Monday, July 19, 1999
Points to Paradise
Star-Bulletin staff
lead dwindling
for MontoyaDario Franchitti vaulted from fourth to second in the CART FedEx Series championship standings and moved within seven points of series leader Juan Montoya after 11 of 20 races.
Montoya failed to finish for the second straight race.
Montoya still leads the "Points to Paradise" chase for starting spots in the Hawaiian Super Prix.
The top 12 drivers in the standings will receive automatic slots in the Nov. 13 race at Kalaeloa Airport. The top 15:
1. Juan Montoya 113
2. Dario Franchitti 106
3. Christian Fittipaldi 96
4. Michael Andretti 95
5. Gil de Ferran 88
6. Adrian Fernandez 87
7. Greg Moore 81
8. Paul Tracy 76
9. Max Papis 61
10. Jimmy Vasser 39
11. Roberto Moreno 38
12. Tony Kanaan 34
13. PJ Jones 31
14. Bryan Herta 31
15. Patrick Carpentie r30
Franchitti learns
to love life in TorontoHe finally tames turn one on his
Associated Press
way to a win at the Molson Indy raceTORONTO -- Dario Franchitti has a love-hate relationship with turn one on the temporary street circuit in downtown Toronto.
Yesterday there was nothing but love flowing after the Scotsman avoided any serious problems and drove away with a victory in the Molson Indy.
"It's about time I finished a race here," Franchitti said. "I kind of made it difficult on myself."
As a rookie two years ago, he started from the pole and crashed with Bobby Rahal on the first turn of the race.
Last year, Franchitti again started from the pole and led 76 of the 95 laps before his brakes gave out. He crashed -- again in turn one of the 1.755-mile, 11-turn course -- finishing 20th.
"When I came back here this year, I drove around the course on my scooter and when I was in turn one, I thought, 'I love it, but it seems to hate me.' "
This time, Franchitti was unstoppable.
He passed pole-winner Gil de Ferran for the lead three turns into the race and stayed out front to the finish.
"Gil braked a little early and I saw a chance to pass him," Franchitti said. "I went for it and then just drove away."
Asked if he was thinking during the race about his previous bad luck in Toronto, Franchitti said, "I did think about it on the start when I got hit from behind (by Christian Fittipaldi). After that, I wasn't thinking about it at all. When we're out there, it's all business. I put it out of my head as soon as possible."
As for turn one, a tight right-hander, Franchitti joked, "On the cooldown lap, I thought I might just spin there in sympathy, but I just slowed down."
Paul Tracy made it a sweep for Team Kool Green by holding off Fittipaldi to finish second, 2.624 seconds behind his teammate.
"It was Dario's race and it was a great day for our team," Tracy, a Toronto native said. "It's like a win for us, getting second-place points."
Tracy battled most of the day with Fittipaldi, the winner the previous week at Road America, but finally got by him in the pits when the leaders made their final stops during a caution period on lap 61.
"It was a fight the whole day," Tracy said. "Christian and I were together for what seemed like 100 laps. We just fought and fought and fought."
Juan Montoya failed to finish for the second straight race.
At Road America, Montoya was dominant before a broken gearbox ended his run. This time, he fell behind when he was penalized for running over Tony Kanaan's air hose, then crashed with Michel Jourdain Jr. as the two battled for ninth place on lap 60.
At Toronto CART Molson Indy
With starting position in parentheses, driver, type of car, laps completed and reason out, if any:
1. (2) Dario Franchitti, Honda Reynard, 95.
2. (6) Paul Tracy, Honda Reynard, 95.
3. (5) Christian Fittipaldi, Ford Swift, 95.
4. (17) Roberto Moreno, Mercedes Reynard, 95.
5. (18) Max Papis, Ford Reynard, 95.
6. (23) Adrian Fernandez, Ford Reynard, 95.
7. (11) Scott Pruett, Toyota Reynard, 95.
8. (4) Jimmy Vasser, Honda Reynard, 95.
9. (25) Al Unser Jr., Mercedes Lola, 95.
10. (20) PJ Jones, Ford Swift, 95.
11. (12) Patrick Carpentier, Mercedes Reynard, 95.
12. (15) Memo Gidley, Honda Reynard, 95.
13. (22) Robby Gordon, Toyota Swift, 95.
14. (16) Mauricio Gugelmin, Mercedes Reynard, 95.
15. (9) Bryan Herta, Ford Reynard, 93.
16. (21) Richie Hearn, Toyota Reynard, 93.
17. (7) Tony Kanaan, Honda Reynard, 92, contact.
18. (27) Dennis Vitolo, Ford Reynard, 82, transmission.
19. (1) Gil de Ferran, Honda Reynard, 71, contact.
20. (10) Greg Moore, Mercedes Reynard, 66, cooling system.
21. (19) Michel Jourdain Jr., Ford Lola, 59, contact.
22. (8) Juan Montoya, Honda Reynard, 59, contact.
23. (26) Shigeaki Hattori, Mercedes Reynard, 56, contact.
24. (13) Cristiano da Matta, Toyota Reynard, 29, contact.
25. (24) Gualter Salles, Toyota Eagle, 25, transmission.
26. (3) Michael Andretti, Ford Swift, 11, contact.
27. (14) Helio Castro-Neves, Mercedes Lola, 10, transmission.Time of race: 1:56:27.550.
Margin of victory: 2.624 sec.
Winner's average speed: 85.897 mph.
Lead changes: none.
Lap leaders: Franchitti, 1-95.
Series points leaders: Montoya, 113, Franchitti 106, Fittipaldi 96, Andretti 95, de Ferran 88, Fernandez 87, Mooore 81, Tracy 76, Papis 61, Vasser 39.
Hawaiian Super Prix
