IRL: WDW practice summary 98-01-22

For Immediate Release

STEWART TAKES AIM AT INDY 200 POLE AFTER LEADING PRACTICE

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., Jan. 22, 1998 - Defending series champion Tony Stewart posted the fastest lap in both practice sessions Thursday and will try to capture the pole for the Indy 200 at Walt Disney World Speedway Presented by Aurora on Friday for the second consecutive year.

Stewart's best lap around the 1-mile tri-oval was 21.308 seconds, 168.951 mph in the Glidden/Menard G Force/Aurora as 31 drivers took practice laps to prepare for the season-opening Pep Boys Indy Racing League event at 12:30 p.m. Saturday. Stewart's lap was faster than his pole-winning lap in January 1997, 21.685, 166.013.

Qualifying starts at noon Friday.

"I've never earned one pay check for practicing, so we'll just go out and see what happens tomorrow," Stewart said. "We're pretty happy because we're close to where we tested, but we'll go back and see if we can find something that will bump us up a notch."

Scott Sharp was second-fastest at 167.645 in the Delphi Dallara/Aurora. Roberto Guerrero was third at 166.929 in the Pagan Racing Dallara/Aurora.

Thiago Bezerra captured the pole for the US F2000 Championship race. The 50-lap feature starts at 2:30 p.m. Friday.

INDY 200 TOP FIVE PRACTICE TIMES, SPEEDS Pos. No. Driver Chassis/Engine/Tire Time Speed 1 1 Tony Stewart GForce/Aurora/Firestone 21.308 168.951 2 8 Scott Sharp Dallara/Aurora/Goodyear 21.474 167.645 3 21 Roberto Guerrero Dallara/Aurora/Goodyear 21.566 166.929 4 91 Buddy Lazier Dallara/Aurora/Goodyear 21.586 166.775 5 14 Kenny Brack Dallara/Aurora/Goodyear 21.601 166.659

*** On the airwaves: The live television and radio broadcast schedule for the Indy 200:

Friday: Qualifying -- noon, Speedvision.

Saturday: Race -- noon, IMS Radio Network; 12:30 p.m. ABC. The Orlando-area IMS Radio Network affiliate is WQTM, 540 AM.