ACRL: Team Salinas Phoenix report

Phoenix, AZ April 1, 2001 - The American City Racing League opened its 2001 season here, and Team Salinas drivers Dave Jansen and David Ferguson got off to a good start. Ferguson, defending Sports 2000 Champion and Rookie of the year, set a personal best time at the 1.51 mile combination oval/road course in qualifying, clocking a 1:02.950 lap before running out of fuel late in the session. Jansen, Super Sports 2000 Rookie of the Year last season, lost second gear in the qualifying session, but qualified 10th overall nevertheless, setting a time of 1:04.090.

ACRL officials declared a split start with the Cosworth-powered Super Sports 2000 cars in the first group, and the Ford-engined Sports 2000 machines starting about half a mile back. At the start, Jansen, in the first group, maintained contact with the pack until spinning in Turn 5. He recovered to finish sixth, two laps behind the leader. Ferguson, in the second group, held second place for the first three laps, then was passed and relegated to third between two Team Denver cars. He moved back up when the second-place car's ignition went south, and held the position to the checker. He also ran second in the Sports Car Club of America National race run earlier in the day.

"We ran practice, two qualifying sessions, and an earlier race on the same set of Hoosier tires, and they just didn't have the grip," said Ferguson after the race. Said Jansen, "We learned a lot, and we'll be better when we're back here in three weeks. The crew spent the last two weeks rebuilding the car, and they worked their tails off. I've got the easy job on the team."

Both drivers come into the 2001 season with strong sponsorship. Jansen is backed by NACS, Inc. of Salinas and Nortel, while Ferguson is supported by Yeaman Auto Body of Palo Alto, Fast Forward Components of Sand City, and his wife Ellen's newly formed company, Veracity Racing Data.

Sandra Popescu is expected to rejoin Team Salinas at the April 21st ACRL race, to be held in conjunction with the Grand American Road Racing event at Phoenix International Raceway. A third car will help the team contend for City Team points.

The American City Racing League is a professional racing series for Super Sports 2000, Sports 2000 and Sports 1600 cars. The series is sanctioned by Grand American Road Racing and the National Auto Sports Association, and has both an Eastern and Western Division. The Western Division, of which Team Salinas is a part, will run an eight race championship series for 2001.

-Team Salinas