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17.MAR
Blair
Racing at Phoenix IRL Race BAVONDALE,
Ariz. (March 17, 2002) Blair Racing competed today on the fastest
track in the west, Phoenix International Raceway in the Indy Racing
League (IRL) series. San Diego, Calif. native Alex Barron of Menifee,
Calif. competed in the ATV Copper World Indy 200. Today's race was
the second race in the 2002 IRL championship that will race a total
of 15 different events, including the Indianapolis 500.
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Barron, driving the Chevrolet-powered by McLaren started
25th for the race on the one-mile oval. The team was racing a new
car for this race -- it is not the same car that raced and finished
eighth at Miami; this car had not been tested before. Due to
new car teething problems, it had a mechanical in the fuel system
during the Saturday morning practice and qualifying. The challenge
ahead of Barron and Blair Racing was to get from the back to the
front of the 25 car field for the 200-mile race.
Barron and the team set out to move to the front moving up ten
positions by lap 24. Barron moved the Blair Racing entry into 13th
on lap 45. On the restart on lap 71, Barron called into the pits
with a mechanical problem. He pulled off of the track and was unable
to complete the race.
"We were moving up pretty quickly (started 25, running
13th), and something broke on the rear end," said Barron.
"It felt like someone had hit me from behind but that's not
what happened. The car was walking all over the place. Before that
we had a good car today. We found our gremlins from yesterday and we
were moving up through the field. It's too bad. We were able to get
good points at Homestead (8th) and wanted to do good here also. We
are going to take the positive side of last week and move on to
Fontana next week. John (Dick, Engineer) made more changes for the
race today anticipating what the track was going to do and it was
working out real well. We were moving up quick, the restarts were
good, the pit stop was good and it is a shame that this happened for
Blair Racing. The pit stop was tight and we had to get aggressive
out there. Giaffone's (pit in front of Blair Racing) right rear guy
helped us out by moving a tire out of the way; I thank them for
that; it could have been a problem on the pit stop.
Blair's Indianapolis based team heads west to Southern
California's fast two-mile oval, California Speedway. Barron raced
for Blair on the Fontana track in 2001, running in the top-ten for
over 90 laps and leading the event. The broadcast will air on the
ESPN television network and on the IMS Radio Network. Check local
listings.
About Fontana: "We are going to Fontana with high hopes. I
ran there last year for Blair Racing (led, finished 9th) and did
really well. I'm going there with a lot of confidence. I live close
and a lot my family and friends will be there."
You can also check the IRL's official website, at
www.indyracing.com for more information, live timing and scoring.
www.BlairRacing.com keeps fans up-to-date with all the latest
team news and information.
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RACE
REPORT