Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: WoO star Lasoski set to battle owner

Friday, Feb. 8, 2002 | 10:44 a.m.

Brian Hilderbrand covers motor sports for the Las Vegas Sun. His motor sports notebook appears Friday. He can be reached at bh@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4089.

Danny Lasoski might be a rookie in the International Race of Champions, but the 2001 Pennzoil World of Outlaws champion isn't worried about finding a drafting partner when the all-star IROC series opens its four-race 2002 season next Friday at Daytona International Raceway.

Among the other 11 drivers in the field for the 100-mile race at Daytona will be Lasoski's WoO car owner -- NASCAR Winston Cup regular Tony Stewart.

"My boss, he has given me a hard time," Lasoski said of Stewart. "He has coached me a lot. I think if he and I stick together, I might have a friend out there."

Lasoski this week had his first opportunity to wheel one of the identically prepared Pontiac Trans Ams around the steeply banked 2.5-mile oval -- a far cry from the flat dirt tracks on which he races his winged sprint car.

"I'm so excited I'm floating on air being here," Lasoski said. "I guess the word phenomenal would be the first word I would tell you. I've never (raced) on pavement before as far as a speed like this.

"(IROC test driver) Andy Hillenburg has been coaching me for the last few days. I went to his school last Saturday and Sunday and he showed me some things. Everything he told me is exactly what's going on out there. I ran about 10 laps by myself and then Helio Castroneves, Scott Sharp and Sam Hornish and I got in a draft."

Lasoski said he is eagerly awaiting further test sessions leading up to next Friday's race.

"I would be in that thing 10 hours a day if they let me," Lasoski said of his Trans Am. "I want to learn everything in a short period of time; what to do and what not to do. The draft is so important. I know there's a time to pull out. Being a sprint car driver, you don't wait on anything, you just go. Maybe I have to be more patient here."

Stewart will do analysis for TNT prior to Sunday's Budweiser Shootout, during one of Thursday's Twin 125s and on Saturday's broadcast of the Busch Series race.

Scheckter, who is auditioning for a ride in one of Eddie Cheever's cars, topped the field of 24 drivers with a fastest average speed of 221.952 mph. Jaques Lazier posted the second-fastest lap of the day at 221.852 and Cheever was third fastest at 221.785.

"Having a rookie run with for you, at speeds like this and with traffic, makes for some anxious moments for a car owner," Cheever said. "We ran Tomas in Las Vegas and he was impeccable. We ran him here in traffic and he beat me on speed.

"He didn't get in trouble all day long and he's making my decision on which driver we are going to pick for the second seat a lot easier. We are going to run him again in Phoenix (today and Saturday) and after that we're going to sit down and make our final decision."

"It was a good test," Lazzaro said. "We had some typical new-car blues in the morning, but we got them worked out and posted a good speed (Wednesday) afternoon.

"This is an updated car in 2002 spec (and) we are having little problems. When we come out to Miami (for the March 3 season opener), we will be ready to race."

"I said last year when I came back to the Speedway that I felt like I had some unfinished business at this place," Andretti said. "After coming so close last year, that feeling hasn't changed, so I'm glad to be getting another opportunity."

Andretti started 21st and finished third in last year's Indy 500.

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