Career
Biography
Race News
Other News
Photos
Team
Miller Lite 200 - Mid-Ohio
Race
Jonny Kane Racing, 13th August, Mid-Ohio: Team KOOL Green driver Jonny Kane had a troubled day at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car track today. Jonny managed to salvage three points and a tenth place from a disappointing race.
The race for Jonny went downhill from the green flag when the polesitter, Jason Bright, appeared to have a problem which caused the inside train to drop back. Many believed it should have been waved through but the start went ahead and Jonny fell to fifth on the first lap. He fought his way back to third and was battling for second with Felipe Giaffone when the two made contact. Both were forced to pit and Kane managed to scrape back onto the lead lap at the back of the pack after repairing a steering arm.
The race was to see three further yellows and Kane managed to make up some places to end up with a top ten finish. Townsend Bell took the chequered flag closely followed by Scott Dixon. Third went to Jason Bright with Tony Renna clinching fourth. Scott Dixon continues to lead the championship while Jonny Kane still remains in tenth spot with 35 points.
Jonny comments:
"That was a messed up start. Bright (polesitter) didn't take off on the start, so Bell took the green flag. I couldn't believe they gave us a start, because basically the whole left side of the grid got penalized by the pole man not being able to get away. I tried to get by Jason once I realized his car wasn't running properly. He forced me onto the grass so there was no way past there. That dropped me to fifth place on the start.
"In my opinion, it should have been a wave off. I was trying to get past Giaffone for second when he braked very wide, which made me think he saw me coming. Then he started to take the racing line, and I had to brake harder to avoid him once I saw him coming across. I ended up hitting my front wheel against his rear wheel. That was about it.
"I came to the pits and the Team KOOL Green crew was able to put on a new steering arm and get me back out without losing a lap. But it was a struggle to make up any positions, especially with all the yellows. We got a couple of points, but it's not what we wanted."
Saturday qualifying
Jonny Kane Racing, 12th August, Mid-Ohio: Ulsterman Jonny Kane ran into more misfortune in today's qualifying for the Dayton Indy Lights round at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Jonny came away with third position but was disappointed as the session was cut short.
Kane looked sure to confirm his provisional pole from yesterday when he had a full second up on everyone at the halfway stage of today's final qualifying session. Jonny pitted for new tyres and was just getting up to speed for a quick one when team mate, Jeff Simmons, spun ahead of him causing a red flag that was to run to the end of the session. This saw Jason Bright take the pole with a time of 1:14.513 seconds, followed by teammate Townsend Bell (1:14.569 seconds).
Jonny's time of 1:14.618 seconds saw him take third position with Felipe Giaffone (1:14.865 seconds) to line up alongside him on the grid for tomorrow's race.
Jonny comments:
"I am very disappointed really. I thought we had a great chance to get the pole. I did a (one-minute) 14.6 on the first set of tyres but I caught a bit of traffic so I came in. Otherwise I would have kept running. I think I could have done a better time on that first set, but we were running out of time for the session.
"I came in and went to the second set and equalled my best time on just my second lap when I wasn't really trying for it. I was just building up for the quick one the lap after when Jeff spun in front of me and hit the wall causing a red flag that was to end the session. I think we got done out of pole as we were certainly capable of it.
"Qualifying is important here as I tried following a car closely today for a bit and unfortunately I think it will be very difficult to pass as you start to lose the front end the closer you get. The Team KOOL Green car is very good this weekend and we've tested a lot on high mileage tyres and it stays consistent. I can still do quick times even when the tyres go off, so hopefully the front two will make some mistakes when their tyres start to go."
EDDIE JONES, TEAM KOOL GREEN INDY LIGHTS CHIEF ENGINEER:
"I think tomorrow should be a good race because without a doubt Jonny is the quickest out there. It is just a case of getting the gap he needs to pass the two Dorricotts in front of him. He was clearly the quickest car in qualifying. When I looked at the data, he had given up three tenths at turn one on his second lap on the new tyres and was just starting to build up speed. The rest of the lap Jonny was three tenths quicker than his quickest lap so we were clearly on for a low 14. He will be looking for a way by in the race tomorrow and I think he could end up winning it."
Friday qualifying
Jonny Kane Racing, 11th August, Mid-Ohio: Team KOOL Green driver Jonny Kane showed today that he can't be kept down, when he snatched today's provisional pole at the Mid-Ohio road course today.
Jonny took the pole with a time of 1:16.579 seconds, from Casey Mears on a time of 1:16.583 seconds. Felipe Giaffone was third with a time of 1:16.612 seconds followed by Townsend Bell (1:16.627 seconds).
Times for today's sessions were nearly two seconds slower than that seen at the official test so tomorrow's session will be very important. Bearing this in mind, Kane did not use new tyres for today's qualifying which nearly all the other driver's did. Hopefully this will be to Jonny's advantage tomorrow as times continue to fall as the track conditions improve.
Jonny comments:
"The track was pretty slow and felt quite bad this morning. We knew that we had a good two-day test here earlier this season, so when we were two to two-and-a-half seconds off the times we did at the test in this morning's practice we were reluctant to change anything on the KOOL car in case it upset the car. We decided to save both sets of our tires for tomorrow, and I think only Jeff (Simmons, team mate) and Scott Dixon have saved theirs. I think we're in pretty good shape for tomorrow."
Team KOOL Green, 11th August, Mid-Ohio: Team KOOL Green's Jonny Kane earned the provisional pole for Sunday's Indy Lights race, while teammate Jeff Simmons sits fifth after the first of two rounds of qualifying at Mid-Ohio. Kane clocked a lap of 1 minute, 16.579 seconds (107.554 mph) around the 2.258-mile road course.
Simmons, meanwhile, turned a fast lap of 1:16.640 (107.467 mph). Kane, who won the pole at Long Beach and Detroit already this season, is four one-thousandths of a second ahead of Casey Mears, the second fastest qualifier of the day. Felipe Giaffone is third (1:16.612) and Townsend Bell is fourth (1:16.627) in provisional qualifying.
Indy Lights drivers have one more 30-minute practice tomorrow at 9:15 a.m. (EDT) before final qualifying begins at 12:15 p.m. The 34-lap race will be televised in same-day coverage on ESPN2 in a one-hour show later on Sunday at 11:30 p.m. EDT. (8:30 p.m. PDT).
Race Preview
Jonny Kane Racing, 9th August, Mid-Ohio: Ulsterman Jonny Kane looks forward to this weekend's seventh round of the Dayton Indy Lights Championship at Mid-Ohio. Kane had a disappointing weekend at the last round in Chicago when an accident in qualifying forced Kane to withdraw from the race.
The 34 lap Indy Lights race will be the official support event to the Miller Lite 200 CART FedEx Championship Series at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course at Lexington, Ohio. Kane will be glad to see the series return to a natural road course again after the run of his misfortune at recent oval meetings.
The 2.258-mile Mid-Ohio track is one of the most physically demanding of the series. There are 14 turns and many changes in elevation; this combined with the lack of long straights to give the driver a rest makes it a test of ability and fitness. The track is somewhat unique in that the race does not start and finish in the same place. The finish is as tradition in front of the pits, but the green flag is dropped as the driver's pass along the back straight.
Jonny has not raced at the Mid-Ohio track, as it is a new addition to the 2000 calendar. However Kane showed his potential for a victory at an official test there earlier this year when he was fastest on both days. Kane now lies 10th in the championship and needs to make up points fast for his assault on the leaders.
Jonny comments:
"We had an extremely good test there earlier this year. Although we are only tenth in the championship a couple of good results could move us up rapidly as the points difference is not that big. Qualifying will be very important as there is probably only one good overtaking opportunity out the back. There are several blind corners, which could make it difficult following some one. It is a demanding circuit but one that I enjoy. As we enter the second half of the season and people sort out what they are doing next year it is a good time to show people exactly what I am capable of."
2000 Race News
Target Grand Prix of Chicago
Detroit News 100, Michigan
Freightliner/G.I.
Joe's 200
Detroit News Challenge
Miller Lite Milwaukee Mile
Toyota Grand Prix
of Long Beach