2002 Road America Thoughts
RACE: Normally, we don't like a race that is all fuel and pit strategy. But this time, with the maximum
14 laps between pit stops working out to four leftover laps, it created a very interesting and intriguing
strategic race between all the teams.
TRACK: Dario Franchitti said it best, "This is the way a race track should be. As far as the guys in
Formula 1, I think they're missing something by not racing here. We're lucky we get to come here and race."
DA MATTA: The tease for the rest of the field is over. Cristiano is back.
TAGLIANI: Once again, nearly grabbed his first win at Road America, known for its reputation of
producing first time winners.
JUNQUEIRA: He wouldn't have gotten first, but the pit mistake did cost him second. His luck ran out
after a sensational qualifying effort despite a crash.
KANAAN: Speaking of luck, Tony had the exact reverse of fortunes. Funny, how it always seems that a
weekend isn't so bad after all when you run a great race, despite an absolutely horrible Friday and
Saturday.
TRACY: Nobody provides more excitement on the first lap than Paul, for better or worse.
TEAM GREEN: We never did find out if their strategy for Paul Tracy was a work of genius.
Or a work of idiocy.
VASSER: Hey, a top five. Considering Jimmy's season, you can't complain.
CARPENTIER: Well, at least we didn't see a repeat of Mid-Ohio's "victory" lap.
DOMINGUEZ: Hey, just four points back of Townsend Bell now.
JOURDAIN: In the points. Again.
ANDRETTI: Once again, thanks to the small fields and a track notoriously hard on equipment, falling two
laps down right off the start doesn't mean you can't finish in the points.
POINTS: Speaking of points, that web site advocating changing the point system is about as dumb of an
idea we've ever heard in all the wild ideas to improve CART. CART has by far -- bar none -- the best point system
in all of racing. Anywhere in the world. It is sheer lunacy to even consider changing it. To top it off, the
points system that web site advocates is even more boneheaded than the idea of changing the system.
BRACK: For all the criticism hurled at Paul Tracy, Tora Takagi, and Townsend Bell for being car wreckers,
maybe a recount is in order. Kenny just may be the king of ruining other people's races over the past two years.
DIXON: Hey, Scott, your car is on fire. No, really, it is. We suggest you get out. Seriously. Now.
Out.
FRANCHITTI: It's a wonder Dario isn't more hopping mad over the constant Honda failures.
FERNANDEZ: A gutsy, gutsy driver.
QUALIFYING: So, CART is going to change qualifying to allow for 15 minutes of open practice time, have a
break, and then leave the last 35 minutes for qualifying. Wait a second, we heard this before. As a matter of
fact, Deep Throttle's Ed Donath wrote this very suggestion just last week.
Almost word for word! Mere coincidence? Or evidence that the folks at CART's headquarters read Deep Throttle?
STAT OF THE WEEKEND: 12. As in the number of consecutive point scoring finishes Michel Jourdain, Jr. has
had, breaking Team Rahal's record, previously held by his boss. He'll need to double that to break the CART record
held by Al Unser, Sr, at 23.
HISTORICAL STAT OF THE WEEKEND: Hector Rebaque led just one lap in his entire CART career. It was good
enough for his only victory, and the first foreign driver win in CART, at Road America in 1982 when Al Unser, Sr.
ran out of fuel on the last lap.
QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND: Paul Tracy to Kenny Brack, "What was up with that?"
QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND RUNNERUP: Tony Kanaan on what Michael Andretti said to him, "Michael said it was
OK ... he'd get ME next time!"
SCHEDULE: If you thought Toronto and Vancouver are successful events, wait till you see Montreal.
Copyright © 2002 by Deep Throttle. All Rights Reserved.
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