J.R. Hildebrand and Cape Motorsports Set the Pace at Roebling Road

04.27.2006

The Cape Motorsports team enjoyed a productive two-day test this week at Roebling Road in Savannah, Ga., as its three drivers - J.R, Hildebrand, from Sausalito, Calif., Dane Cameron, from Sonoma, Calif., and Chris Meredith, from Potomac, Md. - continued their preparations for the new Cooper Tires Formula Ford 2000 Championship season.

Rain showers and high temperatures provided an additional challenge, but all three drivers quickly got up to speed and continued to gain valuable knowledge in the changing conditions.

After just a short period of running on Wednesday morning, during which the threesome got used to the track and began to work on car setups, the skies turned dark. A heavy rain shower then left the track damp for most of the remainder of the day.

"It was a bit frustrating at first, but it really turned out to be a blessing in disguise," reported Hildebrand. "It seems that the only time we ever get to drive in wet conditions is on racedays, so it was nice to work on setup and technique without the stress of qualifying or racing at the same time."

Hildebrand used his prior wet-weather experience to set the pace in the rain, though all three drivers impressed in the tricky circumstances. As the track gradually dried out, lap times tumbled and eventually the conditions improved enough for slick tires to be remounted. Though eventually dry, nobody would improve upon times set earlier in the day.

Thursday also brought adversity. One of the other cars dropped some oil during the morning session, and later on the track temperature climbed dramatically as the sun beat down. The tricky conditions ensured that the overall pace was not as fast as on Wednesday, although Cameron posted the fastest time of the day, taking advantage of the fact he had ventured out on a fresh set of Cooper tires just before the oil had been spilled.

"The track was much better on Wednesday before the rain and the heat, but we were happy with the car and the lap times," said Cameron. "The test will really help for some of the tracks well be running at later this year."

The first race for the 2006 Cooper Tires Formula Ford 2000 Championship will take place at Road Atlanta on May 13th. The Cape Motorsports team will be working hard to prepare for their first outing, and all three drivers will without a doubt be a force to be reckoned with throughout the season.