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TEAM KMA RACING NOTES, HOMESTEAD-MIAMI OPEN TEST |
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Written by Jeff Seabrook
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Thursday, 22 February 2007 |
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Homestead, FL (February 23, 2007) - Team KMA Racing with driver Robbie
Pecorari concluded the initial shakedown of their new car yesterday during
the Indy Pro Series Open Test at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Team KMA Formula
BMW engineer Lucas Strackerjan was present to observe the difference in oval
set up and Team KMA Formula BMW mechanic worked with the Indy Pro Series
team to help change the car over from road to oval configuration.
"Tuesday was more of a shakedown run for us than a real test," commented Jon
Lewis, Team KMA co-owner. "This was the first time we've gotten the car out
on the track since we took delivery of it earlier this month, so we spend a
considerable amount of time just checking specific areas of the car and
making several changes in set up just to get a comfortable baseline."
This was also Robbie's first time in an Indy Pro Series car on a road course
(Pecorari passed his Rookie test on the Homestead oval a few weeks ago).
"The Indy Pro Series car is quite different from the Atlantic car," stated
Pecorari. "It's got a lot more horsepower and handles quite different, but I
was very pleased in what we learned yesterday from the different changes we
made during our shakedown runs."
Even though the team was concentrating on the basics of the car and not on
optimum speed and performance, Robbie consistently ran in the top five all
day on Tuesday. "The car had an easy half a second more in it," continued
Pecorari. "But, I didn't want to push it and tear something up. After all,
we're here to shake it down and get it ready for the opening race later this
month."
On Thursday, Robbie and the Team were back on track, this time on the oval.
Although new to the Indy Pro Series scene, Pecorari has previously driven at
two oval events in the Pro Mazda Series, winning one of them. "The guys had
to scramble to get the car ready for this week's test," stated Lewis. "We
received the new engine just last week as well as the bodywork back from the
painter They did a great job getting it all together, but we still have a
little aerodynamic work to do to get a little more speed out of her. We had
difficulty eliminating some of the understeer in the corners, which we feel
will also be helped by the aero work. But, as I said before, this was
basically a shake down of the car on the road and oval courses and we now
know what we have to do to be up front." The number 13, Cabo Wabo tequila
sponsored car finished the day just over 3/10ths of a second off the fastest
time of the day.
The team has headed back to its Indiana shop to prepare the car for the
season opener on March 24th at the Homestead-Miami Speedway.
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