RICHARD ANTINUCCI MAINTAINS THE LEAD IN THE FIRESTONE INDY LIGHTS STANDINGS BY ONLY ONE POINT OVER BATTISTINI AFTER DISMAL MILWAUKEE ROUND
THE SAM SCHMIDT MOTORSPORTS DRIVER STRUGGLED ON HIS FIRST VISIT TO THE MILWAUKEE MILE, MANAGING ONLY A 16th PLACE WHICH HELPS HIM TO KEEP THE LEAD IN POINTS
Monday, June 2, 2008
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Richard Antinucci left the famed Wisconsin 1-mile track with bitter disappointment. The race result was his worst of the season, perhaps the worst of his entire career, a 16th place that was nonetheless enough to enable him to stay on top of the series. His lead is now just one point over Dillon Battistini, 14th yesterday. Handling problems blighted the Sam Schmidt driver throughout practice. To make matters worse, Richard's engine blew before the end of the crucial second test session, hampering any set-up progress during the event won by homeboy Bobby Wilson.
Antinucci, starting from the 11th place found himself more or less limping around the track almost from the word go. The Italian-American was philosophical after the toughest race thus far of 2008 : "Today was one of the worst races that I have ever experienced in my career. We paid dearly not having tested at this track. Handling problems got the upper hand on us. Add to the fact that the engine blew in teh second test and we were seriously down on track time. I had to use a spare engine from the qualifying on. It all added up to a lackluster Sunday. Some of my team mates also had to cope with the handling issues, crashing into the wall at Turn 2 on three different occasions. I am happy to have avoided similar contacts, allowing the Lucas Oil Dallara #7 car to collect some vital points in view to the championship. In hindsight, I am convinced that for this track turn-in is vital, and we never got around to perfecting this area of set up. It's a pity, but I am happy that this is behind us. I am really looking forward to Iowa, given we will test there before our Firestone Indy Lights race. I want to prove that we can be on top at short ovals as we've been at super-speedways. We tested properly at Homeastead-Miami, we did our homework before Indy and the results were there. We want to rebound in style."
FIRESTONE INDY LIGHTS - MILWAUKEE 100 - Sunday, June 1, 2008:
|
1. |
Bobby Wilson |
100 laps, 54:14.9446, average speed : 112.260 mph |
|
2. |
Jeff Simmons |
+ 0.0893 |
|
3. |
Raphael Matos |
+ 16.3217 |
|
4. |
Andrew Prendeville |
+ 17.3626 |
|
5. |
J.R. Hildebrand |
+ 17.7737 |
|
6. |
James Davison |
+ 18.9383 |
|
7. |
Pablo Donoso |
+ 25.2189 |
|
8. |
Arie Luyendyk Jr. |
+ 27.0732 |
|
9. |
Logan Gomez |
+ 27.4847 |
|
10. |
Sean Guthrie |
+ 27.4992 |
|
11. |
Brent Sherman |
- 1 lap |
|
12. |
Wade Cunningham |
+ 7.6694 |
|
13. |
Chris Festa |
+ 7.9536 |
|
14. |
Dillon Battistini |
+ 14.8389 |
|
15. |
Jonny Reid |
+ 17.0852 |
|
16. |
Richard Antinucci |
+ 26.6137 |
|
17. |
Micky Gilbert |
- 2 laps |
|
18. |
Cyndie Allemann |
- 4 laps |
|
19. |
Ana Beatriz |
- 22 laps |
|
20. |
Mark Olson |
DNF |
|
21. |
Marc Williams |
DNF |