 |
|
|
BACK TO NEWS | |
|
||||
|
||||
| After having run a three-week, back-to-back race marathon that took them to Milwaukee, WI, Laguna Seca, CA, and Portland, OR, Cart Toyota Atlantic teams and drivers geared down for a well-deserved respite last week. Once again, however, Atlantic teams are gearing up this week in preparation for yet another three-race, back-to-back stint that will begin June 30 at Chicago Motor Speedway, move to Toronto’s Canadian National Exhibition Place July 6, and end in Cleveland’s Burke Lakefront Airport July 14. The second three-race stint of the season, open-wheel aficionados will once again be privy to the excitement and competition that has characterized the 2002 Atlantic series thus far. A season that has yet to see a driver pull away in the Championship (23 points separate first and tenth) RPM gauges will wind, engines will scream, tires will burn – competition will be at its highest. No one driver could be more at the ready to press hard on the accelerator pedal than Jonathan Macri, piloting his blue #31 P-1 Racing/ NTN Bearings Genuine Miller Draft Swift 014.a. Sheer misfortune saw him in the middle of a first corner mêlée, a damaged front end facing backwards at Laguna; a race that saw him qualify second, one that should have seen him continue the success he garnered at Milwaukee the previous week when he climbed the podium to celebrate a third-place finish. However, unbridled determination and control of his racing prowess enabled Macri to return to podium-form at Portland International Raceway, where he snatched second. The bitterness of Laguna now released from his racing veins, Jonathan was back once again – consistency, his mainstay, had been re-affirmed. Notwithstanding Jonathan’s racing acumen and speed, consistent driving has defined his style. In his 2001 rookie season, he finished 5th in the Championship Standings, completing every race, except one, which saw him pit with electrical problems. In 2002, Jonathan continues to perform consistently. Out of the first five Atlantic races, he has qualified 7th twice, and as high as 2nd at Laguna Seca, 3rd at Portland and 4th at Milwaukee. Not only does Jonathan continue to make consistency his trademark, he has also been consistently progressing. At Portland, Macri made known his affection for the podium, already matching last year’s podium performance. Now, he turns his racing attention on the sixth leg of the Championship at Chicago’s 1.029-mile oval. Having raced there in 2001, qualifying 4th and finishing 6th, Macri and team P-1 Racing/NTN Bearings Miller Genuine Draft Swift 014.a are well aware of what needs to be done to achieve success. “We did well at Chicago last year,” Jonathan said. “We know the track well and we’ll be even better able to configure the best-possible set-up for the car. The team is back on a high after our success at Portland and we’ll be aiming for a win at Chicago this time.” Jonathan has earned entry into the top tier of Atlantic racing. Competing teams and drivers will be paying close heed to the blue #31 machine. Otherwise, they too may fall prey to Marci’s upward, linear thrust to success in the Atlantic series. Jonathan currently sits in 10th, tied with Ryan Hunter-Reay (Hylton Motorsports) in the Championship Standings with 38 points apiece. The Chicago race weekend starts with a half hour practice session Saturday morning, followed by official qualifying late Saturday afternoon. Sunday will see drivers enter onto the track for a 15-minute warm-up at 9:45 AM local time. The 70-lap race begins at 12:00 PM local time. The race is on SPEED CHANNEL on a Same Day Delay at 9.00PM EST. |
|
|