IPS: Chicagoland: RLR/Anderson Racing qualifying report

RLR/Andersen Racing's Prendeville Qualifies Ninth Saturday at Chicagoland For Sunday's Indy Pro Season Finale

JOLIET, Ill., Sept. 8 - Despite seeing Chicagoland Speedway for the first time when he drove onto the grounds Saturday morning, on Saturday afternoon Andrew Prendeville earned the ninth starting spot for Sunday's Indy Pro Series season finale here in the SWE qualifying session.

Driving the Best Friends Animal Society No. 5 fielded by RLR/Andersen Racing of Fairfield, N.J., the Morristown, N.J.-based driver's qualifying time for the 1.5-mile oval was 29.1495 seconds for an average speed of 187.722 miles per hour. He'll start on the inside of Row 5 tomorrow morning at 11:30 a.m. Central time, beside Stephen Simpson.

The 2007 Indy Pro Series champion, Alex Lloyd, earned the pole with a time of 28.7799 seconds (190.133 mph). Only 0.5 of a second separated the top 18 cars in the 22-car field.

Prendeville was the second driver to go under the timing beacon in time trials. His fastest of two laps was his first one.

Fans can still participate in Prendeville's Racing Laps for Best Friends program through its Web site at racinglapsforbestfriends.com.

There were only two practice sessions on Saturday before qualifying. In the first 30-minute practice session Saturday morning Prendeville was 13th overall when his 31st of 41 laps took just 28.7195 seconds for an average speed of 190.533 mph. In the second 45-minute practice session Saturday afternoon he ended up seventh overall when his 28th lap of 29 was recorded in 28.9837 seconds for an average speed of 188.796 mph.

He ended up 13th on the combined practice session report with his time from the morning session. All but one driver, Jon Brownson, went faster in the morning than they did in the heat of the afternoon.

Andrew Prendeville:  "I feel comfortable; we've made improvements with the
car all day.  The RLR/Andersen guys have done a good job.  We'll have a good car
for the race, like we've had all year.  We'll be fine for the race.

"It's a nice facility. For the ovals I've driven on, it probably is closest to Kentucky Speedway."

-credit: rlr/ar