Allan Craighead
04-13-03, 04:27 PM
FIGGE CAPTURES CAREER-BEST FINISH AT HOMETOWN RACE
LONG BEACH, CALIF. (April 13, 2003) –Alex Figge, of Santa Barbara, Calif., today finished fifth in Round Two of the 2003 CART Toyota Atlantic Championship at Long Beach.
Racing in front of friends and family, Figge got the green flag in overcast and cool conditions. At the start, Figge got caught in traffic and fell back to ninth from his seventh place starting position. Racing the No. 69 Pacific Coast Motorsports/Patrick Racing Toyota Swift 0.14a., Figge quickly regrouped and became involved in a fierce three-car battle for position. On lap four, Figge got an excellent draft on the front straightaway and passed Danica Patrick for eighth place in turn one. Entering turn one on lap seven, Figge encountered three cars in the middle of the track. Avoiding the incident, Figge moved into fifth place. Following two laps behind the pace car, to clear the cars, Figge got a good jump exiting the hairpin and maintained his fifth place position on the restart. As the race progressed, Figge maintained his position, never being challenged. On lap 19, another full-course caution was displayed for a car in the tire barrier. On the ensuing restart, Figge once again maintained his position. In the closing laps of the race, Figge held off a hard charging Luis Diaz. At the checkered flag, Figge had captured a career-best fifth place finish, posting a fastest lap of 1:17.504 (91.412 MPH). Winning the race was A.J. Allmendinger, who led flag-to-flag.
"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!"
Round Three of the CART Toyota Atlantic Championship takes place at Milwaukee, Wis., May 31, 2003.
LONG BEACH, CALIF. (April 13, 2003) –Alex Figge, of Santa Barbara, Calif., today finished fifth in Round Two of the 2003 CART Toyota Atlantic Championship at Long Beach.
Racing in front of friends and family, Figge got the green flag in overcast and cool conditions. At the start, Figge got caught in traffic and fell back to ninth from his seventh place starting position. Racing the No. 69 Pacific Coast Motorsports/Patrick Racing Toyota Swift 0.14a., Figge quickly regrouped and became involved in a fierce three-car battle for position. On lap four, Figge got an excellent draft on the front straightaway and passed Danica Patrick for eighth place in turn one. Entering turn one on lap seven, Figge encountered three cars in the middle of the track. Avoiding the incident, Figge moved into fifth place. Following two laps behind the pace car, to clear the cars, Figge got a good jump exiting the hairpin and maintained his fifth place position on the restart. As the race progressed, Figge maintained his position, never being challenged. On lap 19, another full-course caution was displayed for a car in the tire barrier. On the ensuing restart, Figge once again maintained his position. In the closing laps of the race, Figge held off a hard charging Luis Diaz. At the checkered flag, Figge had captured a career-best fifth place finish, posting a fastest lap of 1:17.504 (91.412 MPH). Winning the race was A.J. Allmendinger, who led flag-to-flag.
"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!"
Round Three of the CART Toyota Atlantic Championship takes place at Milwaukee, Wis., May 31, 2003.