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Power and Team Australia conduct first IndyCar test this week |
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Tuesday, 18 March 2008 |
Team Australia driver Will Power will participate in his first IndyCar Series
test on March 19-20 at Sebring International Speedway in Sebring, Florida.
Power will get his first taste of a Honda-powered Dallara IndyCar around
the 1.66-mile circuit, with two days of testing scheduled for teams making the
transition from the Champ Car World Series to the unified 2008 IndyCar Series.
New Team Australia partners KV Racing Technology have worked around the clock to
have two cars ready for the test, with Power set to have his first drive of the
#8 Aussie Vineyards - Team Australia Honda/Dallara/Firestone machine. The driver
from Toowoomba, Queensland will be joined by KV Racing Technology team-mate
Oriol Servia, who will pilot the KV Racing Technology #32
Honda/Dallara/Firestone entry.
“All credit has to go to the crew guys
because it is an absolutely outstanding effort to be able to get two cars
together in such a short space of time,” said Power.
“The test is going
to be all about shaking the car down, learning what the Dallara is like to
drive, how it reacts to certain things and for me personally, I will be working
hard at getting to know all the team at KV Racing Technology.
“I think I
owe them all a dinner already because they have put in some serious hours to get
these cars ready in time for this test.”
Power is enthusiastic about
this first test on the Sebring road course, which will be followed by a further
two days of testing on the 1.5-mile oval of Homestead-Miami Speedway on March
24-25.
“After Sebring we head to Homestead for two days of oval testing.
That will be a very important test and a chance to learn a lot for the first
race of the season. The priority will be to build up confidence, get up to speed
and keep the car straight, because the more track time you have the more you
will learn.
“Then the second race of the season is a week later at St
Pete, and it is the test this week at Sebring that will give us some good
information for that street course event. Once we get on top of the car at the
Sebring test, we will be tuning it more to suit the St Pete street circuit
rather than trying to find a good set-up for Sebring itself.”
This is
the first opportunity KV Racing Technology has had to test its IndyCar Series
cars since announcing on March 12 the Indianapolis-based operation would join
the series, in partnership with Aussie Vineyards and Team Australia, for the
2008 season.
“I want to congratulate Mark Johnson (KV Racing Technology
General Manager), David Brzozowski (Team Manager), the engineering staff and the
entire crew on the job they have done getting these cars ready to test,” said KV
Racing Technology co-owner Jimmy Vasser.
“We haven’t had a lot of time
to prepare, but the entire team has worked flat out, around the clock, seven day
a week, just to get prepared for this first test at Sebring. This is a huge
undertaking and while we are still behind some of the established teams,
everything that can be done to this point, has been done and I just want to say
how proud I am of the entire team.
“I also want to acknowledge, and
thank, Target Chip Ganassi Racing. They have really been great as far as helping
us get ready and have made it apparent that getting our team up to speed as fast
as possible is what is best for the series. We appreciate all their support.”
The first race of the 2008 IndyCar Series will be held under lights with
the Gainsco Auto Insurance Indy 300 on March 29 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
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