2002 Vancouver Thoughts
RACE: This was like a CART street race of old -- high attrition, big crashes, and guys getting points
just be staying in the race, no matter how many laps down. And this year, with such a small field, Cristiano da
Matta is able to score points despite dropping out two thirds of the way through!
TRACK: 44,000 plus on Friday, 50,000 plus on Saturday, and 66,000 plus on Sunday. Over 161,000 for the
weekend. Oh, Canada does it again.
FRANCHITTI: After some lousy races early on, Dario has been slowly climbing up the timing charts and
results board, and this time it all came together. With all the talk centered on da Matta and Paul Tracy, Dario
has been lurking in the shadows waiting to pounce.
TRACY: Another fine home nation run for Paul. And, perhaps a notch in his negotiating belt.
GREEN: What a fine performance just as Barry announces the hand over of his team to Michael Andretti.
Interesting, it is the two "original," and questionable for next year, drivers that pull the one-two.
ANDRETTI: Speaking of Michael, which would he rather have to contend with? Takagi? Ray? Takagi?
Ray? Wouldn't it be a kicker if comparing the series crashers determined where his newly owned team
races next year?
KANAAN: Good things happen to those who wait. In this case, to those who are willing to keep trying.
Great run Tony, and a great pass to grab third.
JOURDAIN: Nice to see Michel not give up third place without an aggressive fight.
CARPENTIER: Persevered after a lousy qualifying run.
DA MATTA: We trust you did not count Cristiano out after his miserable Friday. Right? Quite a
comeback on Saturday, but on Sunday, racing luck was starting to even out.
NEWMAN-HAAS: Synchronized swimmers could not have choreographed such a perfect duet of simultaneous
drive shaft failures.
DIXON: Great piece of survival driving to spare him a fate like his teammate's in practice.
TARGET: One would think a Team Target driver right now has no desire to get back into one of their
red cars until the front suspension has been redesigned. Then remachined. Then refitted.
SERVIA: A decent weekend in his return to competition. However, next time he is going to have to start
showing his stuff to make the move worth it for Patrick Racing.
TAKAGI: Now that Townsend Bell is gone, we can all go back to remembering who the real champion of
bonehead moves is. Glad Tora didn't let us down...
CARPENTIER: Lucky.
JUNQUEIRA: Not so lucky.
TAGLIANI: Unlucky.
FERNANDEZ: Very unlucky.
VASSER: Okay, here is the deal. Jimmy, get rid of anything in your house remotely associated with the
number 13, all elephants with the trunk down, ladders where one can walk under, and mirrors in case they break.
Then, buy yourself 100 rabbit feet, throw salt over your shoulder every time you sit down to eat, and cross your
fingers whenever you take a walk. That should give you a fighting chance to make it through one lap unscathed.
After that, we'll work on getting you through the second lap...
STAT OF THE WEEKEND: Jimmy Vasser and Kenny Brack have tangled with each other on the first green
lap three times this season. Interestingly, they are both driving each other's former rides.
HISTORICAL STAT OF THE WEEKEND: Nobody has ever led Vancouver from start to finish.
QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND: Maybe we should just call this the Paul Tracy Quote of the Weekend. While denying
the Player's signing rumors, Tracy did make it clear about some of his options, "I'm not going to drive one of
those crap wagons."
QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND RUNNERUP: Dario Franchitti on the Vancouver fans and the state of CART, "When you
show up here on a Friday for the first round of practice and the stands are full, it's special. Anyone who
leaves here and has any negative thoughts on CART should go in and see a doctor."
SCHEDULE: Can you believe the schedule is only half over? With all the off track shenanigans
going on this year, it seems the season is just about done. However, there is still so much more left, and with
ten ... okay, nine ... races left, the championship is still very much up in the air as they head to two natural
road courses, Mid-Ohio and Road America.
Copyright © 2002 by Deep Throttle. All Rights Reserved.
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