Champ Cars shatter Zolder lap record

UPDATE #2 Well our estimate of a 1m12.500 second pole lap time for the Champ Cars was pretty close as Bourdais turned a lap of 1m12.821s and he said he could have done a few tenths faster if everything had been timed right on his qualifying lap. Regardless, the Champ Cars have set a new mark at Zolder by a wide margin and the track is fast. "I think it's a lot quicker today because there's so much more rubber down," said Will Power. "The asphalt is actually really good," said Robert Doornbos. "They did a good job with that because the rubber gets in really quick and the grip just gets better and better. Today went really well. It is an amazing circuit to drive with Champ Cars, it’s really fast – turn one and two in particular we have been going faster and faster."

08/24/07 Provisional pole saw Will Power drop the lap record down to 1m13.801s. With more rubber on the track, tomorrow might see the Champ Cars down into the 1m12s bracket. Recall our estimate last week that we might see a 1m12.5 sec qualifying lap for the Champ Cars.

08/24/07 Within 15 minutes of the opening practice session the Champ Cars were some 2 seconds under the Zolder lap record despite the circuit being slowed by chicanes and the tightening of some corners to slow the Champ Cars. The old record was held by Christian Montanari in a World Series by Renault car in 2006 at 1m17.122s. With seven minutes to go in the session Will Power is fastest at 1m15.100s in his Champ Car.