Testing On Both Coasts

By Andrew Cutler
December 7 2007

As winter weather pounded the middle U.S. this week, several teams of the IRL enjoyed the (comparatively) warm climates of Miami FL and the Napa Valley CA area while tunning up for the 2008 season. This was the third of a limited number of tests available to each team prior to Dec. 22.

The 1.5 mile oval at Miami-Homstead saw test runs put in by Team Penske drivers Helio Castroneves and newcommer Ryan Briscoe, AGR stablemates Tony Kanaan and Hideki Mutoh, Ganassi Racing's Dan Wheldon and Vision Racing's Ed Carpenter. The main purpose of the test was to evaluate new tire compounds developed by Firestone, but the test was also Briscoe's and Mutoh's first opportunity to drive for their new teams.

Fresh off of his victory in the TV reality show "Dancing With the Stars", Castroneves arrived at the track on Thursday to find crew members bowing to him in mock homage. Helio grinned and reponded; "All right. It's time to get back to work."

Meanwhile, some 3100+ miles away in Sonoma, CA, Ganassi's other full-time driver, Scott Dixon, and Rahal-Letterman Racing's Ryan Hunter-Reay were at the Infineon Raceway road course testing out a proposed change in the track layout. Per the IRL's request, the track in looking at lengthening the run-down to turn seven - using the drag strip that is part of the Infineon complex - and then using a different, longer loop for that turn.

"About halfway down the drag strip we go to the left and then do the loop around, which is our Turn 7, and head back for the Esses," IRL V.P. of competition Brian Barnhart told the official Indy Racing League website. "I'd like to have our drivers try staying on the drag strip where it stays straight all the way down and then take the longer loop, which (the track has) listed as 7a, and then head back to the Esses. Hopefully, getting feedback from our drivers, what I'd like to see is if by staying straight we create a harder braking area and thus a better passing zone going into Turn 7."