SBRS: Testing over ready to race

The Barber Dodge Pro Series concluded its final preseason test of 2001 before the series begins in earnest tomorrow. The 12-round Official Professional Entry Level Race Series of CART kicks off in support of the Exxon Superflo 12 Hours of Sebring on Saturday, March 17 just prior to the once around the clock classic enduro.

Defending Barber-CART Rookie of the Year Ryan Hunter-Reay, 20 of Boca Raton, Fla. topped the day's times with a quick lap of 2:07.847 sec., averaging 104.187 mph around the full length of Sebring's 3.7-mile, 17-turn circuit. All of the Barber Dodge drivers ran two half-hour sessions with the quicker times achieved session being run in the morning. Brazilian Alex Sperafico finished second fastest at 2:08.142 sec. just ahead of Californian Roger Yasukawa and Dutchman Sepp Koster. Yasukawa's best tour of the track stopped the clocks at 2:08.290 sec. with Koster a scant tenth of a second behind at 2:08.328 sec.

Barber-CART Big Scholarship winners Rafael Sperafico and Jon Morley were next up in the order. Morley was the only driver in the Top-10 to record a quicker time in the afternoon session than in the morning edition. Sperafico recorded a best time of 2:08.448 sec. while Morley's afternoon time vaulted him from 11th quick in the morning to sixth quick overall by recording a fast lap at 2:08.586 sec. Both rookies were followeed by another in the form of Japanese driver Akihira Okamoto who lapped at 2:08.823 sec.

Rounding out the Top-10 was second year driver Sara Senske. The Keenewick, Wash. resident recorded her best time as a 2:08.884 sec. lap finishing the day in seventh place. Another rookie, Juan Manuel Polar from Peru was next at 2:09.166 sec while ninth quick was Pennsylvanian Marc Breurs (2:09.625 sec.) and the tenth fastest time went to another Pennsylvanian, Matt Plumb whose best time came in at 2:09.667 sec.

The first official practice for Saturday's race takes place on Wednesday, Mar. 14.

-George Tamayo