Testing
The first CART test session began on December 19, 2000. Kenny Bräck, a former Indy Racing League driver (who had raced previously at Texas in the IRL) was the first driver to take to the track. The target speeds were set at 225 mph. Bräck completed over 100 laps, with a top lap over 221 mph. CART chief steward J. Kirk Russell, track officials, Bräck, and Team Rahal expressed satisfaction with the test and the data collected. CART set its rules package for the race as utilizing 37 inHG manifold pressure (down from 40) and installing the Hanford device on all rear wings.
While CART did not arrange a full-field open test, several private tests followed. The second series of private tests, scheduled for three days, began February 21, 2001. The entire week was hindered by rain and cool temperatures. Patrick Racing and driver Jimmy Vasser were the first teams to take to the track. On the first day, rain kept the track closed until 11:30 a.m. A busy afternoon saw Vasser drive over 100 laps, with a top lap over 215 mph (346 km/h). Vasser reported it was "fairly easy to drive flat out" and said the track was somewhat bumpy. The team claimed to have accomplished all of their goals in the abbreviated half-day session, and cancelled the remaining two days they had scheduled for the test.
Team KOOL Green tested at the track on February 22 with driver Dario Franchitti. He completed 190 laps with a top lap speed of 225.7 mph (363.2 km/h). Top trap speeds may have been as high as 228 mph (367 km/h).
Like Patrick Racing the day before, Team Green cancelled their second scheduled day of testing when they felt they had accomplished their testing goals after only one session. Franchitti expressed reservations about the tracks roughness and reported pulling 3 Gs in the corners. He also predicted that two-wide racing would be possible during the race.
PacWest Racing also tested at the track on February 22 with rookie driver Scott Dixon and Maurício Gugelmin In 55 degree weather, Dixon drove about 140 laps, with a top speed close to 225 mph. Gugelmin also reported the ability to drive flat out around the track.
Also at the track on February 22 was Penske Racing with driver Hélio Castroneves and Walker Racing with driver Tora Takagi. Castroneves had a fast lap about 226 mph.
All scheduled testing for February 23 was cancelled due to rain. During the week, no incidents were reported. Tora Takagi, however, suffered gearbox trouble, and completed only 20 laps of testing.
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Famous quotes containing the word testing:
“Traditional scientific method has always been at the very best 20-20 hindsight. It’s good for seeing where you’ve been. It’s good for testing the truth of what you think you know, but it can’t tell you where you ought to go.”
—Robert M. Pirsig (b. 1928)
“Today so much rebellion is aimless and demoralizing precisely because children have no values to challenge. Teenage rebellion is a testing process in which young people try out various values in order to make them their own. But during those years of trial, error, embarrassment, a child needs family standards to fall back on, reliable habits of thought and feeling that provide security and protection.”
—Neil Kurshan (20th century)
“Now I see that going out into the testing ground of men it is the tongue and not the deed that wins the day.”
—Sophocles (497–406/5 B.C.)