DEFINING SUCCESS POLE BOOSTS TEAM'S L.B. HOPES.Byline: A.J. Perez Staff Writer LONG BEACH - A Newman/Haas Racing press release circulated proudly calls itself ``the most successful team competing in 2005.'' That title may warrant an asterisk when it comes to the Toyota Grand Prix Grand Prix n. pl. Grand Prix Any of several competitive international road races for sports cars of specific engine size over an exacting, usually risky course. of Long Beach. Mario Andretti's victory in Long Beach in 1987 was the last time Newman/Haas stood atop the podium on race Sunday. During that span, the team has compiled 69 wins and four points titles with the likes of Michael Andretti Michael Mario Andretti (born October 5, 1962 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania) is an American retired CART and Formula One driver with Italian heritage. He now co-owns the Andretti Green Racing team in the Indy Racing League. , Nigel Mansell Nigel Ernest James Mansell OBE (born August 8, 1953 in Upton-upon-Severn, Worcestershire) is a British racing driver from England who won world championships in both Formula One (1992) and CART (1993). and Cristiano da Matta Cristiano Monteiro da Matta (born September 19, 1973, in Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil) is an auto racing driver, winner of the American CART Championship in 2002, and former Toyota Formula One driver. at the wheel. Bruno Junqueira Bruno Junqueira (born November 4, 1976) is a Brazilian racecar driver and veteran of the Champ Car World Series. Junqueira started racing go-karts in Brazil and dominated Formula Three Sudamericana before moving to Formula 3000. put Newman/Haas in position to end that 17-race drought Friday when he secured himself a front-row start during the first 35-minute qualifying session. A lap time of 1 minute, 8.342 seconds (103.667 mph) on his fourth trip around the 1.97-mile street course was good enough to secure Junqueira the provisional pole and the championship point that comes with it. ``It's not because you don't have speed,'' Junqueira said of his team's Long Beach slump. ``I think we have speed here. I like the track. My car is really good on this track. We can get the win with me or Sebastien (Bourdais). There's no reason why we cannot.'' Bourdais, who was third in qualifying behind four-time LBGP LBGP Long Beach Grand Prix champ Paul Tracy Paul Tracy (born December 17, 1968 in Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario) is a professional automobile racer in the Champ Car World Series. He also goes by the nickname "The Thrill from West Hill". , secured last year's pole, the fourth pole Newman/Haas has earned since 1987. ``It's pretty surprising,'' said Bourdais, the 2004 series champion. ``I don't have an explanation about Long Beach. ``We've led the race quite a few times.'' Tracy, the two-time defending champ, said he was primed to secure a pole late in the session using the optional softer tire compound provided by Bridgestone. Each team gets two sets of the tires and can use them at anytime. His pursuit of the provisional pole was halted not by one of the six rookies in the field, but by a driver he's fairly familiar with. ``I haven't had any problem with anybody,'' Tracy said. ``The only guy I had a problem with was Cristiano (da Matta) at the end, and he has plenty of experience.'' A.J. Perez, (562) 499-1338 aj.perez(at)presstelegram.com CAPTION(S): box Box: TOYOTA GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion