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IndyCar
INDYCAR: Robin Miller’s Birmingham Notebook
Robin Miller reports from the heavily attended Birmingham IndyCar Series test.
Scott Dixon followed up his pole position at the 12 Hours of Sebring with the fastest time from day one at the Birmingham ICS test. The Kiwi is staking his claim as the fastest man in North America. (LAT)
The first day of IndyCar's test at Barber Motorsports Park had something none of the drivers expected, or had ever seen.
Paying customers. Lots of 'em.
"It's remarkable, it really is," marveled Robert Doornbos at the estimated 10,000 people who paid $10 Sunday or $25 for three days (15 and under were admitted free) to watch the boys and girl of IndyCar on the sparkling 2.3-mile road course outside Birmingham.
"I've tested Formula One cars and there weren't two people in the stands so this was really cool. The people I talked to were quite enthusiastic about watching us and they hope we race here some day."
Obviously, the intent of George Barber and his staff is to entice the IRL to schedule a race here in 2010 and, for the most part, the drivers are all for it.
"It's fast and it's a blast to drive but it's only one groove so it would be cool if there were a couple of places to past," said Scott Dixon, who led the 16 drivers with a quick lap of 1:10.5005 (117.446 mph) in the Target Dallara/Honda. "But everybody seems happy were down here."
Doornbos, who won twice as a Champ Car rookie in 2007, clocked the second best lap of 1:10.634 in his Newman/Haas/Lanigan entry and Tony Kanaan was third fastest at 1:10.662 in his 7/Eleven Special.
Dario Franchitti and Ryan Briscoe were also timed at 1:10.6, while Will Power and Graham Rahal were close behind at 1:10.7 over the rolling, undulating road course.
"It reminds me of Mid-Ohio and it's got some blind corners which really get your attention," said Franchitti.
Testing resumes Monday but it appears Milka Duno is looking for a ride. She had practiced with Newman/Haas/Lanigan at Homestead last month and the team had cleared space in its shop to run three cars but evidently her funding fell short of what had been promised.
Results Sunday from the IndyCar Series Open Test:
1. #9 Scott Dixon 1:10.5005
2. #06 Robert Doornbos 1:10.6341
3. #11 Tony Kanaan 1:10.6621
4. #10 Dario Franchitti 1:10.6630
5. #6 Ryan Briscoe 1:10.6937
6. #3 Will Power 1:10.7772
7. #02 Graham Rahal 1:10.7795
8. #26 Marco Andretti 1:10.8921
9. #4 Dan Wheldon 1:10.8921
10. #18 Justin Wilson 1:10.9079
11. #27 Hideki Mutoh 1:10.9650
12. #5 Mario Moraes 1:11.1491
13. #12 Raphael Matos 1:11.4496
14. #7 Danica Patrick 1:11.4640
15. #24 Mike Conway 1:11.8791
16. #20 Ed Carpenter 1:12.4355
Paying customers. Lots of 'em.
"It's remarkable, it really is," marveled Robert Doornbos at the estimated 10,000 people who paid $10 Sunday or $25 for three days (15 and under were admitted free) to watch the boys and girl of IndyCar on the sparkling 2.3-mile road course outside Birmingham.
"I've tested Formula One cars and there weren't two people in the stands so this was really cool. The people I talked to were quite enthusiastic about watching us and they hope we race here some day."
Obviously, the intent of George Barber and his staff is to entice the IRL to schedule a race here in 2010 and, for the most part, the drivers are all for it.
"It's fast and it's a blast to drive but it's only one groove so it would be cool if there were a couple of places to past," said Scott Dixon, who led the 16 drivers with a quick lap of 1:10.5005 (117.446 mph) in the Target Dallara/Honda. "But everybody seems happy were down here."
Doornbos, who won twice as a Champ Car rookie in 2007, clocked the second best lap of 1:10.634 in his Newman/Haas/Lanigan entry and Tony Kanaan was third fastest at 1:10.662 in his 7/Eleven Special.
Dario Franchitti and Ryan Briscoe were also timed at 1:10.6, while Will Power and Graham Rahal were close behind at 1:10.7 over the rolling, undulating road course.
"It reminds me of Mid-Ohio and it's got some blind corners which really get your attention," said Franchitti.
Testing resumes Monday but it appears Milka Duno is looking for a ride. She had practiced with Newman/Haas/Lanigan at Homestead last month and the team had cleared space in its shop to run three cars but evidently her funding fell short of what had been promised.
Results Sunday from the IndyCar Series Open Test:
1. #9 Scott Dixon 1:10.5005
2. #06 Robert Doornbos 1:10.6341
3. #11 Tony Kanaan 1:10.6621
4. #10 Dario Franchitti 1:10.6630
5. #6 Ryan Briscoe 1:10.6937
6. #3 Will Power 1:10.7772
7. #02 Graham Rahal 1:10.7795
8. #26 Marco Andretti 1:10.8921
9. #4 Dan Wheldon 1:10.8921
10. #18 Justin Wilson 1:10.9079
11. #27 Hideki Mutoh 1:10.9650
12. #5 Mario Moraes 1:11.1491
13. #12 Raphael Matos 1:11.4496
14. #7 Danica Patrick 1:11.4640
15. #24 Mike Conway 1:11.8791
16. #20 Ed Carpenter 1:12.4355
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