MICHAEL ANDRETTI FASTEST IN HOMESTEAD TEST SESSION HOMESTEAD, Fla. (March 3, 1999) - Michael Andretti ran the fastest lap Tuesday at Miami-Dade Homestead Motorsports Complex, leading 13 CART FedEx Championship Series drivers who participated in a private test in preparation for the season-opening March 21 Marlboro Grand Prix of Miami Presented by Toyota. Andretti is the defending two-time champion of the event.

Michael Andretti

Andretti was clocked at 215.654 mph in his Newman-Haas Racing Ford Swift. Jimmy Vasser was second fastest, 215.311 mph, followed by Target Team Ganassi teammate Juan Montoya, 215.139 mph.
       
"This is definitely a step towards being a contender for the championship," said Andretti, who was running on Firestone tires for the first time. "To run that lap in only our fourth lap is really encouraging. That time is about as quick as anyone has run at Homestead this year."
       
The fastest unofficial time this year was 216.617 mph, by Patrick Carpentier in CART Spring Training in February. Greg Moore, Carpentier's Player's Forsythe Racing teammate, set the official track record of 217.541 mph in qualifying for the 1998 Marlboro Grand Prix of Miami Presented by Toyota.
       
Robby Gordon, who will debut his new Team Gordon Swift in the Marlboro Grand Prix of Miami Presented by Toyota, will join Andretti and many of the other CART teams Thursday as pre-season testing continues on the 1.5-mile oval.

Thursday's top speeds (Unofficial, randomly taken from various sources)

Michael Andretti                 215.654 mph
Jimmy Vasser                    215.311
Juan Montoya                    215.139
Tony Kanaan                     213.439
Dario Franchitti                  211.765
Paul Tracy                         210.117
Gil de Ferran                     209.302
Adrian Fernandez              208.494