Mosport Press Notes 1-26, Thursday 97-08-28

Press Notes 1-26, Thursday

28 August, 1997

1. Good morning and welcome to the first day of official activity for the Mosport Festival. This weekend features four Professional SportsCar Racing (SportsCar) series, the SCCA's Trans-Am Championship, World Challenge and Spec Racer Ford Pro Series, plus the CASC-sanctioned Dunlop/Unipneu F1600 Series and Enduroseries. 2. SportsCar races this weekend include: Friday -- 30-minute Black Magic Pro Series race Saturday -- 1-hour 45-minute Exxon Supreme GT presented by Virgin Interactive race 2-hour 30-minute SPEEDVISION Cup for Stock SportsCars race Sunday -- 2-hour Exxon World SportsCar Championship race, and a 30-minute Black Magic Pro Series

3. The following people are here to help you: Mosport: Sid Priddle, Vice-President of Communications SportsCar: Nicholls, Director of Communications Press Assistant/Results Room: Betty Priddle Press Assistant: Bruce O'Neill Press Assistant: Christine McCarthy

5. This morning's activities began 30-minutes behind schedule due to the need to clean debris that washed on to the track during yesterday afternoon's heavy rains. Regarding the weather, other than a chance of rain this afternoon, the forecast calls for clear skies and high temperatures in the upper 70's.

6. 8:30 am, This morning's activities begin with a 30-minute practice session for the Black Magic Pro Series. #83 Mike Davies was fastest in the first session, with a quick time of 1:33.824-94.351 mph. Davies set the qualifying and track record for the series last August, with a fast lap of 1:30.261-98.075 mph

7. 10:00 am, The SPEEDVISION Cup for Stock SportsCars take to the track for a 45-minute practice session. The four classes of SPEEDVISION Cup cars are identified with different color SPEEDVISION windshield decals: Grand Sports class cars have SPEEDVISION in red on a white background, Sports class cars have SPEEDVISION in white on a red background Touring class cars have SPEEDVISION in black on a white background Compact class cars have SPEEDVISION in white on a black background The session was interrupted by two Black Flags to remove cars that went off course. The first Black Flag was for #22(C) Honda Civic Del Sol VTEC of Bob Beede that went off course outside turn one. The crew is not able to repair the car at the track. The second Black Flag was for the #32(GS) Pontiac Firebird Formula of Stu Hayner that went off course at turn three. The #32 car should be able to be repaired today.

8. The fastest in each class in the first SPEEDVISION Cup practice session are: Grand Sports -- #32 Pontiac Firebird Formula of Hayner/Heinricy, Sports -- #9 BMW 328is of McMillin/Hill, Touring -- #03 Nissan 240SX-SE of Norris/Stanton/Webber/Jones, Compact -- #94 Honda Accord EX of Lovette/Earwood.

9. IMSG Properties Ltd. secured the long-term lease on Mosport earlier this year. This weekend's Mosport Festival is the first major event under the IMSG Properties Ltd. banner and several improvements have been made to the track and in the spectator areas. The most notable of the track improvements is the leveling of the "hump" on the backstretch before turn eight. With the hump, the faster cars tended to lift the front wheels as they crested the rise. In recent years, a temporary chicane was installed just before the crest in order to slow the cars and keep them on the ground. Five feet of earth was removed from the top of the hill and used as backfill near the base of the incline to lessen the steepness of the incline even more. The removal of the hump has been met with overwhelming approval by the drivers. 10. In the second practice session for the Black Magic Pro Series, #83 Mike Davies set the fastest time - 1:31.670-96.568 mph. #10 David Tenney followed close behind with a time of 1:32.036-96.184 mph.

#83 MIKE DAVIES: "The track was wet and had dirt across it during the first session today. We made quite a few changes to the car between sessions, making it different and not necessarily better or worse. The track is fun to drive and the removal of the hump going into Turn 8 really has not been a factor. The weather has cooperated and I'm looking forward to a very tight qualifying session between myself, David Tenney and Mike Anderson, with an exciting race tomorrow."

11. 1:40 pm, GREEN FLAG starts the first practice session of the day for the Exxon World SportsCar Championship - 1:45 pm, Wayne Taylor in the #1 Danka/Toshiba Copiers & Fax Oldsmobile R&S Mk III sets the pace for the first practice with a lap of 1:12.845-121.524 mph - 1:55 pm, Andrea Montermini in the #30 MOMO Ferrari 333SP sets fastest lap of the session with a time of 1:12.751-121.681 mph, followed by the #16 Dyson Ford driven by James Weaver, 1:12.802-121.596 mph. Third fastest is the #1 Danka/Toshiba Copiers & Fax Oldsmobile R&S Mk III of Wayne Taylor with a time of 1:12.845-121.524 mph, followed by the #27 Lista Ferrari 333SP driven by Didier Theys with a fast lap of 1:13.905-119.781 mph.

12. 2:10 pm, Halfway into the one-hour practice session, Andrea Montermini in the #30 MOMO Ferrari 333SP retains the fastest lap with a time of 1:12.676-121.806 mph, followed by James Weaver in the #16 Dyson Ford, whose fast lap is 1:12.801-121.596 mph - Fermin Velez in the #3 Visit Peru Ferrari 333SP enters the pit to check for an oil leak. No leak was found.

13. 2:15 pm, BLACK FLAG with 23 minutes to go, due to #30 MOMO Ferrari 333SP driven by Antonio Hermann who spins and makes contact with the wall near turn three. After having the car brought back to the paddock, the initial report from the team indicates that the only apparent damage is to a wheel. A more complete damage report will be available after the team finishes inspecting the car.

14. CHECKERED FLAG, Andrea Montermini in the #30 MOMO Ferrari 333SP set fastest time of the session with a fast lap of 1:12.676-121.806 mph - Top three in the first practice session are: Andrea Montermini, #30 MOMO Ferrari, 1:12.676-121.806 mph; James Weaver, #16 Dyson Ford, 1:12.802-121.596 mph; #1 Wayne Taylor, Danka/Toshiba Copiers & Fax Oldsmobile R&S Mk III, 1:12.845-121.52 mph.

15. 3:00 pm, GREEN FLAG starts a one-hour practice session for the cars of Exxon Supreme GT Series presented by Virgin Interactive - 3:30 pm, halfway through the one-hour practice session, Andy Wallace is under the GTS-1 track record with a fast lap of 1:20.840-109.505 mph. The top two in each class so far in the session are: GTS-1 #66 Panoz GTR1, Bundy/Wallace, 1:20.840-109.505 mph #27 Ford Mustang Cobra, Maxwell/Priestley, 1:21.210-109.006 GTS-2 #61 Porsche 911 Turbo, Konrad/Ham, 1:24.597-104.642 mph #99 Porsche 911 Turbo, Schumacher/O'Steen, 1:26.171-102.731 mph GTS-3 #6 BMW M3, Hill/Quiros, 1:24.383-104.907 mph #7 BMW M3, Quester/Duez, 1:25.096-104.028 mph

16. 4:00 pm, CHECKERED FLAG ends the session. Andy Wallace in the #66 (GTS-1) Panoz GTR1, sets the fastest lap of the session -- 1:19.648-112.19 mph. The time is under the existing GTS-1 track record of 1:20.031-110.612 mph, set by Irv Hoerr in an Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme in qualifying for the August 1995 race. As official track records can only be set during qualifying or a race, Wallace will have to wait until qualifying or Saturday's race to establish a new record. The quickest in each class in this session: GTS-1 #66 Panoz GTR1, Andy Wallace, 1:18.900-112.19 mph GTS-2 #61 Porsche 911 Turbo, Nick Ham, 1:23.728-105.72 mph GTS-3 #10 BMW M3, Bill Auberlen, 1:23.906-105.50

17. ENTRY LIST CHANGES

EXXON SUPREME GT SERIES PRESENTED BY VIRGIN INTERACTIVE CAR(Class) CHANGE #36(GTS-3) ADD Jim Matthews/Warsaw, N.C., David Murry/Atlanta, GA #77(GTS-3) ADD Tony Renna/DeLand, FL

SPEEDVISION Cup for Stock SportsCars CAR(Class) CHANGE #24(C) CHANGE car number to #45 #25(GS) SCRATCH Entry #35(GS) CHANGE car number to #33 #45(GS) CHANGE car number to #72 #49(C) CORRECT name and hometown on driver to John Bouraassa/Jupiter Island, FL #51(S) ADD Nancy Colletti/Pt. Jefferson Station, NY #67(C) CORRECT spelling on driver to Willie Cassen #68(GS) ADD Charlie Downes/Hawthorne, VA and DELETE Paul Hacker #71(GS) SCRATCH entry #93(S) ADD Sponsor: Whitby/Oshawa Honda

BLACK MAGIC PRO SERIES CAR CHANGE #77 NEW ENTRY Shayne Stephens/Tulsa, OK

18. 5:45 pm, GREEN FLAG waves to start the second practice session for the Exxon World SportsCar Championship. 5:55 pm, quickest time so far is Fermin Velez in the #3 Visit Peru Ferrari 333 SP with a time of 1:13.978-119.663 mph, followed by Didier Theys in the #27 Lista Ferrari 333SP, 1:14.767-118.400 mph.

19. 6:00 pm, 15 minutes into the session, Didier Theys in the #27 Lista Ferrari 333SP posts a time of 1:13.383-120.633 mph, followed by Elliott Forbes-Robinson in the #20 Dyson Ford R&S MK III with a time of 1:13.757-120.021 mph.

20. 6:01 pm, BLACK FLAG stops the session to retrieve Wayne Taylor's #1 Danka/Toshiba Copiers & Fax Oldsmobile R&S Mk III that has stopped on course. The crew indicates that it is a blown engine. The engine is the same one used in the last race at Sears Point and the crew was planning to change it on Friday.

21. 6:08 pm, GREEN FLAG restarts the session with 21 minutes to go - 6:19 pm, with 10 minutes remaining in the session, Didier Theys in the #27 Ferrari sets a new fast lap -- 1:12.783-121.632 mph.

22. 6:29 pm, CHECKERED FLAG ends the practice session. Didier Theys' time of 1:12.783-121.632 mph remains the fastest of the session. Second fastest time of the session is Ron Fellows in the #43 Ferrari, with a time of 1:13.162-120.997 mph, followed by James Weaver, with a time of 1:13.255-120.844 mph.

23. DIDIER THEYS QUOTE: fastest in the last session: "The balance of the car is very well. We are very happy today. We won't try to change the car much, just dial it in for the race." Regarding the removal of the hump on the backstretch: "Though with the rain yesterday and today, there is not as much grip as last year. But taking away the chicane on the backstretch, it is so much better."

24. 6:43 pm, GREEN FLAG starts the final practice session of the day, a 45-minute session for the Exxon Supreme GT Series presented by Virgin Interactive. Dorsey Schroeder, 1990 champion of SportsCar's

25. ANDY PILGRIM, driver of Rohr Motorsports' #01 Porsche 911 GT1 -- "The GT1 is really, really rough over the bumps. Controlling it is a real challenge, but we have another day to work on the suspension and make it compensate. We'll get there, and even if we aren't as fast as the Panoz. I feel we can press them hard enough that it'll fail early, like they did at LeMans."

26. 7:20 pm, Top in each class this session are: GTS-1: Bundy/Wallace, 1:17.550-114.151 mph GTS-2: Konrad/Ham, 1:24.027-105.352 mph GTS-3: Renna/Halsmer, 1:24.877-104.297 mph