2002 Denver Thoughts
RACE: This had to have been the worse prepared surface in the history of race tracks. Pikes Peak is
smoother than this!
TRACK: Well, well, well. It was not a crash marred, attrition filled, yellow flag disaster after all.
There was only one full course yellow and only four cars were a DNF. However, the track design that showed so
much promise for lots of passing had conditions that were too poor to allow it.
JUNQUEIRA: A dominating performance. This is the Bruno everyone talked about when he came out of
F3000. And now, Chip doesn't want him...
DIXON: Oh, wouldn't it have been a lot of fun had Scott not been on Junqueira's team. But, Scott did
the right thing for his long term career growth.
DA MATTA: Cristiano never needed a dominating season. His competition keeps insisting on taking
themselves out of contention.
FERNANDEZ: A fantastic weekend for Team Fernandez, Shinji Nakano's gearbox problems not withstanding.
FITTIPALDI: His antics on Friday -- weaving back and forth at 2 mph to block Nakano on a live
track -- just adds to his label as the most unsportsmanlike driver on the circuit. From his attempt at trying to
punch out Greg Moore -- where he only lunged at air since Moore simply walked away -- to his insistence on
walking across a live track at Cleveland when race control told him he could not to his constant blaming of other
drivers for crashes that are his fault, Christian is simply nothing more than a spoiled rich brat who thinks he
is above it all. That's okay. We can't wait till he tries this for the first time in NASCAR, and Bubba
rearranges pretty boy's face.
KANAAN: Shhh, don't tell anyone this, but Tony is really getting on a roll. Don't let the word out.
It may jinx him.
BRACK: Well, he didn't do anything stupid, and nothing stupid was done to him.
TRACY: Paul genuinely seemed to feel bad about knocking a fellow competitor out. What's the w```orld
coming to?
JOURDAIN: In the points. Again.
ANDRETTI: Michael, check the Lost and Found. You may find your speed there.
DOMINGUEZ: He still hasn't taken over the rookie points lead!
NAKANO: You have to feel sorry for Shinji.
START: Not exactly a properly lined up start, but probably a smart one considering the circumstances of
this track and the first turn.
LOBOTOMY OF THE WEEKEND: Nothing really stands out from this past weekend. There is the guy who was
in charge of the race surface. There's Fittipaldi. Oh, what the heck. Let's give it to Paul Tracy for his first
lap brain fade. You didn't think Paul would go two races without winning this new award, did you?
STAT OF THE WEEKEND: For a race that only had one full course yellow on a track that is, relatively
speaking, fairly short, it is surprising eleven cars were on the lead lap at the end.
HISTORICAL STAT OF THE WEEKEND: The first two years CART came to Denver, Al Unser, Jr. won them both
at an average speed that was, believe it or not, even slower than this year -- 71.243 mph in 1990 and 69.576 mph
in 1991.
QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND: No question, it goes to Dario Franchitti concerning his teammate who knocked him
out of the race, "As usual, Paul gets behind the wheel, and he just goes crazy."
QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND RUNNERUP: To Patrick Carpentier who topped all other quotes concerning the
condition of the track, "Driving here might be a violation of the clause in my contract that says I can't
ride motocross."
SCHEDULE: A break, finally, and then off to Europe for two ... ahh ... one race. Last year, the
European events were the best of the year for on track oval action. Let's hope Rockingham can do it again.
Copyright © 2002 by Deep Throttle. All Rights Reserved.
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