Genoa Lights Completes Test with Top Time

Completing their test plan early, including a qualifying simulation, Genoa Lights leaves Homestead-Miami Speedway with the top time of the day. Incremental to the original test plan, things were progressing so well that Genoa decided to trim out the car, install new tires and run a qualifying simulation. Driver Richard Philippe, in his first experience with this qualifying format, put in a 2-lap average that was faster than the 2008 pole speed. Richard relayed to the team that it, “… seemed easy".

This performance on the oval capped a near perfect week for Genoa and drivers Richard Philippe and Charlie Kimball. Monday, Richard established a new track record at the Palm Beach International Raceway road course. On Tuesday (also at PBIR), Charlie had the fast time of the day right up to the last lap of the test, eclipsing his own personal best time (in the SSM #7 car on Monday) by over half a second. Then, Thursday, Richard set fast time and lapped under the 2008 pole on the Miami-Homestead oval.

Mark Olson states: “I don’t really believe in ‘high-fiving’ or ‘back-slapping’ for simply doing your job. We came here with a laundry list of things that we wanted to do, and we did them. Things won’t always go so smoothly, so you enjoy it when they do. I have to acknowledge, though, that Genoa probably did exceed everyone’s expectations. So for that, I guess a little smile and a little swagger is acceptable. Seriously, the guys (especially Richard and Charlie) did a great job. The team was prepared, the cars were prepared, the drivers were prepared … and we had a good result. Now it’s off to the shop for some paint and a few other tweaks."