CHEEVER TO SIT LOWER IN CAR.Byline: Louis Brewster Staff Writer FONTANA - Eddie Cheever Edward "Eddie" McKay Cheever, Jr. (born January 10, 1958) is an American racing driver who raced for almost thirty years in Formula One, Sports cars, CART and the Indy Racing League, and now owns an IRL team. Jr. and his Red Bull teammate Tomas Scheckter Tomas Scheckter (born September 21, 1980) is a South African racing driver, born in Monte Carlo, currently competing in the Indy Racing League and the A1 Grand Prix series. He is the son of 1979 Formula 1 World Champion Jody Scheckter and the nephew of racer Ian Scheckter. did not turn a wheel in their Infiniti-powered Dallara race cars Thursday at California Speedway The California Speedway is a two-mile, low-banked, D-shaped oval superspeedway in Fontana, California, similar to that of "sister track" Michigan International Speedway. It is located approximately 40 miles east of Los Angeles on the site of the former Kaiser Steel mill. , but that didn't exclude them from being busy. ``We have changed 50 things specifically for this track,'' said Cheever, who will get on the superspeedway this morning for the first of two practice sessions in preparation for Sunday's Indy Racing League The Indy Racing League, better known as IRL, is the sanctioning body of a predominantly American based open-wheel racing series. The League consists of two series, the premiere IndyCar Series Yamaha Indy 400. ``Small, minute things; trying to take drag out of the car. ``We're looking to pick up a quarter horsepower, an extra 15 feet out of each full tank.'' One of the changes instituted by Cheever, among four owner-drivers in the field, is lowering the seat configuration. It's the third time the former Formula One driver has changed the position of his seat. ``We're trying to get down and out,'' the 6-foot Cheever said. ``Trying to get more air to the air box. It's all data we got from the wind tunnel wind tunnel, apparatus for studying the interaction between a solid body and an airstream. A wind tunnel simulates the conditions of an aircraft in flight by causing a high-speed stream of air to flow past a model of the aircraft (or part of an aircraft) being tested. trying to make the car slippery through the air. You have a certain amount of horsepower and a certain amount of drag. ``You want to get the most out of the horsepower and the least amount of drag.'' Cheever said his team piggybacked the wind-tunnel session in England with the Formula One Arrows team. He's also looking to finish a race. Scheckter took out his boss on the fourth lap of the season opener at Homestead-Miami and Cheever was involved in a crash midway though last Sunday's race. ``It's a horrible start of the year,'' Cheever said. ``I've been knocked out of both races from other people's mistakes. I know that stuff happens, but two for two is ridiculous.'' --Fencing: In the Marlboro Team Penske 2002 media guide, Helio Castroneves is pictured up against a crash fence at the Fontana track. That's significant because the 26-year-old from Sao Paulo, Brazil, has made fence-climbing and jumping his trademark after each of his seven open-wheel victories. ``I'm an emotional guy,'' said Castroneves, winner of the 2001 Indianapolis 500. ``I do it to show my emotions to the finals. There's no message, I'm just happy.'' So has Castroneves, who jumped his first fence on June 18, 2000 after a win in Detroit, picked a fence at California Speedway in case he wins Sunday's Yamaha Indy 400? ``I haven't thought about it,'' Castroneves said. --Out of action: Anthony Lazzaro Anthony Lazzaro (Born August 26, 1963, Charleston, South Carolina) is a NASCAR and sports car driver. He is usually classified as a NASCAR road course ringer, however he has made other starts in the NEXTEL Cup. He also has open-wheel oval racing experience. , scheduled to compete in the Rolex 24 on Saturday and the IRL 1. (jargon, chat) IRL - In real life. Generally synonymous with f2f. 2. (language, robotics) IRL - Industrial Robot Language. main event on Sunday, will not compete this weekend because a final examination of X-rays discovered a new spinal fracture. IRL medical director Dr. Henry Bock Noun 1. bock - a very strong lager traditionally brewed in the fall and aged through the winter for consumption in the spring bock beer lager beer, lager - a general term for beer made with bottom fermenting yeast (usually by decoction mashing); originally said Lazzaro would be out three to four weeks. Lazzaro was involved in a three-car accident Sunday in Phoenix with Cheever and Scott Sharp Scott Sharp (born February 14, 1968 in Norwalk, Connecticut) is an American race car driver in the Indy Racing League. He is the son of SCCA multiple champion Bob Sharp. Early in his career he was 1991 Trans-Am champion, also taking 7 poles the next season. and was first thought to be uninjured. Bock made the decision Thursday after receiving the X-rays, which traveled from Phoenix to Indianapolis to Fontana. AT A GLANCE (CALIFORNIA SPEEDWAY) This week's racing schedule in Fontana Today 7 a.m.: Gates open 9 a.m.: IRL practice 1:30 p.m.: Grand American For sports car racing association formed in 1999, see . Grand American was a NASCAR sanctioned series of pony car stock cars. The series ran from 1968 until 1971. The series was sometimes called the Baby Grand series. Cup practice 2:15 p.m.: Rolex Series practice 3:15 p.m.: Ferrari Challenge Race 4 p.m.: Rolex Series qualifying 5:35 p.m.: Grand American Cup qualifying Saturday 7 a.m.: Gates open 9 a.m.: IRL practice 10:15 a.m.: Ferrari Challenge Race 11 a.m.: IRL qualifying 12:30 p.m.: Rolex Series (four hours) 4:30 p.m.: IRL practice Sunday 7 a.m.: Gates open 8 a.m.: Grand American Cup (three hours) 12:30 p.m.: Yamaha Indy 400 After race: Musical performance by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Big Bad Voodoo Daddy is a contemporary swing band from southern California. Their notable singles include "Go Daddy-O" and "You and Me and the Bottle Makes Three Tonight". The band went from a regular Wednesday night gig at the Derby in Hollywood, playing for a few hundred people, TICKETS Friday: Reserved $15, General admission $10 Saturday: Reserved $40, General admission $30 Sunday: Reserved $40, General admission $30 CAPTION(S): box Box: AT A GLANCE (see text) |
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