Abbott Ends EAST
Championship Season with 1-2 Punch
Summit Point, WV (September 3, 2003) -
Formula Mazda driver Mishael Abbott from Coral Springs, FL completed
the 2003 Star Mazda EAST Championship Series season by finishing
second in the eighth and final round of the Championship held over the
Labor Day weekend at Summit Point Raceway in West Virginia. Varied
weather conditions challenged the competitors all weekend with rain
threatening and varied temperatures from the low 70's to 90's by race
time.
Friday practice was Mishael's first opportunity to drive the
two-mile, 10-turn circuit laid out in the West Virginia foothills. With
one lengthy rain delay shortening practice to only three sessions, she
soon was recording times within a 0.5 of a second of the track record.
Saturday qualifying was intense. Over 40 cars in the combined field
competed for the top starting position with difficult traffic conditions
and many other Formula Mazda competitors having extensive experience at
"The Point". Abbott was relegated to fifth in her Formula
Mazda group with a time of 1:15.98 and an average speed of 94.36 MPH.
While becoming more familiar with the track, avoiding on-track
incidents, and pushing her Velocity Motorsports Mazda each lap, Mishael
was able to turn race laps in the low 1:15 range resulting in second
place, which was her best season finish, and also earning her a third
podium for the season.
The second place finish left Abbott a mere four points out of third
place in the EAST Championship final standings and earned her the
"Most Improved Driver of the Year" award.
To cap off the three-day holiday weekend, a second race was held on
Labor Day. While not counting in the EAST Championship Series, a full
field of 38 cars took the green flag late Monday afternoon. Abbott's
previous qualifying effort on Saturday resulted in a pole starting
position for Formula Mazda's. The 16-lap Monday race was as challenging
as the previous day's event with numerous on track incidents including a
100 MPH rear-end bump delivered to Mishael at turn one on the first lap.
Despite this incident, she was able to continue unabated and brought
home the checkered flag for her first "1st Place" finish of
2003.
"The entire 2003 championship season has been an incredible
thrill for me" Abbott quoted. "When we began this year our
goal was to perform well and earn the respect of my fellow competitors.
To actually finish fourth overall with three podium finishes and so
close to a year-end podium, far exceeded my expectations. The consistent
support of Velocity Motorsports and my sponsors; CDC Builders of Key
Biscayne FL, The Byblos Group and Skyline Management Group of Miami, FL,
and the outstanding racing brakes furnished by Cobalt Friction Products
all were instrumental in my success this year."
One more professional race "The Star Mazda at the Petit Le
Mans" scheduled for October 15-17 at Road Atlanta will close out
the 2003 season. Plans for 2004 include returning to the Star Mazda EAST
Championship Series, full-time competition in the Star Mazda North
American Championship Pro Series and pending sponsorship support,
running in the Infiniti Pro Series in support of the Indy Racing League.
Other select opportunities my include USAC Midgets and Silver Crown
along with IMSA and SCCA sedan racing.
Abbott Earns Second Podium
Danville, VA (August 13, 2003) -
Virginia International Raceway (VIR), the "Country Club" of racing
venues, located in southern Virginia was the site this past weekend of the
seventh round of the Star Mazda
Series EAST Championship and the Formula
SCCA Pro Series event.
Weather played a significant role in the racing activities planned
for the weekend. Friday practice was interrupted for nearly three hours
by severe rain showers and Saturday afternoon qualifying was cancelled
due to lightning and thunderstorms.
With the limited qualifying allowed Saturday morning, Coral Springs,
Florida driver Mishael Abbott struggled with an ill-handling car and
transmission problems to achieve only 12th in the EAST championship
qualifying and 14th overall. Due to the cancelled Saturday afternoon
session the race promoter provided a brief qualifying session on Sunday
morning. With only four laps available Abbott set out to improve her
starting position and completed her best lap at 1:59.213, nearly 2 full
seconds faster than Saturday. This improved speed placed Mishael 5th in
the EAST championship and 8th overall.
The combined Pro series and the EAST championship race was the
feature event for the weekend at VIR. By race time late in the afternoon
bright sun and high temperatures created an entirely new challenge.
The 27 race starters completed the first three laps of the scheduled
15-lap race without incident, a spinning stalled car on the
rollercoaster section of the track resulted in the only full-course
caution of the day. With the field slowed and regrouped a confusing
restart jumbled the field. Demonstrating her trademark car handling
skills Abbott was able to maneuver into 4th place by lap five. Intensive
passing and long straightaway drafting created opportunities for passing
and for the balance of the race. Abbott ultimately seized third place in
the EAST Championship field and fourth overall by lap 12 and held off
numerous challenges by fellow Velocity
Motorsports teammate, Bryan Watts, to secure her second podium
finish of 2003.
"This may have been my most satisfying race, the many obstacles
which we over came this weekend with car problems and weather made this
third place finish particularly rewarding. The support of Team Velocity,
my Goodyear tires and Cobalt Friction brakes all performed flawlessly
and certainly paid a significant role in this success."
The final race of the Star Mazda EAST championship will be held over
Labor Day weekend at Summit Point WV. During the off weeks Abbott is
continuing her efforts towards securing test rides and exploring
additional opportunities for 2004.
Contact Mishael at mishael@mishaelabbott.com
for sponsorship opportunities. More information is available on her
website at www.mishaelabbott.com.
Mishael
Finishes
Fourth at Pocono
Long
Pond, PA (August 4, 2003)
-
The Pocono Mountains of eastern Pennsylvania are the home of Pocono
International Raceway. The raceway is the site of the NASCAR Winston
Cup Pennsylvania 500 and the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Pocono
Tri-Region National Grand Prix, as well as the Star Mazda EAST
Championship Series. The Pocono National Grand Prix and EAST
Championship Series utilize two of the banked NASCAR turns and
incorporate a complex winding infield section to create a road racing
circuit. Close car drafting on the banked portions of the track
combined with tight technical approaches to the infield turns result
in a diverse and challenging circuit, calling for multiple driver
talents.
Competing in the EAST Championship Series race held August 1 and 2 was
Formula Mazda driver, Mishael Abbott of Coral Springs, FL. Inclement
weather, low clouds, and fog limited the first day of qualifying to a
brief afternoon session. Abbott’s qualifying attempt on a completely
green racing surface resulted in a fourth place grid position with the
top four Formula Mazda competitors setting new track records with the
balance of the strong national field close behind.
The second day of the event called for morning final qualifying and the
feature race scheduled for midday. Sunny skies with temperatures in
the mid 80’s provided a stark contrast with the previous days of
qualifying. Abbott’s effort closed the gap from the third place
qualifier to a mere 1/10th of a second but the top four
Formula Mazda qualifying positions remained unchanged.
The opening lap of the event found all 30 drivers safely through the
2.5-mile, ten-turn circuit. However, by lap three, degenerating track
conditions and tight traffic led Mishael to spin in turn one. Working
to return to the track she lost three positions; but the incident
further focused Abbott to the task at hand. Utilizing her impressive
driving skills running laps equal to and faster than the leaders,
Abbott deftly maneuvered through traffic and avoided a spinning car to
move back into fourth place by the finish.
“I felt as though we had the car set up to where I could certainly
achieve no less than a third place finish. After the spin in turn one
I was able to run faster than most of the field and was making good
headway toward the front of the pack. Our results at Wakins Glen just
a week ago had me confident of another podium finish. Even so, with my
fellow Velocity
Motorsports teammate Victor Seaber’s second place finish it was
a great weekend for the team.”
The weekend’s result places Mishael soundly in fourth place in the Star
Mazda EAST Championship Series. With two races remaining, Mishael
stands an excellent chance of finishing the season in the top three.
The balance of August includes races at Virginia International Raceway,
August 8-10, in which Mishael will compete in a Star Mazda EAST
Championship Race as well as a Formula SCCA Pro event doubling the
potential purse. The season final EAST Championship Race will be held
over Labor Day weekend at Summit Point Raceway in West Virginia.
Sponsorship support from Cobalt Friction Technologies, CDC Builders, The
Byblos Group and Skyline Management group allow Mishael the ability to
compete on a weekly basis leading toward her aspiration of racing in
the Indy Racing League Infiniti Pro Series and ultimately racing the
Indianapolis 500.
Abbott Earns Podium Finish
at Watkins Glen
Watkins Glen, NY (July 17, 2003) -
The weekend of July 12-13, 2003 found Coral Springs, Florida driver Mishael
Abbott competing in Round Five of the Star
Mazda EAST Championship Series at world famous Watkins Glen, NY.
"The Glen" is a challenging 3.4-mile circuit located in the
rolling hills of western New York the site of the United States Grand Prix
and NASCAR Winston Cup races for many years.
 This year the Star Mazda EAST Series race was combined with SCCA's
"National at the Glen". Bringing top-level competitors from
around the nation to this circuit.
Abbott's first exposure to the track was on Thursday with a promoters
practice day allowing for a full day of driver familiarization and car
set-up. By the second practice session she was circumnavigating the
undulating banked turns within two seconds of the official track record.
The dawning of qualifying brought an unusually cool summer morning. The
threat of rain hung in the air making the first of two qualifying
attempts especially critical as an afternoon rain would certainly effect
lap times. Abbott attacked the racing surface early in the session with
a sizzling quick lap of 1:58.51 at an average speed of 103.61 miles per
hour, a mere 0.6 of a second off the track record placing her 5th in the
EAST Series field.
Rain did not fall as predicted for the afternoon qualifying session.
A miss calculation in fuel during the final session negated Abbott of
what could have been a higher starting position.
Sunday, race day, was clear and warm with 46 cars taking the green in
the combined field of Formula Mazda, Formula Atlantic, and SCCA Sports
Racing classes. A first lap accident involving two fellow Formula Mazda
competitors created a full-course yellow, which lasted for three laps.
Once the field regrouped and received the green flag again on lap four,
Mishael attacked the field third position in class. Another full-course
caution on lap eight again bunched all remaining cars together creating
a 100 MPH traffic jam. On lap ten, Mishael turned her quickest race
circuit at 1:58.45, surpassing her qualifying time. Her careful yet
quick driving style enabled her to avoid very difficult and congested
track conditions, holding off all but two East Championship competitors
realizing her first podium finish for the 2003 season.
"Learning this prestigious and challenging circuit was my
initial goal for the weekend; to leave here with a third-place trophy
and prize money far exceeded my expectations. Only with the help of Velocity
Motorsports and driver coach/fellow competitor, Victor Seaber, was I
able to reach this achievement."
Next on the schedule is the challenging month of August with events
at Pocono Raceway, Virginia International Raceway, and the season finale
at Summit Point in West Virginia. The success at Watkins Glen may result
in an invitation to the SCCA National Championship held at Mid-Ohio
Sports Car Course in September.
Mishael Returns to Road Atlanta for
Star Mazda Series Pro Race
Braselton, GA (June 28, 2003) - Mishael Abbott returned to the
Road Atlanta Motorsports Center the weekend of June 26-28, 2003 for the
fourth round of the Star Mazda Series North American Championship. The
weekend marked Mishael's first race of the season with Star Mazda's top
ranked Pro Series.
Thursday and Friday brought practice sessions and allowed Mishael to
re-familiarize herself with the 12-turn, 2.54-mile road track. With
thirty-eight cars taking to the track for practice sessions, Abbott
posted consistent lap times putting her in the middle of group for each
session.
The Saturday morning qualifying session brought plenty of rain and a
wet track that is turning out to be an advantage for Mishael. Using her
characteristic smooth driving style on the wet and perilous track,
Abbott improved dramatically on her practice positions and qualified
thirteenth out of thirty-eight Star Mazda Pro Series drivers.
Dry track conditions on Saturday afternoon required
her Velocity Motorsports
team to institute a revised car set-up for the 24-lap race. Happy with her
starting position and car set-up, Mishael was looking forward to the start
of her first Pro race of the year. When the green flag fell Mishael lined
up nose to tail heading into Corner 10 but unfortunately was hit from
behind. Damage to her car was not significant but she was not able to
resume the race, bringing an early end to her day.
“It was great to be back competing again in the
Star Mazda Pro Series this weekend at Road Atlanta,” Abbott stated.
“My Velocity Motorsports
crew gave me a great car that put me in the top third on the grid. If it
wasn’t for that first lap incident, I’m sure I could have posted a top
ten finish.”
The balance of 2003 will include Star
Mazda EAST Championship Series events at world famous venues; Watkins
Glen, NY, Pocono Speedway, PA, Summit Point, WV, and Virginia
International Raceway, VA. Abbott will return to Road Atlanta and the Star
Mazda Pro Series events at Road Atlanta Motor Sports Center in
October. The highlight of the season will be the second test session with Sam
Schmidt Racing in the Indy Racing League / Infiniti Pro Series (IRL/IPS)
car later in the year, ultimately leading to her participation in the 2004
IRL/IPS series.
Mishael Abbott Finishes Fifth in Star Mazda EAST Championship Race
at Mid-Ohio
Lexington, OH (June 5, 2003) - The weekend of May 29, 30, and June 1,
2003 found Mishael Abbott of Coral Springs, FL competing in Round 4 of
the Star
Mazda EAST Championship Series held at the Mid-Ohio Sports
Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. The Star Mazda EAST Championship series
runs in conjunction with the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA)
National Championship series throughout the 2003 racing season.
Unseasonably severe weather hampered this weekend at Mid-Ohio with
torrential rains and 50 MPH winds plaguing Saturday's practice and
qualifying. Twenty-four Formula Mazda competitors attempted qualifying
runs on Saturday in wet-racing tune, as dictated by race officials.
Calling on her characteristic smooth driving style, Abbott qualified
8th overall in the extremely strong national field.
The dawning of race day on Sunday brought clear skies but strong
winds remained with temperatures only approaching 60 degrees. Track
conditions and car set-up for Sunday's 20-lap event were difficult to
predict with the cold and windy conditions making for a very perilous
start. Fifty-six race cars took the green flag as officials elected to
combine three other classes with the Formula Mazda race. Numerous on
track incidents brought out a full-course caution on the opening lap,
which continued until lap 5. Abbott successfully passed three
competitors on the green lap but was forced to return to her original
starting position due to the yellow flags. Once the green flew again
on lap 5, Abbott progressed forward and improved her position lap
after lap, winding through slower cars to ultimately finish 5th in the
EAST Championship series. The 5th place finish improves Abbott's
standing in the Championship to 5th overall and greatly enhances her
main goal of winning the "Rookie of the Year" award for
2003.
"With the help of my Velocity
Motorsports crew and fellow
teammates I was able to overcome the unusual weather situations and
tame this challenging race circuit which is one of the most physically
demanding we compete on during the race season," Abbott stated.
The balance of 2003 will include Star
Mazda EAST Championship Series events at world famous venues; Watkins Glen, NY, Pocono
Speedway, PA, Summit Point, WV, and Virginia International Raceway,
VA. Abbott will also compete in two Star Mazda Pro Series events at
Road Atlanta Motor Sports Center in June and October. The highlight of
the season will be the second test session with Sam Schmidt
Motorsports in
the Indy Racing League / Infiniti Pro Series (IRL/IPS) car later in
the year, ultimately leading to her participation in the 2004 IRL/IPS
series.
While not on the track, Abbott is actively seeking sponsorship
support for the 2004 series, ultimately leading to her career optimum
of competing in and winning the IRL Indianapolis 500.
Mishael
Qualifies 6th in First Visit to Virginia International Raceway
Alton,
VA (May 10, 2003) – Mishael Abbott spent Thursday practicing at
Virginia International Raceway (VIR) for the third round of the Star
Mazda EAST Championship Series.
This was Mishael’s first visit to VIR’s 3.26 mile, 17-turn
road course.
Friday brought qualifying for Mishael and her Velocity
Motorsports team for Saturday’s EAST Championship race.
The track was wet after early morning thunderstorms but Mishael
qualified sixth for the Star Mazda EAST Championship event.
Mishael was in a race group consisting of eight car classes and
was eleventh on the grid of thirty-five total race cars.
While not on the track, Abbott is actively
seeking sponsorship support for the 2004 series, ultimately leading to her
career optimum of competing in and winning the IRL Indianapolis 500.
Mishael
Abbott to Race at VIR in Star Mazda EAST Championship Race this Weekend
Coral
Springs, FL (May 5, 2003) – Mishael Abbott will race at
Virginia International Raceway (VIR) May 8-11, for the third round of
the Star Mazda EAST
Championship Series event held in conjunction with a Sports Car
Club of America (SCCA) Double Regional race weekend.
This will be Mishael’s first time at VIR’s 3.26 mile,
17-turn road course, but she will be backed by the experience of her Velocity
Motorsports team. Open
practice is scheduled for Thursday, May 8.
The EAST Championship race is scheduled for Saturday, May 10
with an SCCA Regional race on Sunday, May 11.
Mishael Abbott is shooting for the Rookie
of the Year and EAST Championship titles in the Star Mazda EAST
Championship Series this season.
You can follow Mishael’s progress and receive race updates
and other information by visiting her web site, www.mishaelabbott.com.
Mishael is working to obtain sponsorship to
help her compete in selected Star Mazda Pro Series races this year and
to compete in the Infiniti Pro Series (the newly formed feeder series
for the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series) in 2004.
Please contact Mishael at mishael@mishaelabbott.com
for information on partnership opportunities and to arrange media
interviews.
Mishael Abbott Finishes
Fourth in Star Mazda EAST
Championship Race at Road Atlanta
Braselton,
GA (April 3, 2003) – Mishael Abbott came to Road Atlanta, March
28-30, for the second round of the Star
Mazda EAST Championship Series event held in conjunction with a
Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) National race weekend.
After missing round one of the EAST Championship season, Abbott
joined with Velocity
Motorsports and began her assault on the Rookie of the Year and
EAST Championship titles.
Back at Road Atlanta’s 12-turn circuit for the
first time since last October, Abbott spent Friday practicing and
setting up her Formula Mazda for Saturday’s qualifying sessions.
Under sunny skies Abbott negotiated the 2.54-mile road track with her
normal smoothness to qualify sixth among Star Mazda EAST Championship
contenders and eleventh out of twenty-one Formula Mazdas.
Sunday morning brought a deluge of rain over
northern Georgia. Being
in the second race group of the day, quick decisions regarding car
setup and tire choice were necessary.
With the rain stopping about the time the first race group hit
the track, Mishael Abbott saw the potential for a drying race line and
Velocity Motorsports prepared her car for semi-wet conditions and put
on slick race tires. By
her race time there was a predominantly dry line and a few wet
patches. Taking advantage
of her slick tires, Abbott quickly jumped up to eighth place.
Avoiding a number of incidents and off-track
excursions by other competitors, including an extended yellow flag
period, Abbott finished a strong fourth in the Star Mazda EAST
Championship race and sixth among all Formula Mazdas.
Abbott was very pleased with her inaugural Star
Mazda EAST Championship race with Velocity Motorsports.
“My goal was to run strong this weekend and position myself
to compete for the Rookie of the Year and EAST Championship titles,”
Mishael stated after the race. “Missing
the opening round race has put me a little behind but with this fourth
place finish I’m right in the hunt.”
Mishael Abbott’s next race will be the Star
Mazda EAST Championship Series race at Virginia International Raceway
(VIR), in Alton, VI on May 9-11, 2003.
Having not been to the Virginia International Raceway, Abbott
hopes to work in a practice session at VIR sometime before the race
weekend.
During the next month Abbott will be working to
obtain sponsorship to help her compete in selected Star Mazda Pro
Series races this year and to compete in the Infiniti Pro Series (the
newly formed feeder series for the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series)
in 2004.
Her sponsors include The Byblos Group, CDC
Builders and Skyline Management Group.
Race updates and other information about Mishael can be found
by visiting her web site, www.mishaelabbott.com.
Mishael
to race Star Mazda EAST Championship with Velocity Motorsports
Mishael has signed with Velocity
Motorsports
and will compete for the Star Mazda EAST Championship.
Eleven drivers have entered the East Championship Series
through March 12. Check
out the Star Mazda EAST
Championship
website at http://www.starmazdaseries.com
for drivers list, standings, prizes, and other information.
The official Star Mazda EAST Championship news release can be
viewed at http://www.starmazdaseries.com/news/03-12-2003.htm.
Click “Schedules” on Mishael’s
website
to view the EAST Championship schedule and to check
Mishael’s results as the season progresses.
Mishael Abbott
Races at Sebring in Preparation for
2003 Star Mazda Season
As she continues to get ready for the upcoming racing season,
22-year old Mishael Abbott took the opportunity to practice at the SCCA National Race at
Sebring, January 3-5, 2003. The 12-hour,
3.7-mile course provided a wonderful gauge for Mishael to test out the track that will
kick off the Star Mazda Series in March.
Under beautiful conditions in Central Florida the entire weekend,
Mishael began her 2003 race season with a successful practice session on Friday. At the first qualifying session on Saturday, she
proceeded to qualify 11th with a time of 2:18.4 (96.257 mph) in a race group
that featured a total of 55 drivers. When the
13-lap race got under way on Sunday, Mishael came speeding out of the box. As she
jockied for position at the front, one of the leaders spun out in front of
her, causing her to fall back a few spots. Mishael
contended with gear problems throughout the rest of the race and finished in 9th
place.
“I am pleased with my results as I was really using this
opportunity simply as a test,” noted Mishael. “I
want to be comfortable on this track when the Star Mazda Series season begins here in
March and this race provided me with the chance to re-familiarize myself with it. I tested out some new techniques and learned what
improvements I need to make for a successful race in March.”
Mishael plans to get back in the driver’s seat
on February 17th
for an Infiniti Pro Series test session at Homestead-Miami Speedway with Sam Schmidt
Motorsports, an Indy Racing League IndyCar Series team owner. While Mishael will be concentrating on the 2003
racing season, she will also be hard at work on her college studies. She is currently enrolled at Broward Community
College, studying marketing and education.
Last year was Mishael’s first as a professional driver. She racked up three Formula Mazda wins and
qualified for South Atlantic Road Racing Championship (SARRC) runoff held at Road Atlanta
in September. She also qualified in the top
10 in two of three Star Mazda events in which she participated.
Mishael
Abbott Tests Infiniti Pro Series
Las Vegas, NV (November 13, 2002) - Star
Mazda Series professional auto racer Mishael Abbott accomplished a major goal this week
when she tested with Schmidt and Parsons Motorsports for a spot in the 2003 Infiniti Pro
Series which races in conjunction with the Indy Racing League at events in Indianapolis
and other major tracks across North America. Running in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Las Vegas
Motor Speedway, Mishael, a resident of Coral Springs, FL, posted the second fastest lap
time of the day, 31.41 seconds at a speed of 172.078 MPH, on Wednesday November
13, 2002.
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Mishael, ready to test with Schmidt and Parsons Motorsports for a spot in the 2003 Infiniti Pro Series.
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Getting ready.
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On the track.
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Sam Schmidt, an Indy Racing League team owner, was enthusiastic about the results of
Mishael’s test. Schmidt, a former IRL winner, manages the team with Ray
Parsons handling the Infiniti Pro Series marketing effort.
“I
was very impressed with her maturity level. She was conservative and disciplined in
her approach to getting up to speed and learning the gear box. What made her
performance even more impressive was that she had never raced in an Infiniti Pro car
before, she had no experience with this type of gearbox, and yet her racing times were as
good as, if not better than the other drivers who have been racing this type of car for
quite some time,” said Schmidt. “I was really pleased with the way the
test went, and I’m excited about working on her marketing efforts with her over the
next few months. She listened extremely well and did exactly what she was told,
which made it easier for her, and for me, as I enjoy working with people who listen.”
Abbott, a 21-year old college student, has been racing since the age of fourteen.
This year, her first as a professional driver, has been a rewarding one for Mishael.
She racked up three Formula Mazda wins and qualified for the South Atlantic Road Racing
Championship (SARRC) runoff held at Road Atlanta in September. She also qualified in the
top 10 in two of the three Star Mazda events in which she participated in this season.
Testing with Schmidt’s team in the Infiniti Pro has served to cap off a successful
2002 racing season.
Mishael
was excited about the experience with Schmidt and is looking forward to participating in
the first full season of the Infiniti Pro Series in 2003.
“I
was thrilled to have the opportunity to test for the Infiniti Pro Series with Sam Schmidt
Motorsports,” Mishael stated. “Sam is one of the premier names in the Indy
Racing League, and it has always been my dream to compete at this level along side someone
of his caliber. The test went extremely well, and I was able to adjust quickly to
driving the Infiniti car and achieve speeds comparable with more experienced oval
competitors. The dream of competing in and winning the Indianapolis 500 is one giant step
closer.”
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