July 20, 2007 – Team Australia has made a strong start to the Rexall Grand Prix of Edmonton with Simon Pagenaud and Will Power second and fifth fastest respectively in provisional qualifying in Edmonton, Canada today.
Rookie Pagenaud, who won the Champ Car Atlantic race in Edmonton last season in the Aussie Vineyards Atlantic car en route to winning that championship, reaffirmed his form at the fast Edmonton airport layout with second fastest behind defending series champion and countryman Sebastien Bourdais.
Power, who was fastest in practice earlier in the day, was fifth fastest in the #5 Aussie Vineyards Team Australia DP01 around the 1.973-mile (3.175-kilometre) circuit, known as one of the most demanding in the Champ Car World Series.
Power was strong throughout the session, but in turn seven the Australian grazed the wall, resulting in a bent left rear toe-link. Power had to wait for the toe-link to be replaced and his qualifying hopes for provisional pole were dashed when the session was called early due to an accident.
Team Australia will have the chance to go one better tomorrow when final qualifying for Round 7 of the 2007 Champ Car World Series is staged, before the Rexall Grand Prix of Edmonton is held on Sunday.
Sebastien Bourdais won provisional pole and a guaranteed front row start in Edmonton today, ahead of Pagenaud, Graham Rahal, Bruno Junquiera and Power. Championship leader Robert Doornbos was 10th fastest.
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WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY...
Will Power – "We had a really good Aussie Vineyards car, one good enough for pole," said Power. "Unfortunately I hit the wall. I just barely touched it, didn't even get into the rim and bent the left rear toe link. The cars are very fragile and very easily bend and unfortunately that hurt us for today. I think we can possibly get pole tomorrow and that will be our aim. Obviously the track changes and things get better, so we'll see."
Simon Pagenaud – "First of all, Edmonton is a very different track compared to the driving the Atlantic car last year because it goes a lot quicker and we're much more busy in the Champ Car," said Pagenaud. "Some corners that were flat last year in Atlantic are not in the Champ Car. So it's just a little bit trickier. You just need to be more on your game. You know, it's just been a very good day for us because this morning it was not that good, we had a couple issues. The whole Aussie Vineyards team has been working really, really well, making my car working for this afternoon. When we came in practice this afternoon, the car was great. I just said, 'that's a great car, just do a couple of changes, but we're not far away'. We put new tyres on and it was great. It's great, great feeling."
Derrick Walker – "I think there was probably about three or four cars that thought they probably could have gotten pole, us being two of them," said Walker. "Unfortunately the accident cancelled the end of qualifying. It's not the end of the world, both boys are really running well which will make for a real 'knicker-gripper' tomorrow."
Craig Gore – "Simon certainly likes the Edmonton circuit and today he did an outstanding job in the Aussie Vineyards car," said Gore. "Will was on top of his game right from the start of the day, but didn't go as well as he would have liked in qualifying. He's got the opportunity to get the job done in final qualifying tomorrow to make sure that he is right up there with Bourdais for the start of the race."
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RESULTS: Provisional Qualifying
1. #1 Sebastien Bourdais 58.709
2. #15 Simon Pagenaud 58.974
3. #2 Graham Rahal 59.112
4. #19 Bruno Junqueira 59.127
5. #5 Will Power 59.155
6. #9 Justin Wilson 59.174
7. #21 Neel Jani 59.465
8. #8 Alex Tagliani 59.483
9. #7 Oriol Servia 59.582
10. #14 Robert Doornbos 59.941
2007 Champ Car World Series Points Standings - After Round 7 of 16
1. #14 Robert Doornbos 164
2. #5 Will Power 162
3. #1 Sebastien Bourdais 162
4. #9 Justin Wilson 138
5. #8 Alex Tagliani 127
6. #15 Simon Pagenaud 120
7. #21 Neel Jani 116
8. #3 Oriol Servia 102
9. #2 Graham Rahal 101
10. #19 Bruno Junqueira 91
2007 Roshfrans Champ Car Rookie of the Year - After Round 7 of 16
1. #14 Robert Doornbos 164
2. #15 Simon Pagenaud 120
3. #21 Neel Jani 116
4. #2 Graham Rahal 101
5. #28 Ryan Dalziel 86
6. #22 Tristan Gommendy 80
7. #29 Alex Figge 42
8. #42 Matt Halliday 18
Champ Car Canadian Triple Crown – After Round 2 of 3
1. Team Australia 3.0
2. Rsports 6.0
3. Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing 7.25
4. Minardi Team USA 8.25
5. PKV Racing 8.75
6. Pacific Coast Motorsports 11.75
7. Forsythe Championship Racing 12.0
8. Dale Coyne Racing 12.25
9. Conquest Racing 14.5
scores are average finishing positions
RACE SCHEDULE
Local Edmonton (Mountain) Times
Practice 2
Saturday 21 July 2007
10:15am – 11:30am
Qualifying 2
Saturday 21 July 2007
2:00pm – 3:00pm
Warm-Up
Sunday 22 July 2007
9:00am – 9:30am
Race
Sunday 22 July 2007
1:00pm – 3:00pm
UNITED STATES TV SCHEDULE
Sunday 22 July 2007
ESPN
3:00pm US Eastern
Qualifying 2
Sunday 22 July 2007
6:00am – 7:00am
Warm-Up
Monday 23 July 2007
1:00am – 1:30am
Race
Monday 23 July 2007
5:00am – 7:00am
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ABOUT EDMONTON AIRPORT CIRCUIT (Rexall Speedway)
Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Circuit Type: Temporary Airport Circuit
First Champ Car Event: 2005
Track Length: 1.973 miles (3.175 kilometres)
CHAMP CAR RECORD BOOK
Defending Champ Car Race Winner: Justin Wilson
Defending Champ Car Polesitter: Sebastien Bourdais
2006 RESULTS
Will Power – #5 Aussie Vineyards Team Australia Champ Car
Qualified: Seventh
Finished: Sixth
Simon Pagenaud – #15 Aussie Vineyards Team Australia Champ Car Atlantic
Qualified: Second
Finished: First |
