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Winston Wolfe
03-13-06, 09:59 PM
anyone going out to the testing ?
Saw two of the chassis being assembled today, and they were right. These things literally come in multiple boxes, and have to be put together from scratch. Pretty damn cool ! :thumbup:
The tubs look very roomy inside (relatively speaking) and there are going to be plenty of advanced electronics and safety gear on 'em too.
I've gotten to know a few of the fellas on one of the smaller teams and will try to be out there in Fontucky for the first look as many of the teams shake the cars down for the first time. Should be pretty cool year for Atlantics, with a full field, lots of quality and talent!

indyfan31
03-14-06, 11:34 AM
I've never been to one of these things. What's required to get in, BS or a just the parking fee?
Can I say I have a note from Paul Gentilozzi? :D

CART License
03-14-06, 03:44 PM
Would love to attend, how do I weasel my way in ?

KLang
03-22-06, 11:23 AM
29 cars entered, 24 on the track Tuesday.

story (http://www.champcaratlantic.com/News/Article.asp?ID=2058)

Results:

Jonathan Bomarito, PR1 Motorsports - 58.666 sec/91.740 mph
Simon Pagenaud, Team Australia - 58.694 sec/91.696 mph
James Hinchcliffe, Forsythe Championship Racing - 58.893 sec/91.386 mph
Andreas Wirth, Forsythe Championship Racing - 58.985 sec/91.244 mph
Graham Rahal, Mi-Jack Conquest Racing - 59.037 sec/91.163 mph
Alex Barron, Polestar Racing Group - 59.139 sec/91.006 mph
Richard Philippe, Forsythe Championship Racing - 59.252 sec/90.832 mph
Raphael Matos, Sierra Sierra Enterprises - 59.324 sec/90.722 mph
David Martinez, US RaceTronics - 59.340 sec/90.698 mph
Leonardo Maia, Forsythe Championship Racing - 59.481 sec/90.483 mph
Charles Hall, Transnet Racing - 59.515 sec/90.431 mph
Norbert Siedler, Brooks Associates Racing - 59.597 sec/90.307 mph
Stephen Simpson, Gelles Racing - 59.744 sec/90.084 mph
Robbie Pecorari, Gelles Racing - 59.805 sec/89.992 mph
Tim Bridgman, Jensen Motorsport - 59.846 sec/89.931 mph
Danilo Dirani, Condor Motorsports - 59.854 sec/89.919 mph
Mike Forest, PR1 Motorsports - 59.856 sec/89.916 mph
Joe D'Agostino, Newman/Wachs Racing -59.964 sec/89.754 mph
Luis Schiavo, Brooks Associates Racing - 1:00.079 sec/89.582 mph
Alan Sciuto, Polestar Racing Group - 1:00.702 sec/88.663 mph
Nick Jones, Jensen Motorsport - 1:01.991 sec/86.819 mph
Tonis Kasemets, Transnet Racing - 1:03.284 sec/85.045 mph
Dan Selznick, The Room Store - 1:03.757 sec/84.414 mph
Justin Sofio, Mathiasen Motorsports - 1:05.557 sec/82.096

Winston Wolfe
03-22-06, 11:37 AM
Would love to attend, how do I weasel my way in ?

i am going out there today. No credentials, no passes. Just my willingness to see race cars. Go to the gate, tell 'em you are there for the Atlantics testing, and pick the name of an obscure team that the $9.00\hr security guy wont know about, and drive on in. Go straight to the tunnel in T4 and drive under the track. Proceed to parking lot, get out of car, and walk quickly to a crowd and merge....viola !.... you're in ! :thumbup:
that's my plan.

CARTNUT
03-23-06, 10:06 PM
i am going out there today. No credentials, no passes. Just my willingness to see race cars. Go to the gate, tell 'em you are there for the Atlantics testing, and pick the name of an obscure team that the $9.00\hr security guy wont know about, and drive on in. Go straight to the tunnel in T4 and drive under the track. Proceed to parking lot, get out of car, and walk quickly to a crowd and merge....viola !.... you're in ! :thumbup:
that's my plan.

So How'd that plan go? :cool:

Winston Wolfe
03-24-06, 02:48 AM
Worked gguuuuuuhhhh-REAT ! :thumbup:

Rolled up to Gate 1, said "I'm here for the Atlantics test".... "right that way sir, have a nice day"..... next Security agent. Ditto. Proceed to infield pit lane entrance booth, announce what I am there for.... presto, sign waiver \ insurance \ legal page.... initial..... get wristband. and VIOLA ! I'm watching Atlantics for two hours (dont tell my boss).
Cars look great in person. Indeck \ Forsythe has a massive, well stocked set-up and an impressive array of equipment. As does Team Aussie Vineyards.
Memo to us "non racers": Many of these drivers are 'young', and look it, although they all appear to be built like jockeys.
It was strange to be at Fontucky and not see a car touch the big oval. They were on the infield road course only.
Heck I was out there Sunday for the VARA gig, and they let me drive on the Grand-AM \ SCCA road\high bank course with my own car on some "demonstration laps"....
I guess the Atlantic guys were there to really shake these units down, and get some data (gearing\wings,etc.) in as short a time as possible.
Did I mention its great to see open wheel cars again, and watch em go fast ?
Cant wait for next week ! :D

CARTNUT
03-24-06, 06:02 PM
Very, very cool! Can't wait for next week either, even though I will be having some more dental work done in the A.M. before I get to Fontuckey.
I should get there before noon. Hey, does the infield course use any of the back straight or turn 1, or is it strictly flat road course? Hmmmmm? I was there last year training for my new job in the Kaiser rail yard next to the north parking lot, standing on top of the nose of the engine, trying to look over the wall. I new it was ChampCars by the sound. I was telling the guys I was working with about it and they let me go early, but I was unable to scam my way in. That was a tough afternoon.

'NUT :gomer:

Anteater
03-24-06, 06:45 PM
Nice work, WW! :thumbup: Thanks for telling us about it.

How about Champ Car testing--do you think we'll be able to see anything from the designated areas? I'd like to know before I drive 60 miles to stand in a parking lot!

Winston Wolfe
03-24-06, 08:12 PM
The Atlantics never went on the oval. There is a confined infield road course which is completely flat, and a couple of the drivers I spoke with said it was strange, as the track didnt have any real "landmarks" and was "plain".

There are plenty of good vantage points where I was, especially down on the "big oval" side, between T3 & T4, where there is a series of tighter turns which were cool to watch. You could really see the difference btwn the guys who were "hustling" thru there, and who was "experimenting with set-ups"...Also, at the opposite end (near "big oval" T1 & T2) which is where they exited for their version of the pits (which would be "corporate hospitality motorhome" area back in the CART days) there was some good sightlines for the big radius turn as well as looks at the high speed chicane. If they let us up on the corporate hospitality suites on the main straight, does it mean the cars will hit the main straight and go thru T1 and T2 like on the SCCA \ Grand-Am course !?!?
Either way, its Champ Cars, its springtime, its open, and FREE !!! :thumbup:

Trevor Longman
03-25-06, 11:08 PM
Combined Times:
1) Jonathan Bomarito, PR1 Motorsports – 58.311/92.298 mph
2) Stephen Simpson, Gelles Racing – 58.389/92.175 mph
3) James Hinchcliffe, Forsythe Championship Racing – 58.396 sec/92.164 mph
4) Graham Rahal, Mi-Jack Conquest Racing – 58.508/91.987 mph
5) Raphael Matos, Sierra Sierra Enterprises – 58.551/91.920 mph
6) Norbert Siedler, Brooks Associates Racing – 58.556/91.912 mph
7) Andreas Wirth, Forsythe Championship Racing – 58.630/91.796 mph
8) Leonardo Maia, Forsythe Championship Racing – 58.632/91.793 mph
9) Simon Pagenaud, Team Australia – 58.694/91.696 mph
10) Robbie Pecorari, Gelles Racing – 58.771/91.576 mph
11) Richard Philippe, Forsythe Championship Racing – 58.778/91.565 mph
12) Danilo Dirani, Condor Motorsports – 58.906/91.366 mph
13) David Martinez, US RaceTronics – 58.947/91.302 mph
14) Alan Sciuto, Polestar Racing Group – 58.963/91.278 mph
15) Charles Hall, Transnet Racing – 59.060/91.128 mph
16) Alex Barron, Polestar Racing Group – 59.117 sec/91.040 mph
17) Tim Bridgman, Jensen Motorsport – 59.121/91.034 mph
18) Mike Forest, PR1 Motorsports – 59.137/91.009 mph
19) Luis Schiavo, Brooks Associates Racing – 59.179/90.944 mph
20) Daniel Gaunt, Newman/Wachs Racing – 59.571/90.346 mph
21) Joe D’Agostino, Newman/Wachs Racing – 59.571/90.346 mph
22) James Davison, Team Australia – 59.700/90.151 mph
23) Tonis Kasemets, Transnet Racing – 59.795/90.008 mph
24) Justin Sofio, Mathiasen Motorsports – 1:00.690/88.680 mph
25) Kyle Kelley, McAtee Motorsports – 1:00.934/88.325 mph
26) Nick Jones, Jensen Motorsport – 1:00.951/88.300 mph
27) Dan Selznick, The Room Store – 1:02.105/86.660 mph
28) Ryan Spencer-Smith, NCDL Tech – 1:04.880/82.953 mph
29) Brian McAtee, McAtee Motorsports – 1:05.337/82.373 mph

Fairly close until you get to about 23rd. :thumbup: