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 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, Nigel Mansell and Cristiano da Matta at the wheel. Bruno Junqueira 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 champ Paul Tracy, 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, [phone]

aj.perez(at)presstelegram.com

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TOYOTA GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH