28.OCT.01
Alex
Barron Finishes 13th in Australia
GOLD COAST,
Queensland, Australia (October 28, 2001) -- Arciero-Blair Racing competed today in the Championship Auto
Racing Teams (CART) event at coastal resort town of Surfers
Paradise, Australia. Driver Alex Barron of Menifee, Calif. competed
in round 20 of 21 in the FedEx Championship Series finishing 13th.
Barron, driving the Ford-powered Lola sponsored by Driving 101,
started 26th for the event that had record breaking crowds lining
the 2.795-mile temporary street course. The race was 181.675-miles
long on the 12-turn track. Barron raced within the 26-car field,
running as high as fifth. Consistent and strong all day,
Arciero-Blair Racing executed two flawless pit stops. This event
normally has many cautions due to the challenging street course but
today only two cautions were seen. The Driving 101 entry came in for
the second pit stop while in fifth and returned to the track running
competitive speeds. Barron went on to finish thirteenth in his first
CART race of 2001.
"The credit for today’s good finish goes to the crew and
the team owners," said Barron. "They worked hard fitting
me in the car with only a few days before the race and they also
called a great race today. The mistake I made during qualifying
Saturday made last night very long for me and I am sure for the crew
and Larry (Blair). All of the recent dramas turned out good for
Arciero-Blair and it makes the long flight home easier and going
into Fontana easier. It was good to see the crew and Larry smile at
the end of this long weekend. I only found out ten days ago that I
would be racing here in Australia; on a normal weekend for me this
year you would have found me at a go kart track in San Diego. I am
glad this turned out good for everyone."
"I give complete credit to the team and Alex for their great
performance this weekend," said Blair. "They did great pit
stops and had a good pit strategy. It was very wise of them to leave
Alex out during the first yellow because it was very tempting to
come in with everyone else for the first stop. Today was a win for
the team; we started 26th and came through the adversity we faced
over the last ten days. This was a great team effort for our crew
here and the members of the team that are at our shop in
Indianapolis. Alex demonstrated his skill and experience to move us
up to finish 13th. This effort really showcases this team and
demonstrates that we can continue to develop and generate momentum
for the team."
Arciero-Blair Racing now prepares to return to the United States
for the final event of the CART season. Round 21 will be held at
California Speedway in Fontana, Calif. on November 4th.
"If you have a good car at Fontana it can be a comfortable
and fun race," said Barron. "What I learned there last
year and the positive momentum from today will help us for sure. I
am glad to go back to Fontana and I want to get this car to the
front and have a good finish for the team." The race is for 500
miles on the 2.029-mile oval. Barron led the event last year and was
in contention to win. With only three laps to go a mechanical
failure ended his race. The race will be broadcast on the ESPN
television network at 3:30 p.m. ET. Check local listings. It will
also air on the CART Radio Network and on CART’s official website,
at www.cart.com.
Driving 101 is the first and only driving experience in the world
to offer a fleet of 20 full-sized Champ Cars. Clients range from
corporations that use the innovative driving school to reward
employees to celebrities and race fans. It has also been used as a
popular birthday or special occasion gift by many of the over 6,000
students who have attended one of Driving 101’s classes. Its four
different locations are Chicago Motor Speedway, a 1.029-mile oval,
California Speedway, a 2.029 oval, Texas Motor Speedway, a 1.5-mile
oval and Las Vegas Motor Speedway, a 1.5-mile oval. Many different
programs are available; all programs include safety, classroom and
trackside
instruction followed by an actual driving experience where you
can "Feel the Speed," on a professional racetracks.
Program information can be found
www.driving101.com. www.BlairRacing.com keeps fans up-to-date with all the
latest team news, photos and information. For more information or
updates on the FedEx Championship Series go to www.CART.com.
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