Courtesy Conquest RacingMi-Jack Conquest fastest in Sebring with Heylen - Belgian Jan Heylen up to speed quickly
Indianapolis, IN (24 February 2006) Mi-Jack Conquest Racing (MJCR) continued its off-season testing program this week in Sebring, with Belgian racer Jan Heylen posting the quickest lap of the day on Thursday. The test was just the second day in a Champ Car for Heylen, who raced to the Formula Renault Megane Championship in 2005 after a strong career in the F3 and F3000 ranks.
Heylen, first got a taste of Champ Car testing in December with the team at Sebring, and relished his second run in the Mi-Jack Conquest Lola.
“It is very encouraging to be quickest even though I have so little experience in the car,” said Heylen, who posted a best time of 51.73-seconds. “I really enjoyed working with the team during my first test in December, and was happy to get more time in the car today. I felt very comfortable with the car straight away, and the team did a very good job. The car had a great balance and feel, and I am looking forward to getting more experience in a Champ Car.”
Several Champ Car drivers participated in the test, including Forsythe’s Paul Tracy and Mario Dominguez, HVM tester Gareth Ridpath as well as newly announced Champ Car rookie Katherine Legge.
With the season-open race at Long Beach just over a month away, the team is looking forward to putting all the work from the off-season to use as preparations continue for the 2006 season.
“After giving Jan an evaluation run in December, we were impressed and wanted to give him another day in the car,” said Mi-Jack Conquest Racing co-owner Eric Bachelart. “I’m quite pleased that he was quickest in just his second day in the car and it shows we have strong technical program and that Jan clearly has a lot of potential in the car. This test is part of our preparations toward the season, and it’s of course encouraging to be quick with a driver that is so new to the car.”
Mi-Jack Conquest Racing will campaign a two-car team in the 2006 Champ Car World Series and has expanded to prepare a two-car entry in the Yokohama Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda. Graham Rahal will pilot the Gehl-sponsored Swift 016a with the team in 2006, with his Atlantic teammate soon to be announced.
About Mi-Jack Conquest Racing:
1991 Indy Lights Champion Eric Bachelart started Conquest Racing in 1997 to compete in the Indy Lights series, scoring a podium finish with driver Christophe Tinseau in the team’s first season. Conquest Racing competed in the next four seasons in Indy Lights, winning races with Felipe Giaffone and Kristian Kolby. Mike Lanigan, President of Mi-Jack Products, an intermodal Chicago-based company became a co-owner in 2002. Mi-Jack Conquest Racing contested the 2002 Indy Racing League season with rookie Laurent Redon, netting a podium finish in just the third race of the season and clinching the Rookie of the year award.
Mi-Jack Conquest Racing rejoined the Champ Car family in 2003, stepping up to the Champ Car World Series with Brazilian Mario Haberfeld and scoring eleven top-ten finishes despite competing with a Reynard. Mi-Jack Conquest Racing continued its tradition of working well with young drivers in 2004 as Justin Wilson took second in the Roshfrans Rookie of the Year battle, with Nelson Philippe scoring two top-ten finishes after joining the team in the closing stages of the season. The team is looking forward to contesting its fourth season in the Champ Car World Series powered by Ford, and is currently developing its plans for 2006.
No comments:
Post a Comment