Long Beach: PCM race session notes

Pacific Coast Motorsports Race Notes from Long Beach.

- The 20th race of the CART Toyota Atlantic Championship at Long Beach got underway Sunday morning in overcast and cool conditions.

- Racing in front of his hometown crowd, Pacific Coast Motorsports driver Alex Figge was looking forward to the start of the race.

- Following two pace laps, the field took the green. On the start Figge got caught out and fell back to ninth place.

- In the opening laps, Figge was engaged in a fierce three-car battle for position with Luis Diaz and Danica Patrick.

- Working lap four, Figge got a good jump exiting the hairpin, closing on Patrick. Entering turn one, Figge got to the inside and passed Patrick, moving into eighth place.

- On lap seven, Ryan Dalziel spun in turn one, which then resulted in Marc DeVellis and Diaz making contact. Avoiding the incident, Figge moved into fifth position.

- Following two laps behind the pace car, for the incident in turn one, Figge got a good restart and was able to hold his position.

- As the race progressed, Figge maintained his position, never being challenged.

- On lap 19, Patrick made contact with the tire barrier in turn one, resulting in another full-course caution.

- On the ensuing restart, Figge got a good jump, holding off sixth place.

- For the next few laps, Figge proceeded to close on fourth place, though never challenged for the position.

- Late in the race, Figge held of a hard charging Diaz.

- At the checkered flag, Figge had captured a career-best fifth place finish, posting a fast lap of 1:17.504 (91.412 MPH).

- The next round of the CART Toyota Atlantic Championship is May 31, at Milwaukee, Wis.

"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!"

-www.pacificcoastmotorsports.com