Toyota Atlantic: Monterrey quoteboard.

The opening round of the 2002 Toyota Atlantic Championship has thrown together an intriguing blend of series veterans, those returning to the category following the demise of Indy Lights , and those graduating from junior formulae.

Joey Hand (#27 DSTP Motorsports):

"I'm looking forward to the first race of the year. We finished the season so well last year, and we hope to keep the roll going for this season. It would be great to win the inaugural race in Monterrey. Preseason testing went very well, and we have high expectations for the upcoming season. The Toyota Atlantic series is going to have some of the best, and most exciting racing in the world this year. There are a lot of drivers who will have a chance to win each race, but we feel we will take our fair share of race wins. Race wins are critical in winning championships, and so are podium finishes--and we plan on having a lot of both. The DSTP crew has worked very hard over winter to get two, quality, brand-new, racecars on the track and going fast. I would like to give them a win Mexico for all of their hard work."

Bob Dorricott (Team owner - Dorricott Racing):

"We have been working very hard over the winter testing a .008a to learn the Atlantic car. The first few races will be a challenge for us, but we are prepared. The new Atlantic car is a very well built car. There have been a few bugs that needed to be worked out, but I think we are now ready to compete on an even keel."

Jon Fogarty (#32 Dorricott Racing):

"I am more than ready to begin the 2002 season, especially after coming of a less-than-memorable 2001. While a new car is sure to be a challenge, with much to learn, I have confidence in my abilities as well as my engineer Burke Harrison. In addition we have resources in our two other engineers, a few crew members and Alex Gurney who all bring experience from previous years in Toyota Atlantic. This knowledge and the team oriented atmosphere at Dorricott should help us make a quick start to the 2002 season. For sure it will be a challenge, but both myself and the team are not only up for it, we welcome it."

"Monterrey is an excellent place to kick off the season, and I don't say that just because I have been there before. The atmosphere is charged and the whole place is into racing. That sort of energy is contagious. It makes one look forward to a whole season. The track is great. I suspect that there will be a bit more grip than last year, but we can't be certain until we arrive. I expect a good Dorricott fan base with Luis [Diaz] on board, which will make it all the better."

Luis Diaz (#33 Dorricott Racing):

"This may be the most important race of my life to date. Thanks to Dorricott Racing, I will have a very competitive car. My sponsors are also sponsoring the Monterrey Grand Prix, so I know they are hoping that some very good things will come from me and the team in our first race together."

"I think the Atlantic car has great balance, and is much easier to drive than the Indy Lights cars due to it being lighter in weight and having downforce. The sequential shifting is great because it makes it easy to shift. I expect to find some 'tricks' to this car, because all the cars have their own character when it comes to learning how best to race them."

Jonathan Macri (#31 P-1 Racing):

" I'm extremely excited to be going to Mexico for the first race. Preseason testing has gone well as the team and I feel like we are prepared for the beginning of the season."

Ryan Hunter-Reay (#1 Hylton Motorsports):

"It is very exciting to be racing in Mexico, it will be my first Atlantic race and the first time the series has been here. It is a great addition to the schedule. With the first race of the season being at a track new to the series, we will definitely be playing on a level field, as it is new to everyone. The Fundidora circuit is a very low grip circuit, and that is something I am really looking forward to. I love to race in the rain, and with the low grip, it should be a similar condition, which I definitely look forward to. The lack of grip will definitely throw another factor into the overall equation. The Hylton team has been working hard to make sure we are prepared, and I feel I am the strongest I have ever been physically and mentally, so it's very good feeling to get the season started."

Michael Valiante (#19 Lynx Racing):

"We're looking forward to Monterrey as the first race of what is going to be an incredibly competitive Atlantic season. The field includes every hot young driver in open wheel racing, and it's going to take a really good team to win the championship. Based on the off-season testing we've done, and how well everyone is working together, I think Lynx is going to be the team to beat. A win in Mexico would be a great way to start the season, and that's what we're going for."

Grant Ryley (#23 Lynx Racing):

"Of course, I am looking forward to Monterey but I think, more so, I am looking forward to this fresh start with Lynx Racing. To be with Lynx is a dream come true for me and to have a team-mate like Mike [Michael Valiante], I think, has been good for both of us. We have slightly different styles and we will be able to teach each other a great deal this season and that will make Lynx a much stronger team."

"As for the championship as a whole I feel that, with the knowledge of Steve and Rick Cameron, my new engineer Tim Lewis and the professionalism of the entire crew, we have to be considered one of the favourites. We have had some very educational test days and have thrown a ton of stuff at the car and found what we think works very well. I'm confident that you'll see the Lynx cars at the front of the grid all season long."

"Its been a long layoff and I get the chills when I think to next Saturday when I will hear 'green, green, green' on the radio. Lets rock and roll."

Sepp Koster (#5 Michael Shank Racing)@

"I'm looking forward to what promises to be one of the most competitive Atlantic seasons ever. It will be a challenge and a true test to show what I can do in a racecar. It's an opportunity that I've been working toward for a long time, and I'm ready and anxious to get going. With the team that I have behind me, I'm aiming to be in the mix for the podium from race one."

Rodolfo Lavin (#11 Michael Shank Racing):

"We're looking forward to having a very good result at Monterrey this weekend. Our testing days have been very successful, so we're hoping to put on a good show for all the Mexican fans, as well as my family and friends that will be there. The biggest challenge facing us will probably be the track, which looks as it will be very slippery, just as it was last year. But it should be a great weekend and I can't wait to get started."

Ryan Dalziel (#28 Michael Shank Racing):

"I pretty excited to be doing the season from the start. Being at Monterrey is really a bit of a bonus for me, so it will be important that I take advantage of it and get some points, and I'm pretty sure I can do that. I haven't seen the track in person yet, so I'm not quite sure what to expect. I've heard it's kind of like a street circuit, which is totally new to me, so I will just have to get used to it as quick as I can. Since this will be my first Atlantic race, my goal is just to be the quickest among the drivers in the older cars, which hopefully will be good enough to put me in the top six or seven overall."

Michael Shank (Team owner - Michael Shank Racing):

"We're just real anxious to get the season going. Our off-season testing programme went better than it ever has before, so we're real pleased with that. All three of our drivers are excellent talents with a lot of potential, which is what you want to have in a development series like the CART Toyota Atlantic Championship. And the new car has been really good for us, so it will be interesting to see how it does under race conditions."