Start your engines!
Play RPM.ESPN Stock Car Challenge!
Win a Honda S2000!
Play The CART Challenge powered by Honda!
|
|
Saturday, July 7
Sharp also started from the Indy 500 pole
Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Scott Sharp, who crashed on the first
lap after starting from the pole in the Indy 500, turned a fast lap
of 216.175 mph Saturday to top qualifying for Sunday's Ameristar
Casino Indy 200.
| |  | | | Sharp |
An estimated 65,000 sun-baked fans braved near-100 degree heat
during the Ameristar qualifying and an earlier NASCAR truck race.
Three drivers and more than 70 spectators were treated for
heat-related distress, a medical official said.
Eddie Cheever Jr., whose Infiniti 35A engine was one of two that
exceeded 216 mph in Friday's practice, was second to Sharp at
213.226.
"I was actually surprised we ran the speed we did," said
Sharp, who won his fourth career Indy Racing League pole. "I
thought the best we could do was probably second or third. I really
felt that Eddie and his package had probably a mile per hour on
us."
Eliseo Salazar was third, followed by Robbie Buhl.
The heat could get even worse for Sunday's noon start. That,
combined with the fact the drivers are not familiar with the
1.5-mile oval track on the new Kansas Speedway could make the race
a thinking man's game.
"I think tomorrow will be a tire strategy race because nobody
has any data to actually go on to see how you're going to set up
the car," Cheever said.
"So there might be one or two cars get it right and I can see a
few people struggling because of that."
Sharp figured he might have just gotten lucky guessing the right
conditions.
"We weren't sure where the balance would be," he said. "We
weren't sure where we needed to set our pressures. We weren't sure
about our gears. There were a lot of things we guessed on, and it
seemed like we guessed right because the car was just perfect."
The heat had teams making all sorts of adjustments.
"Engine reliability is foremost," said Andy Brown, engineer
for Panther Racing. "There is an aerodynamic penalty when you open
up the radiator exits to get more air through the coolers. Opening
the radiator exits reduces downforce, but the cooling requirements
of the engine take priority."
Cheever was looking forward to the extreme conditions.
"I think it's good," he said. "It makes the track very
difficult. It's hard on the engines, hard on the tires, hard on the
drivers. It's easier to make a mistake when you're hot and tired
than it is when you're cool and fresh."
Speedway officials were hurriedly installing additional drinking
fountains in time for Sunday's race. In addition, fans were given
free sunscreen and 5-ounce drinking cups.
"Enjoy doing what you want, but drink water," said Jeff
Strickler, the speedway's nurse coordinator. "If someone stays
hydrated they're not going to have a problem despite the heat."
He said 73 people required either oral or IV fluids during the
day and four persons were taken to a hospital for further
evaluation, none in serious condition.
"We think we were very well prepared," said Jeff Boerger,
speedway vice president. "We knew going in it was going to be a
hot weekend."
That was small consolation for Ricky Hendrick, the winner of the
O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 earlier in the day.
"My behind and my feet were on fire," Hendrick said. "After
the celebration, I wanted to puke. I wasn't feeling well at all."
 Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
|
|
|
|
