First impressions given of Fundidora Park.

The first demonstration laps were turned last Tuesday on the new road circuit at Fundidora Park in Monterrey, Mexico, site of the March 11 Monterrey Grand Prix, season-opener of the 2001 FedEx Championship Series.

Champ Car drivers Jimmy Vasser and Michel Jourdain Jr. joined a group of media, sponsors and VIPs in taking several pace laps around the 2.1-mile, 12-turn road course, then participated in a press conference afterward to offer their impressions of the new circuit.

"The drivers are going to have a lot of fun here," said Vasser (Patrick Racing Toyota Reynard), the 1996 FedEx Championship Series champion, who begins his career with Patrick Racing this season after spending six successful years at Target Chip Ganassi Racing. "They have done a fantastic job with the circuit. It is very smooth and very wide.

"The circuit is very interesting in its design and it is going to be very technical and very challenging. It has a lot of non-traditional corners, a wide variety of turns, and there are some potentially good passing zones. It is going to be very interesting to see the different lines and styles that the drivers will use to attack this course."

Jourdain (Herdez Ford Lola) concurred with Vasser's assessment.

"The circuit is sensational," said Jourdain, a native Mexican. "It is a very technical track. There are a lot of direction changes with both fast corners and slow corners. This will be a very challenging place for the teams [with regard to] setting up the cars."

Monterrey Grand Prix promoter U.E. "Pat" Patrick also participated in last Tuesday's program, as did Dayton Indy Lights championship drivers Mario Dominguez and Rudy Junco.