is a question about any criminal convictions....

[Dr. Austin]

If we are still talking about Scheckter, what he did is not going to be a big problem for him here. Plenty of guys like Hugh Grant and Pee Wee Herman have been caught, so to speak, with their pants down, but we all just have a good laugh and that is normally the end of it. Since there was no blue dress, I don't expect a congressional investigation!

I think the biggest problem he is going to have here, and the Baron will concurr, is hiding that monsterous nose when he sneaks into the nude bar on 16th street. Ah, maybe Gruner can sneak him in the back door. He knows his way around those places.