Papis back in for Fernandez
With Adrian Fernandez being forced to sit out a race for the second time this season, Fernandez Racing has duplicated its August selection of Max Papis - who replaced Fernandez at Mid-Ohio, following the Mexican's crash at Vancouver - to again drive the Quaker State/Telmex Lola at California Speedway. It's the second superspeedway subbing role in as many months for Papis, who filled in for the injured Gil de Ferran on the Marlboro Team Penske IRL team at that series' final race at Texas Motor Speedway
"It's unfortunate that I will not be able to race in Fontana, but I know that Max will do a good job for us this weekend," said Fernandez, who suffered two thoracic fractures in the multi-car incident at the start of the Honda Indy 300 in Surfers Paradise last weekend. "I have had a lot of success at this track and so has Max. I have a lot of respect for his ability behind the wheel."
Papis has twice finished second at the California Speedway, so is hoping to go one better with this opportunity. "I am pleased that the team again called me to drive. I have never won the Fontana race but I finished second last year [by 0.123sec!], and I finished second to Adrian in 1999. I am going to try to do what I didn't do last year and that is to win the race. I like the track and I am really looking forward to working with my former engineer David Watson."
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