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| | Friday, October 15 | |||||
| FORT WORTH, Texas -- Greg Ray has taken the long road to the
top of the IRL standings.
Going into Sunday's season finale, the Mall.com 500 at Texas
Motor Speedway, Ray has three first-place finishes, a second -- and
five of 21st or worse.
His front-or-back-but-not-in-between approach has left him with
a slim lead over defending champion Kenny Brack and four others.
All are hunting for the title and the accompanying $500,000 bonus.
"The question has been asked all year long: What's the
difference between your good weekend and your bad weekends?" Ray
said. "We don't prepare any different. And we haven't made any
wholesale changes."
Ray, a native of nearby Plano, is very familiar with the 1½-mile
trioval. He finished second here in June 1998 and was second again this June, when he led a race-best 56 laps.
That performance kickstarted his season. He won three of the next four events to take over the points lead. His lead peaked at 44 points over Brack with two races to go.
Had Ray done well in the previous event, the Vegas.com 500, this
homecoming could've been a coronation. Instead, he banged wheels
with Mark Dismore and finished 21st.
Ray has a 255-242 lead over Brack, the Indy 500 winner. They're
followed by Vegas winner Sam Schmidt (225), Scott Sharp (209),
Scott Goodyear (207) and Buddy Lazier (204).
There are 55 points up for grabs this weekend -- 50 for first and
five bonus points, three for the top qualifier and two for the most
laps led.
The tight points battle will turn up the intensity for
Saturday's qualifying. In addition to the pole-sitter getting three
points, the second-fastest car gets two and third-best gets one.
On Friday, the top two practice laps came from Goodyear (214.778
mph) and Schmidt (214.444). Schmidt also had the sixth-best lap.
"We're doing everything we possibly can to win the pole," said
Schmidt, whose pit crew will wear T-shirts that read "Nothing to
Lose" during qualifying.
Said Goodyear, who took over the points lead after winning the
June race in Texas: "I think it's great for the series for six
guys to try winning this championship. Although we are a longer
shot than we'd like to be, we still have a shot at it."
The six cars to watch will be easy to spot thanks to some
generously applied fluorescent orange paint. Splashes will be on
the engine cover, the end plate of the wings and around the car
numbers.
The numbers will be the biggest giveaways. Instead of the league
standard black numbers in a white box, the finalists will have
white numbers outlined in black inside a fluorescent-orange box.
Although they'll be harder to spot, four drivers are in close
contention for the rookie of the year award and a $50,000 bonus.
Robby McGehee leads Scott Harrington 138-137 with Jaques Lazier
(118) and John Hollansworth Jr. (116) also in the hunt.
Someone to keep an eye on for that award next year is
18-year-old Sarah Fisher, who will make her IRL debut Sunday. She's
planning to become the first female regular on the circuit next
season.
Fisher is driving for car owner Dale Pelfrey, who also has
supported former Indy 500 driver Lyn St. James. Fisher is a
graduate of St. James' driving school.
Fisher, who passed her rookie test in Vegas, had the 10th-best
practice time Friday, turning a lap in 24.572 seconds and 213.169
mph.
"It was pretty fun," Fisher said. "It was my first time to
get to run with other cars and I feel comfortable. I feel more
comfortable each time I go out."
She's already impressed former Indy 500 winner Eddie Cheever.
"That girl is good," he said. "There's a few guys around here who could take lessons from her."
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