Pacific Coast Motorsports Session Notes from Long Beach

[Allan Craighead]

Friday Practice Notes from Long Beach

- The 20th anniversary of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach got underway with a 30-minute CART Toyota Atlantic Championship practice session.
- The session began under overcast skies and cool conditions.
- Early in the session the track is quite slick, as it used as city roads until late Thursday evening.
- As the session progressed, Pacific Coast Motorsports driver Alex Figge steadily posted quicker laps.
- By the midway point in the session, Figge has posted the third fastest time.
- Just past the midway point of the session, Figge entered the pits to make adjustments to the car.
- After making the changes, Figge re-entered the session with just over five minutes remaining.
- As Figge is in the process of setting his fastest lap, the red flag is shown for car spinning and stalling on course.
- The session resumes with the field only able to complete one lap prior to the checkered flag being waved.
- At the end of the session, Figge is eighth quickest, with a lap of 1:19.326 (89.312 MPH).
- The first of two qualifying sessions for Sunday's Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach begins, Friday at 1:45 p.m. (PT).

"I just need a few more laps," said Figge. "The car was good right from the start. We came into to make a few changes, but the red flag came out before I could I get a lap in. I'm looking forward to qualifying."

[Allan Craighead]

Friday Qualifying Notes from Long Beach

- The first qualifying session for Sunday's Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, got underway in sunny and hot conditions.
- On his first flying lap of the 30-minute session, Pacific Coast
Motorsports driver Alex Figge posted the third fastest lap.
- In the opening laps several drivers reported the track to have more grip than in the morning practice session.
- By lap five, Figge had dropped to ninth quickest, with a fast lap of
1:19.7.
- Early in the session several cars entered the pits to make minor changes.
- As Figge continued to lap the 1.968-mile street circuit, he steadily
bettered his fast lap.
- On his ninth lap, Figge moved to third on the grid, with a fast lap of 1:18.2.
- Just past the halfway mark of the session, Figge began to encounter
traffic and elected to pit.
- While in the pits making minor adjustments to the car, Figge maintained his third place position.
- Exiting the pits, Figge immediately encountered traffic and was forced to slow to find a gap.
- Late in the session, while pushing to post a fast lap, Figge brushed the tire wall, not damaging the car.
- At the checkered flag, Figge was seventh, with a fast lap of 1:18.237 (90.556 MPH).
- The seventh place provisional qualifying position, significantly betters Figge's 16th place starting position at Long Beach in 2002.
- Capturing the provisional pole position was Aaron Justus.
- The second qualifying session for Round 2 of the 2003 CART Toyota Atlantic Championship season, gets underway Saturday, April 12, at 3:00 p.m. (PT).

"I set a good time early," said Figge. "I tried to better it late in the session, after making some changes, but unfortunately I ran into some traffic and was not able to. Hopefully the weather will hold up, because I think we have a good car."

[Lizzerd]

Thanks for the first person updates, Allan. Great stuff. I'll be keep my eye on Alex, and best of luck to all of you.

[Allan Craighead]

Thanks Lizzerd.

Saturday Practice Notes from Long Beach

- Saturday's practice for the CART Toyota Atlantic Championships 20th trip to the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach got underway in sunny but cool conditions.
- The Pacific Coast Motorsports team worked all evening Friday making changes to the car in preparation for Saturday's sessions.
- Early in the session the majority of the drivers are trying changes made to the car overnight.
- By the midway point of the 30-minute session, Figge had steadily improved his times and moved into sixth position.
- With just over 12 minutes left in the session, Figge pitted to make further changes to the car.
- At the 25 minute mark, the practice session was red flagged for a car striking the tire barrier.
- When the session resumed, Figge quickly set about posting a quick lap.
- Right before the checkered flag, Figge posted a fast lap of 1:17.592 (91.308 MPH), to move into fifth position.
- Final qualifying for Sunday's Round Two race begins, Saturday at 3:00 p.m. (PT).

“The car keeps getting better every session out,” said Figge. “We need to keep working, because I know everyone else will. I think we should be in good shape for qualifying.”

[Allan Craighead]

Saturday Qualifying Notes from Long Beach

- Run in the late afternoon, final qualifying for Sunday's Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach got underway in sunny and hot conditions.
- On his opening lap, Pacific Coast Motorsports driver Alex Figge posted the fifth fastest lap.
- Attacking the course on cold tires, Figge was third on his third lap and second on his fourth lap.
- Early in the session, Figge pitted, putting on fresh tires.
- While in the pits Figge dropped back to sixth.
- In the four laps it took for the tires to get to optimal race temperatures, Figge fell back to seventh.
- With 10 minutes remaining in the session, Figge posted his first fast lap on fresh tires, moving into fourth with a time of 1:17.4.
- For the next few laps, Figge was able to steadily improve his times, though not improving position.
- During the final five minutes of the session, Figge repeatedly ran into slower traffic, ruining numerous fast laps.
- At the checkered flag, Figge had lowered his time to 1:17.079 (91.916 MPH), five tenths of a second better than his previous best time.
- Figge will start seventh for the CART Toyota Atlantic Championships 20th running on the streets of Long Beach. This significantly improves his 16th qualifying position in 2002.
- Capturing the pole was A.J. Allmendinger with a new lap record.
- Round Two of the 2003 season will commence Sunday, at 10:30 a.m. (PT).

"I’m disappointed," said Figge. "I obviously think we have a better car than we showed. I ran into a lot of traffic in some really bad spots when I had fresh tires. Tomorrow the goal will be to run a clean race and work my way to the front."

[Allan Craighead]

Sunday Race Notes from Long Beach

- The 20th race of the CART Toyota Atlantic Championship at Long Beach got underway Sunday morning in overcast and cool conditions.
- Racing in front of his hometown crowd, Pacific Coast Motorsports driver Alex Figge was looking forward to the start of the race.
- Following two pace laps, the field took the green. On the start Figge got caught out and fell back to ninth place.
- In the opening laps, Figge was engaged in a fierce three-car battle for position with Luis Diaz and Danica Patrick.
- Working lap four, Figge got a good jump exiting the hairpin, closing on Patrick. Entering turn one, Figge got to the inside and passed Patrick, moving into eighth place.
- On lap seven, Ryan Dalziel spun in turn one, which then resulted in Marc DeVellis and Diaz making contact. Avoiding the incident, Figge moved into fifth position.
- Following two laps behind the pace car, for the incident in turn one, Figge got a good restart and was able to hold his position.
- As the race progressed, Figge maintained his position, never being challenged.
- On lap 19, Patrick made contact with the tire barrier in turn one, resulting in another full-course caution.
- On the ensuing restart, Figge got a good jump, holding off sixth place.
- For the next few laps, Figge proceeded to close on fourth place, though never challenged for the position.
- Late in the race, Figge held of a hard charging Diaz.
- At the checkered flag, Figge had captured a career-best fifth place finish, posting a fast lap of 1:17.504 (91.412 MPH).
- The next round of the CART Toyota Atlantic Championship is May 31, at Milwaukee, Wis.

"I’ll take that," said Figge. "As usual, the entire Pacific Coast Motorsports gave me a good car and I was able to drive a strong race. To put on a good show for all my friends and family and leave Long Beach with more points in the Championship is fantastic. Now it’s Miller time!"

[turn1]

Thanks Allan - I look forward to seeing you here in Ohio. Keep up the great work!