IRNLS Briefs: 10,000th Lap on Tap
Saturday night’s SunTrust Indy Challenge at Richmond International Raceway consists of 250 laps, but Lap 75 holds a lot of significance.
When the leader passes by the start-finish line on that lap, it will represent the 10,000th lap of Indy Racing Northern Light Series competition. The leader at that time will receive a $10,000 bonus from Sony Disc Manufacturing for being out front for the historic lap.
"Sony Disc Manufacturing is helping us celebrate another great milestone in the growth of the Indy Racing Northern Light Series," said Bob Reif, senior vice president of sales and marketing and chief marketing officer for the IRNLS. "In addition to Sony Disc Manufacturing's support of the Indy Racing League, they awarded $50,000 in contingency money for this year's Indianapolis 500.
“We are pleased another blue-chip company like Sony Disc Manufacturing is recognizing the value of the Indy Racing League."
"We are excited about being a sponsor, and we are pleased to be a part of the Indy Racing League," said Scott Bartlet, vice president of customer and industry relations for Sony Disc Manufacturing. "We look forward to continuing our relationship and appreciate the effort that the drivers and teams make to make it one of America's great sports."
Eddie Cheever Jr., an owner and driver in the IRNLS, likes the idea.
“When I was little, my dad would always tell me stories about the Indianapolis 500, and one of them was about how the leader got a bunch of money," said Cheever, the 1998 Indianapolis 500 winner. "I think it's pretty neat that Sony Disc Manufacturing is building a bit of a new tradition with this award at Richmond. I think it's great for the drivers and the fans. It just adds to the excitement."
Record Speed:
Chances are, fans who come to see the IRNLS race at Richmond will see Randy Tolsma’s track record smashed by more than 30 mph.
Tolsma, a regular in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, set Richmond’s track record with a 131.374 mph lap in a USAC Silver Bullet car in 1996. The NASCAR record is 126.499 mph set by Jeff Gordon in 1999.
In testing, IRNLS drivers have toured the .75-mile oval in the 16-second range with speeds topping 160 mph.
“I think NASCAR fans are going to enjoy the show the Indy cars bring to the track,” said defending IRNLS champion Buddy Lazier, who tested at more than 161 mph at Richmond in early April.
Greg Ray thinks speeds will be even higher during qualifying, which begins at 3:30 p.m. (ET) Friday.
“The pole should be 165 mph or so, maybe even as high as 167 mph,” said Ray, who has started from the pole three times in six races this season.
Mark Dismore attributes the Indy cars’ high speeds to their handling.
“We’re so much lighter than the stock cars, but we can get through the corners much quicker,” he said.
Back Where it All Began:
The last time Heritage Motorsports team manager Mitch Davis brought a team to Richmond, he was part of Jack Roush’s entrance into NASCAR racing with driver Mark Martin in 1988.
Together, Davis, Martin and Roush finished 25th and fourth in two appearances at Richmond that year. A year later, Davis began his 13-year career in open-wheel racing.
“I’m looking forward to bringing a new team into Richmond,” Davis said. “This is a challenging track. It will be very important in this race to qualify and stay up front.
“Similar to NASCAR, I expect a lot of side-by-side racing. But the Indy cars offer an extra element: more speed.”
Davis and driver Jeff Ward will see exactly how much speed their No. 35 G Force-Aurora has in it when qualifying at Richmond begins at 3:30 p.m. (ET) Friday.