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Power Cements Second Starting Spot At Elkhart Lake |
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Tuesday, 14 August 2007 |
Will Power will start tomorrow’s Generac Grand Prix of Road America from the front row of the grid after securing the second starting spot in final qualifying at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin today.
Power will start alongside championship leader Sebastien Bourdais for the start of Round 10 of the Champ Car World Series around the spectacular 4.048-mile (6.515 kilometre) circuit.
Power could not better his time of 1m43.116secs from yesterday’s
qualifying session in the #5 Aussie Vineyards Team Australia DP01, but
his time was enough for him to remain second fastest behind Bourdais.
Simon Pagenaud will start the #15 Aussie Vineyards Team Australia DP01
from 12th on the grid after a tough day for the Frenchman.
The Champ Car rookie is confident that he will be back in more familiar
surroundings challenging for a top five position in tomorrow’s race.
It was the top three drivers that are fighting for the championship
that secured the first three spots on the grid in Elkhart Lake today,
with Bourdais on pole from Power and Dutchman Robert Doornbos third.
WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY …
Will Power – #5 Aussie Vineyards Team Australia DP01
“It's great to be starting on the front row, of course,” said Power.
“But, you know, with Sebastien's time, I think we're all a little bit
concerned. But, you know, you've seen what happens in races: anything
can happen.
“You know, we're going to give it our best shot. I have to stay in
qualifying, we really struggled on the reds. I made a late call to go
on blacks, but it was too late, so I had to run the red tyres.
“Yeah, we didn't improve. It was really tough to get a lap.”
Simon Pagenaud – #15 Aussie Vineyards Team Australia DP01
“Well we did improve the Aussie Vineyards car a lot, but we found this
morning the set of tyres that we used yesterday just weren’t working
properly,” said Pagenaud.
“We came back on the pace and were pretty fast today. The car is not
bad and we will see in the race, we can take the draft and pass people,
so we will see. We can come back.”
Derrick Walker – Team Australia Co-Owner
“Strange day, we have two really good Aussie Vineyards cars, but it
didn’t make much more of an improvement on yesterday’s times and it’s
strange to say the least,” said Walker.
“Overall we’ve got a good race car and the boys will get around the
computers tonight and dream up a better car or tomorrow. Great team
effort all the way around.”
Craig Gore – Team Australia Co-Owner
“Will is where he needs to be to challenge Sebastien in tomorrow’s race,” said Gore.
“Will has got the Aussie Vineyards car off to some great starts this
season and we all hope that he has another one up his sleeve for
tomorrow.
“Simon is a little further down the grid that we would all like but he
is a very mature, consistent racer and I’m confident he will be up
there when in counts tomorrow afternoon.”
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