Carpentier all set for Texas after karting

Carpentier broke his wrist when his Player's/Forsythe Reynard-Ford collided with Max Papis during the Long Beach Grand Prix two weeks ago.

"I'm very happy," Carpentier reported. "I did three sessions in a two-stroke kart, thirty laps in all without any pain or swelling. I had to stop when the kart ran out of fuel.

"The doctors in Montreal said the work Dr. (Terry) Trammell did was the work of an artist. I've been doing a lot of cardiovascular work in the last two weeks, and spending time in a hyperbolic chamber. That's really speeded up the healing process. I was as impressed as the doctors were. I started really training a week ago, mostly with a lot of stretching exercises. The only thing I can't do is bench presses."

Despite not scoring any points in the first two races, Patrick likes the direction his Player's/Forsythe team is taking under the technical direction of Bruce Ashmore.

"We had a mechanical problem we didn't expect that took us out in Mexico, but for the most part, we've been in the top five in every session," he said. "It's the same old story - we're just looking for a little luck. It's the same with Alex (Tagliani, Carpentier's team mate).

"Bruce said at Long Beach that it's like being the captain of a huge boat. You start turning the wheel, but it takes a while before you notice that the whole boat starts to turn. The best thing is that the guys have been working really well and we're ready for a result."