Team Stargate Worlds Initiates First Test of the Season
The occasion marks the first time both drivers have hit the track since the last race of the 2008 Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda season. Though the threat of rain continually loomed over the track throughout the day the conditions remained dry and ideal for the Team Stargate Worlds duo. Both Muniz and De Silvestro combined for a total of just over 400 miles.
It also marks the first time that both drivers began working with their race engineers. For 2009 Muniz will work alongside his engineer Gerald Tyler, while Burke Harrison joins Team Stargate Worlds as De Silvestro's engineer. Both Tyler and Harrison have a long history together that goes back to the 2002 Atlantic Championship season where, along with US RaceTronics Team Principal Shane Seneviratne, Dorricott Racing won the 2002 championship in dominating fashion with Jon Fogarty. Tyler and Harrison followed that up by winning the Championship again the following year with RuSPORT.
At the conclusion of the day both drivers and their engineers were happy with what was accomplished and were confident in moving forward. The team will regroup next week at the series-sanctioned test at Palm Beach International Raceway on March 10-11.
Frankie Muniz, Driver No. 77 – “I'm very happy with how the day went. We were very productive and we got to run a lot of miles, which dusted off the cobwebs. I also got to work with my new engineer Gerald Tyler which was great. I'm confident that we'll have a very good year just based on what we've learned thus far. I just want to thank the Team Stargate Worlds team and I can't wait to get back in the car for our next test."
Simona De Silvestro, Driver No. 78 – “Overall the day went very well. The Team Stargate Worlds crew did a great job today and working with my new engineer Burke Harrison had a lot of positive results, which allowed us to be very productive. We tried a lot of things out in order to see what worked and what didn't but overall I think today's test was a definite step in the right direction."
Gerald Tyler, Engineer – No 77- “It was the first time working with the team and I have to say it's a great team. Shane and Imran have a great team here and it was great working with them and I'm looking forward to working with them this year. As far as the test, you couldn't really tell that this was our first test in that once we got going everything just clicked, from the team to Frankie. It all just fell into place very nicely. Working with Frankie and Bob Perona, our driver's coach, I know that we'll all try to get the best out of each other this year and I'm sure 2009 will be great."
Burke Harrison, Engineer, No 78- “What I really wanted to work on was the communication aspect with Simona and we made good inroads on that. There were also a few test items we wanted to complete as well which we managed to do. The track conditions were not that great but I believe we managed to make great progress. The 2009 season will be a very exciting one and I'm looking forward to it."