More testing for new Chevy.

Chevrolet continued its pre-season preparations for the 2003 Indy Racing League season on Monday at the one-mile Phoenix International Raceway as double IRL champion Sam Hornish Jr and Team Menard duo Jaques Lazier and Vitor Meira tested the new Chevy Indy V8 engine.

The 2003 Chevy Indy V8, which made its on-track debut at the end of October at the 1.5-mile Kentucky Speedway, will compete in its first race in less than 90 days on March 2nd 2003 in the IRL's season-opener at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"We put some more miles on the engine," Hornish said. "They are trying to learn as much as they can and change what needs to be changed."

Hornish has won the last two IRL championships, each time with a General Motors engine, Oldsmobile in 2001 and Chevrolet in 2002. The off season testing with the new Chevy engine has given him confidence he can make a run for three consecutive championships.

"We've run I don't know how many miles on it without any problems," Hornish said. "We ran at Kentucky and Texas and now here without any problems. We're optimistic for next year and for Miami."

Testing continued on Tuesday at Phoenix and will then move to the two-mile California Speedway in Fontana on Thursday.

The season-opening race at Miami will mark the third consecutive year the IRL has raced at Miami. The series then returns for the eighth consecutive year to Phoenix on March 23rd 2003.

No times were available from the test.