Pennzoil Racing Report -- Guerrero at Charlotte, Raines in Topeka
29 July 1997
Pennzoil Race Report Indy Racing League VisionAire 500 Charlotte Motor Speedway July 26, 1997 Guerrero Leads First Laps Since Indy `96 Roberto Guerrero told everyone after his strong run last month at Pikes Peak that the Pennzoil Pagan team would have something for their Indy Racing League (IRL) competitors at Charlotte. He was right. Guerrero started seventh, but steadily worked his way to the front. The bright yellow Pennzoil Dallara handled well throughout the early stages of the race, enabling Guerrero to take the lead on lap 101. He led the next 25 laps, surrendering the point when he made a scheduled pit stop. Following the stop, Guerrero returned to the track in seventh and again set his sights on the front. But on lap 141, he and Davey Hamilton made contact in turn two, sending both cars into the outside wall. Neither driver was hurt. Guerrero wound up 17th. "Unfortunately, we haven't finished either of the last two races, but we were in a position to do well in both of them," Guerrero said. "We you are running up front every race, it will eventually come." The Pennzoil Pagan Racing team heads next to New Hampshire International Speedway for the Pennzoil 200 on August 17th. The race begins at 3 p.m. (Eastern) and airs live on ABC. "I like New Hampshire very much. I am really pumped for that one, especially with it being the Pennzoil 200. That would be a great place to finish what we started here." In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Pennzoil Dodge driver Tony Raines survived brutal heat and humidity in Topeka, Kan., to finish 10th in the Lund Look 225 at Heartland Park. Heading into the event, Raines owned a streak of four straight stop 10 finishes, which appeared to be over a the white fag flew on the 2.1 mile road course. However, leader Jay Sauter ran out of fuel on the final lap, which moved Raines into the top 10 for the fifth time in a row and the seventh time in his rookie season. Raines and his Roehrig Motorsports teammates now take the Pennzoil Dodge to Indianapolis Raceway Park for Thursday's Cummins 200. The race begins at 8 p.m. and airs live on ESPN. For More Information Contact: Al Larsen Cohn & Wolfe 404-880-5267 al_larsen@cohnwolfe.com
