Associated Press
Mexico (AP) – Shane Van Gisbergen was completed in his seat ready to go to Mexico City for Nascar First International Cup Series Race of the Modern Era when a “boom!” Suddenly forced the pilot to abandon takeoff.
There was an engine problem with the chartered flight in North Carolina and Van Gisbergen and most trackhouse races suddenly found themselves blocked. In fact, two NASCAR charters had problems on Thursday who delayed the arrivals of crew members and drivers for at least five teams.
They all arrived safely on Friday morning – some teams went to Atlanta to take commercial flights – while others were waiting for a new morning charter.
“Yeah, it was not really fun. Yesterday was a long day,” Van Gisbergen told Mexico City. “Quite frightening when the plane started when taking off. They stopped and just tried to get another plane. And then it was the first thing this morning, so start early this morning. I think we got up at 3:30 am at home and took a flight early here.”
It was a bumpy start for the first race in the series of cuts to points outside the United States, because the whole Friday calendar had to be reorganized to welcome the blocked teams. And, with team staff who have disappeared for certain organizations, reinforcements were called to help: Trackhouse communications director had to help the carriers’ team cars.
The trucks came directly from last Sunday’s race in Michigan and arrived on the Mexico track on Thursday.
“Due to two aircraft problems that have anchored several racing teams in Charlotte, in North Carolina.
Nascar delayed the training of the series of cups behind Friday later in the afternoon. Nascar also pushed AlXFINITY seriesThe training sessions from Friday to Saturday. And, the first of the two races in the Nascar Mexico series was moved early Friday instead of their end of Friday schedule.
The Xfinity series will lose a training time, with a single 50 -minute session on Saturday morning, just before the qualifications. There are also other light adjustments, but the Cup teams will not lose any practice.
Van Gisbergen was driving with the delay.
“You cannot predict these kinds of things that happen. There are so many mobile parts,” he said. “Everyone is here now. I think they are all important people, I suppose, necessary for (Friday), so I think they did a good job by saving it.
“I guess it’s a big problem when you think about it, but I’m not really too historic on this subject,” he continued. “I already focus on (race). Obviously, not ideal, but it happened and we have corrected it.”
Truex obtains a photo
It’s been 11 years of sincereRyan TruexEx ran in the CUP series but he begins another departure Sunday as a FO replacementDenny Hamlinin Mexico City.
Truex is a reserve pilot of Joe Gibbs Racing and was in a model of detention in the last three weeks while Hamlin was waiting for the birth of his son. Hamlin did not have to get out of the car in Nashville or Michigan, but the baby finally arrived on Wednesday and Hamlin chose to jump this weekend to take care of his family of five.
Truex received the call the same evening to roll the Toyota n ° 11 high level. The younger brother of the former champion of the Cup series, Martin Truex Jr., has 26 career departures, but none since 2014.
Martin Truex won a race from the XFINITY series in 2005 in Mexico City, which he reminded his younger brother when he told him that he had received the call.
“I sent him a text this week when I discovered, and he said:” You know, the Truexes are 1 for 1 in Mexico “, so no pressure,” said Ryan Truex on Friday. “I’m glad he could start this.”
Hamlin, triple winner this year, asked and obtained an exemption from NASCAR officials to keep his eligibility for the elimination series of the Cup series.
Truex has the recent time because the 33 -year -old man was an option to fill in practice FOTyler ReddickCK of his colleague Toyota Team 23xi Racing during the Coca-Cola 600 practice. However, the waiting game to see if it was necessary and prepare for an international trip was a whirlwind.
“It’s been a few crazy weeks-especially since Charlotte, I’m waiting,” he said. “I’m glad it’s on a track where I can train and have time and know what to do. It was somehow chaotic to come here and to assemble all this, but I am just grateful for the experience and grateful to be here.
“I don’t really have a fixed goals or expectations – I just want to enjoy the weekend. I drive a cup car for Joe Gibbs during an international race – it’s not something I have ever dreamed of doing, so I just want to take everything and have a good time.”
Truex said that each time he received a text from the Hamlin crew chief, Chris Gayle last month, his heart began to run when he wondered if it was the call.
He is grateful for his time in a reserve role with Gibbs after a miserable time in cup a decade ago. Truex hopes to use Sunday as a springboard to the regular race.
“My last time in the cup was not a fun experience. It did not go well for me. I did not appreciate it,” said Truex. “It was probably not the right decision for me, in terms of career, and I have somehow ridiculed since then. I appreciate everything I do at JGR. I was able to run part -time in recent years and do all this away from the track.”
Elevation training
Nascar pilots will face one of the greatest challenges of their career race in Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, which is located at an altitude of almost 7,500 feet. The highest track next on the cutting circuit in terms of elevation is the Las Vegas Motor Speedway about 2,000 feet above sea level.
To prepare his drivers at altitude, Toyota launched a full training program months ago that had her drivers bearing a mask that simulates less oxygen while training and even sleeping in a hypoxic tent.
Reddick was one of those who slept in a tent to adapt to the higher altitude and alleviate the potential symptoms of altitude evil.
“A side effect of this is that my wife was not super happy that I am to sleep in a hypoxic environment, especially at the subsequent stages of her pregnancy,” said Reddick, whose woman delivered the couple’s second child on May 25.
The idea of the tent was designed after JGR DriveChristopher BellHe asked Toyota what would be done to help maintain maximum performance in high altitude.
“We started this at the start of the season talking and gathering a plan, making sure that we are prepared for this,” said Bell. “I am proud of everyone at Toyota, the Toyota Performance Center. Caitlin Quinn really managed the Ministry of Physical fitness and made sure that we are ready for this challenge. I hope the Toyota pilots are those who succeed. ”
The program was designed by Caitlin Quinn, Director of Performance at the Toyota Performance Center in Mooresville, in North Carolina. She was a force coach at Florida State University before joining the Toyota Performance Center.
Quinn has helped drivers to learn to occur in a lower oxygen environment when they rest, as well as exercise in an environment with less oxygen. Toyota has enclosed a space in its center with a bicycle inside so that drivers can roll in a lower oxygen adjustment.
Quinn said Toyota began implementing these programs about eight weeks ago for drivers.
“It’s different from sleeping in a hypoxic environment,” said Reddick. “I have noted the changes so far, and I’m delighted to see what it will look like.”
___
AP Auto Racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
What did you think of this story?
recommended
