Long Beach: PCM Friday qualifying session notes

Pacific Coast Motorsports 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."

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