USAC Drivers Dave Steele and J.J. Yeley Pass IRL Rookie Tests

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22 February 1998

USAC STARS STEELE, YELEY READY TO ROLL AFTER PASSING IRL TESTS

For Immediate Release

PHOENIX, Feb. 20, 1998 - USAC stars Dave Steele and J.J. Yeley are ready for
prime time in the Pep Boys Indy Racing League after passing their IRL
driving tests Feb. 19 at Phoenix International Raceway.

Steele completed a refresher test and Yeley the complete rookie test on the
1-mile oval, said Brian Barnhart, IRL director of racing operations.
Barnhart and three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Johnny Rutherford observed
the testing.

"They both did an excellent job," Barnhart said. "They were very smooth,
very controlled, very competent."

Steele and Yeley are eligible to participate in the "Test in the West" open
test session Feb. 25-27 and the Phoenix 200 on March 22, both at PIR.
There are four phases to an IRL rookie test. The last two phases of that
test comprise the refresher test. Drivers must complete 10 consecutive laps
within the designated time range to pass each phase. The time ranges for
each phase at Phoenix:
   --Phase One: 24.0 seconds (150.000 mph) and 24.5 seconds (146.939 mph).
   --Phase Two: 23.5 seconds (153.191 mph) and 24.0 seconds (150.000 mph).
   --Phase Three: 23.0 seconds (156.522 mph) and 23.5 seconds (153.191 mph).
   --Phase Four: Quicker than 23.0 seconds (156.522 mph).

Steele, who passed his IRL rookie test in 1996, completed 170 laps in a car
fielded by rsm Marko. His best lap was 22.5 seconds, 160.000 mph. Yeley
turned 190 laps in an Arizona Motor Sport Racing/SRS car, with a fast lap of
22.0 seconds, 163.636 mph.

Steele, 23, from Tampa, Fla., won six USAC sprint races on pavement in 1997.
He finished ninth in the sprint point standings despite racing a partial
schedule. Steele will drive for rsm Marko for the rest of the 1998 IRL
season and continue to race in selected USAC events.

Yeley, 21, from Phoenix, was named USAC sprint car Rookie of the Year in
1997 after finishing fifth in the point standings. He won the USAC Indiana
Sprint Weeks and the prestigious Tony Hulman Classic in 1997. Yeley will
drive for AMS/SRS in the Phoenix 200 and the Indianapolis 500 as a teammate
to Dr. Jack Miller, and he will finish the season with the team if more
sponsorship can be found.

	***
Phoenix 200 tickets: Tickets for the Phoenix 200 are available by calling
Phoenix International Raceway at (602) 252-2227.

...PIR98-03...