TotalMotorSport All the latest Motorsport news, race reports and photographs from around the world. Alms, Touring Cars, Formula One & Le Mans 24 Hours

<body> <Table Width="550" border="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" cellpadding="0"><TR><TD Width="35"><IMG SRC="//www.totalmotorsport.com/images/spacer.gif" WIDTH="35" HEIGHT="1"></td><td> <CENTER><Table border="0" width="100%"> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="5">ELSEWHERE AROUND THE WORLD</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2">16/01/2001</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="4">Rockingham</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="3">First Car Out</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><img border="1" src="Storage/gham%20OutELS.jpg"></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="1">  </FONT></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2">Noon on 15 January saw the first car ever to lap the new Rockingham Circuit, near Corby, UK. The top layers of asphalt still remain to be laid on the track surface, but it was was deemed smooth enough for a first test run.<BR> <BR> The car was a 750 bhp Pontiac Grand Prix NASCAR machine, and was taking part in technical trials for the forthcoming arrival of the Richard Petty Driving Experience.<BR> <BR> After completing around 20 laps, with the fastest being timed at 41.06 seconds, an average speed of 131.51mph, the American racer returned to the pits and driver, Rick Fedrizzi, President and Chief Operating Officer of the Richard Petty Driving Experience, was delighted with the new track: “Its really good; smooth, fast and even. Its wide enough for some real wheel to wheel racing and technically very challenging. Its going to be big fun when it opens in May!”<BR> <BR> “This is a very special day, a very important step on Rockingham’s way from a dream to reality” said Rockingham spokesman Stephen Slater. “The track really came to life with the sight and sound of a car in action and the view from the grandstands was every bit as exciting as we had hoped. We’ve got a lot of work still to do, but we’re all now really fired up and looking forward to our next step, the opening event on 26th May.” <BR> </FONT></TD></TR> </TABLE><BR> </CENTER> <BR><CENTER><font size="1" color="#808080" face="Tahoma">Copyright ©2000-©2023 TotalMotorSport</font></CENTER> </td> </tr> </table> </body>