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IN THE COCKPIT: Alex Tagliani, Baltimore IndyCar
In 2012, our setup has worked really well and has been able to put the Barracuda Racing No. 98 in the Firestone Fast Six five times out of the last six races.
Alex Tagliani  |  Posted September 06, 2012  
Alex Tagliani and the Barracuda Racing team keep knocking on the door of a breakthrough result. (Photo: Marshall Pruett)
So far in 2012, our setup has worked really well and has been able to put the Barracuda Racing No. 98 in the Firestone Fast Six five times out of the last six races.

In Baltimore, we struggled a little during the early sessions of the race weekend, so I was a little skeptical as we headed into qualifying. I knew that the engineers and the team did a great job, so I had to go out and see what I could do. I think our qualifying setup was going to be fast enough to get us into the Firestone Fast Six again, but luck wasn’t on our side.

We waited until about halfway through the session to go out, like we normally do. When I hit the track, I backed off the car in front of me to give me a gap so I could do some solid laps.

Unfortunately, one of the cars in our session made contact with the wall and brought out a red flag before we ever had the chance post a full lap. As a result, we got knocked out of qualifying in the first round – it was the first time that happened since we switched to Honda in May.

We were a bit bummed. But on a track like Baltimore, you can never give up.

Being out early allowed us to regroup on Saturday afternoon and look at the variety of strategy options for Sunday. With the possibility of rain during the race, we were looking at all kinds of different strategies.

At the start of the Grand Prix of Baltimore, we started P13 and were able to gain two positions right away, so we were in range of the top ten. The threat of rain increased and there were lots of different strategies going on with all the teams out there.

We decided to put on rain tires and we picked up another position. Then we had another unlucky moment. I got on the radio at the same time as Todd and we didn’t hear each other. I was looking at Will Power and Scott Dixon, and trying to ask Todd if I should follow the leader. At the same time, he was telling me to pit.

Power actually had the same issue – he and his team had a communication problem too – and I ended up following him when he didn’t pit. So we stayed out on the rain tires. At that point, the rain stayed away and the track started to dry very quickly. Plus, with all the cautions, it allowed other drivers to stay on (or put on) slicks without losing any positions.
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Alex Tagliani

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