Pitstop: Dixon flies in IndyCar oval test

By BOB PEARCE

Scott Dixon has shown impressive form in preparation for his debut in the IRL IndyCar series next month.

In a full-field test at the Phoenix International Raceway, the New Zealander, who has switched from Champ Car racing, was second-fastest with a lap time of 20.4261s, a speed of 176.245mph (283km/h), in his Target Chip Ganassi Racing Panoz G Force car.

"It feels great to be right at the top of the speed chart," Dixon said. "We made a huge jump in speed this afternoon. We were struggling to find the right balance, so I gave my engineers an idea that had worked for me in the past.

"I can't say enough about the guys here at Team Target. We were getting a little frustrated because we knew that we could be fast here, and they stayed patient and focused.

"The Toyota engine has been really impressive this week, and I think we have a strong package for the season. It was a lot of fun out there today. Hopefully it will be like this when we come here for the race."

The fastest lap was set by another IRL newcomer, Tony Kanaan, at 20.3639s, a speed of 176.783mph.

The season-opening Toyota Indy 300 is on March 2 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, with the next event on March 23 at Phoenix..

* * *

Auckland driver Matt Halliday is due to have a test session in Spain today in preparation for a possible drive in the new Formula Renault V6 Euro Cup championship.

The championship, run by Renault Sport, will have 18 teams with two cars each. The series is being touted as a replacement for Formula 3000, which is supposed to be the feeder to Formula One.

The new cars on a Formula 3000 chassis have a 3.5-litre Renault V6 engine and a six-speed semi-automatic sequential gearbox.

Halliday, badly injured on an American oval last year, is testing for a German team based in Cologne and run by Alex Zoechling. If he gets the drive, he will compete in 10 rounds on the big European circuits, beginning in April.

Halliday, who had been negotiating unsuccessfully for drives in the United States, still hopes to return there, but believes the exposure the European series would give him would advance his prospects.

* * *

Possum Bourne has learned the harsh reality of competing in Europe after finishing fifth in the production class of the World Championship Rally of Sweden.

With co-driver Mark Stacey in their Subaru Impreza WRX STI, they were 7.8s behind Englishman Martin Rowe, a 10s penalty costing them a place and a point in the Production World Rally Championship.

"We got the penalty on the first morning" Bourne said, "when we clocked into a control at the exit of the service park three seconds late."

Bourne lodged an appeal against the penalty, pointing out the road to the control was only single lane and that he was held up by another competitor.

"By the time he manoeuvred out of the way and we got the car into the control zone we were late," Bourne said. "I'm sure organisers in New Zealand and Australia would have been more understanding, especially as they don't want competitors to speed in the service parks."

Bourne said he had to accept the decision. "When we come back to Europe for later rounds of the championship we'll know there is no leeway or room for negotiation and the rules are the rules. End of story."

* * *

World rally organisers are keeping their fingers crossed that the next round of the championship can go ahead in Turkey as planned from February 28 to March 2.

The Turkish Rally, a newcomer to the championship, could become a casualty of the threatened war in Iraq.

New Zealand rally supremo Morrie Chandler said yesterday that a meeting in Paris last week remained confident that the rally could go ahead as it was in a part of the country not threatened by the conflict. But problems had already been experienced after the roll-on freighter hired to transport equipment from the last venue was commandeered for military purposes.

Rally New Zealand from April 11-13 is the next round of the world championship after the Turkish Rally.

* * *

Young Auckland driver Haydn MacKenzie (Walkinshaw Holden Commodore) continues to lead the 2002-03 New Zealand SuperGT series after the third round at Manfeild.

MacKenzie, 19, set the 15th fastest time in qualifying then put together a 6-17-6 run through the races to add 52 points to his first and second-round tally of 130.

Class stalwart Owen Evans was the big mover at Manfeild, setting the fastest time in qualifying and winning one of the three races, but he is still 24 points behind MacKenzie.

* * *

For sale: One used Ferrari driven by careful German driver to second place in the world drivers' championship in 1998. Red with V10 2997cc engine capable of 700hp. Driver has upgraded. Price on application to Ferrari Shop, Maranello, Italy.