Coyne goes ice racing, Champ Car style

[The Doctor]

http://www.champcarworldseries.com/content/photos/2005/By400/20050311P_0002.jpg


http://www.champcarworldseries.com/content/photos/2005/By400/20050311P_0001.jpg

http://www.champcarworldseries.com/News/Article.asp?ID=8745


The career of Estonia’s Tonis Kasemets began in ice-racing and Thursday’s Champ Car testing for Dale Coyne Racing “felt like old times!” Due to mandatory CCWS rules which require a certain amount of miles on each of the Ford Cosworth engines by Monday March 14th, Tonis was called by Dale Coyne Racing to add those miles in Joliet, Illinois, just outside of Tonis’ home territory of Chicago/Mundelein.

Today’s less than ideal weather conditions didn’t faze Tonis, as he commented “The snow really didn’t bother me. I had a blast!”

[FCYTravis]

Yup... was a hell of a time and place to test! :) :cool:

[NismoZ]

Snow tires? Check out the aerial shots of the track at www.autobahncountryclub.net , what a PROPER looking race track!

[Rogue Leader]

That is sick!!

[jcollins28]

Whats that say on the side of that car?

[Anteater]

:eek: Tonis Kasemets is either brave or crazy (probably both)!

[JoeBob]

I'm curious about the rule that requires them to run a certain number of miles.

What is that about?

[FCYTravis]

I'm guessing it's something with regards to getting new motors. If you don't put X miles on the old ones, Cosworth won't give you a new powerplant?

[JohnnyQ]

The tracks just wet. The racing schools in the Poconos run in snow showers all the time.
It's the best education you'll ever get for running hard on cold tires. ;)

[JLMannin]

If that is the roadcourse in the infield of the Joliet NASCAR track, then that is about 10 miles away from my parents house. I'll have to call them and see if they were able to hear it from their house. They can hear Crapwagons and taxicabs that far away, but they are considerably louder than a champcar.

[rjohnson999]

It's not part of the Rt 66/Chicagoland Motorspeedway complex. It's a separate facility about 5 miles west of there. It was financed and built as a "country club" type facility but will be hosting some club races (Midwest Council, SCCA, etc.,) this year. It has two connected tracks. The short course is about 1.4 miles. The longer is about 2+. The combined course is about 3 miles. It's an Alan Wilson (Desiree's husband) design with some of the same "features" as GingerMan and Putnam Park.

[pchall]

:eek: Tonis Kasemets is either brave or crazy (probably both)!


Sounds like a guy who wants to race and will do anything for track time.

Note to self: put this guy in a champcar when you win the lotto

[NismoZ]

Like I said, JL, check out www.autobahncountryclub.net , I have an April 25th 1 day "driver's school" date there...hope it's sunny, warm and dry by then! :)

[Dirty Sanchez]

will be @autobahn first weekend in april.

[Anteater]

The tracks just wet.

That looks like hail in the top photo! Just to clarify, when I said that Kasemets is either very brave or crazy or both, I meant it in the most positive sense. Give the man a ride! :thumbup: