Storming Drive Nets Cunningham Sixth at Edmonton

After overheating problems stymied the 24-year-old former World Karting Champion and 2005 Indy Lights series winner's charge in qualifying (where he could only manage to set the 12th quickest time) the 50 lap race on Saturday afternoon (Canadian time) was a different story.

"It was actually quite a fun race," the Lucas Oils-backed Sam Schmidt Motorsports driver told reporters afterwards." To say the weekend didn't start particularly well would be an understatement. But the race turned out all right. It was hot, something like 32 degrees C out there, but when you start so far back you've got nothing to lose so I just put my head down and came up with a result which as well as getting the Lucas Oils car into the top six keeps us in the hunt as far as the championship is concerned."

Though he was one of the only front-running drivers who hadn't competed at the temporary airport circuit in downtown Edmonton before, Cunningham made up three places on the first lap then made up the rest later on.

"By mid way through the race everyone's tyres were baked so it was just a matter of maintaining the pressure until someone made a mistake...which they did."

The result was sixth place at the line and enough points to both retain fourth place in the series points standings and close to within two points of third placed Mario Romacini who finished eighth.

The race was won by poleman J.R. Hildebrand from Frenchman Richard Philippe and series second placeman Sebastian Saavedra.

Making up six places in just 50 laps with no yellow flag caution periods and therefore re-starts is quite an achievement, particularly on such a different and difficult circuit, albeit one Cunningham says he now rates as one of his favourites.

"It's certainly a change to the ovals and road courses we usually run on. It's also the only track we've run maximum downforce on this year and that, obviously, adds a whole new dimension to setting the car up and getting the most out of it. Watkins Glen, where we've just been, is the fastest road course we run at and there the car is geared for a maximum speed of 173 miles an hour (276km/h). Here (Edmonton) it's only geared for 150 (240km/h) but there are several corners which you take pretty much flat and through the first 10, the first sector of the track if you like, you don't touch the brake!So it's definitely one of those palces where fortune favours the brave!"

This is the high season as far as the Firestone Indy Lights championship series is concerned with the next four rounds in August starting at Kentucky next weekend.

Source: www.nzracer.com