Infiniti engine getting up to speed

By MIKE HARRIS

AP Motorsports Writer

Virtually none of the 80,000 people at the Lone Star 500 got a bigger thrill out of the race than Frank Honsowetz.

When Roberto Guerrero finished fourth in the Indy Racing League event at Texas Motor Speedway, Honsowetz knew his engine program had reached the fast lane.

"All we did was prove what we already knew was true, that we've made considerable progress," said Honsowetz, manager of motorsports for Nissan USA. "Now we've got to do it again and again."

Nissan has been building and developing the Infiniti racing engine for nearly two years. Prior to Sept. 20 in Fort Worth, its only top-10 this year - and just its third ever - was Jack Miller's ninth-place finish two months earlier at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

"The performance at Texas was a real testament to the hard work and determination of the entire Infiniti Indy project team," Honsowetz said. "I think that everyone enjoyed seeing Roberto's car run at the front."

That was a precedent. Guerrero led twice for 22 laps - the first time ever for the Infiniti engine.

Miller finished a respectable 12th.

"A lot of people suspected we had the potential," Honsowetz said. "Happily, we were able to demonstrate it.

"Everything is on the upswing, and we just need to keep it going in the right direction."

Oldsmobile, which entered the IRL about the same time as Nissan, made a greater financial commitment. As a result, its Aurora powerplant has dominated since the circuit mandated non-turbocharged engines in January of 1997.

None of the top IRL teams took a chance on the Infiniti. In fact, of the 28 starters in Fort Worth, only Guerrero and Miller were under Nissan power.

But Honsowetz says his people never lost faith.

"Since Indianapolis last year, we've had a strategy of bringing a better engine to every race," he said. "Now people have had the chance to see the results.

"The best part is that we aren't even close to being done."

Guerrero and Miller ran at Texas with the Phase 2.5 engine, a powerplant introduced five months ago for the Indianapolis 500.

Miller was the only Infiniti driver to make the Indy field, qualifying a surprising 15th on the 33-car grid. A balky transmission relegated him to 21st in the race, but his speed proved the Infiniti had potential.

That has not gone unnoticed.

"We've been getting positive response from teams since Indianapolis," Honsowetz said. "But, whatever it takes, we're going to keep growing and expanding our program."

Now, after the success in Texas, Nissan will have one more race - in Las Vegas on Oct. 11 - to make its case for teams to switch next year to Infiniti.

"We have had a lot of meaningful conversations," Honsowetz said. "We know we have to have more horsepower than the other guys, more reliability, and maybe we have to offer them some financial incentives to switch."

Guerrero didn't need any. Having a season even worse than that of Nissan, he had no options.

The 39-year-old Colombian started the year with Aurora-powered Pagan Racing. He finished no better than 22nd in four races, and was out of a ride.

Guerrero sat out three races before hooking up with car owner Price Cobb. After finishes of 21st and 19th in an Infiniti-powered G-Force car, their breakthrough came in Texas.

"That was the most fun I've had driving a race car in years," Guerrero said. "The engine has just improved so much since the last time I ran one at Texas last year."

That was before Pagan went to Aurora. Now, Guerrero isn't sure that was such a wise decision.

"I don't think the Aurora has an advantage anymore, and the fact that we raced at the front proves it," he said.

Honsowetz likes to hear that, but realizes success is not built on the outcome of one race. In part, it's a numbers game.

"We need to have engines in more cars," he said.

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