Indy Pro Series: Corning Twin 100s

Topics:  Corning Twin 100s

Wade Cunningham
Daniel Herrington
July 8, 2007

WATKINS GLEN, NEW YORK

MODERATOR: And we are joined by our runner-up finisher, Wade Cunningham; third place finisher, Daniel Herrington. We'll start out with our third place finisher, Daniel Herrington, best finish in the Indy Pro Series, best previous finish having been sixth on Saturday.
If you consider that rate of improvement, you may feel the lap before the green next time around. Started on the pole and fought hard. Give us a quick synopsis of your race.
DANIEL HERRINGTON: Starting on the pole, I had a lot of pressure with the guys -- I tried to get a good jump on the first right there, tried to close the gap a bit. I knew Wade and Alex were behind me. They were pretty quick. I was hoping we could get away from the rest of the field. And sure enough that's what happened. I tried to hold wade and Alex on the straightaway. But I was real happy to come home with a third place behind former champion and probably future champion.
MODERATOR: Official biography says you're from Baltimore. Is that the city or the area?
DANIEL HERRINGTON: I was born there, actually, in North Carolina based now. Raleigh from Winston, Salem.
MODERATOR: What university?
DANIEL HERRINGTON: North Carolina State.
MODERATOR: Which means the hat color is highly appropriate. Runner-up Wade Cunningham. Not as good as yesterday. But I'm sure under the circumstances starting sixth you'll deal with it.
WADE CUNNINGHAM: It was a really tough race. All three of us got away from the field. Alex got up one lap earlier than I did. He got the cushion I was talking about yesterday. Out in the front, so easy to control the race. You could see when the guys make mistakes. Need to control the race. (Indiscernible) that was the difference I had. And then when he needed to, he pushed it a bit harder and hit that gap and extended it for the lap.
MODERATOR: If the race had gone without a restart period, do you think you would have lapped the cars, would that have made any difference?
WADE CUNNINGHAM: Trying for a restart, we probably would have been on the field. Made passing pretty easy, to be honest. But looking at Alex (indiscernible) and overall we might have been quicker a few laps. I was never close enough to capitalize on that (indiscernible). So I think we had overall a good (indiscernible) probably the right thing.
MODERATOR: Would I be correct that set-up was dictated by where you were starting?
WADE CUNNINGHAM: Where we ran yesterday. The wind shifted. We got the head wind space, a bit from out (indiscernible) and was sitting at the top. Probably staring down (indiscernible) so it made the passing easy but it was a handful.
MODERATOR: Daniel, how about your set-up today as compared to yesterday?
DANIEL HERRINGTON: We were actually a lot slower yesterday on the straightaway than today. We changed the gears around a bit. It wasn't quite enough to hold off these guys. I was hoping to, starting up front, like Wade said about Alex, control the pace a bit. Maybe you had that extra bit of wing, you go through the whole way, you might be able to gap the race. But they're pretty quick today on the restart on the straightaway (indiscernible).

Q. Daniel, I have to say I'm impressed with what you've done in your first Indy Pro Series race. What have you been doing? I've never heard of you.
DANIEL HERRINGTON: I did half the season of Formula Mazda last year, ran quite well. Leading the championship in the first half. Got a few podium wins, but weren't able to complete the whole series.
So just kind of hung back throughout the year and did nothing and tried to find sponsors. We finally found a bit for this year. Looking at the Indy Pro Series, got a lot of encouragement from other drivers who were doing it and gave it a go. Turned out pretty well.

Q. For both drivers, the track improvements, were they variable at all? Did you notice any differences in terms of where the track improvements have been made and looking forward to the race this afternoon?
WADE CUNNINGHAM: If you're referring to the new pavement and stuff, made the track a lot more difficult, a few concrete patches. (Off microphone) and quite a lot. Responsible if they do change (Off microphone).
DANIEL HERRINGTON: I haven't been here for about three years. I did notice some of the changes. And one thing I noticed is that as more rubber goes down, there's a bigger change between the concrete patches than the asphalt. A lot of the corners start off as asphalt and changed to concrete, particular (indiscernible). But certainly like Wade said, after the bus stop there, in those areas very nice and a lot easier to drive.
MODERATOR: Thank you. And good luck with the remainder of the Indy Pro Series.