PRUETT CLAIMS THE POLE IN PATRICK RACING FINALE.Byline: Bill Schlotter Daily News Staff Writer Scott Pruett  This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone and/or spelling.You can assist by [ editing it] now. has just one race left with the Patrick Racing Patrick Racing was an auto racing team in both Champ Car and the Indy Racing League. Patrick Racing was started by Pat Patrick with the formation of CART in 1978. Patrick Racing would win three Indianapolis 500s and two CART championships, making it one of the most team. On Saturday, he put himself in position to make it a memorable one, winning the pole for today's season finale $1 million CART Marlboro 500 at California Speedway The California Speedway is a two-mile, low-banked, D-shaped oval superspeedway in Fontana, California, similar to that of "sister track" Michigan International Speedway. It is located approximately 40 miles east of Los Angeles on the site of the former Kaiser Steel mill. . It was the fourth career pole for Pruett, who has signed to join Arciero-Wells Racing next season after four seasons and two wins with Patrick. He earned it with a 233.748-mph lap that - thanks to the presence of the speed-reducing Handford wing - was well under Mark Blundell's CART and track record time of last year, 240.942 mph. Jimmy Vasser Jimmy Vasser (born November 20 1965 in Canoga Park, California ) is an American racing driver. Vasser was the 1996 Champ Car champion, driving for Chip Ganassi, and has scored ten victories in the category. , who is battling Adrian Fernandez and Dario Franchitti Dario Franchitti (b. 19 May, 1973 in Bathgate, West Lothian) is a Scottish racing driver of Italian descent. He is the 2007 IndyCar Series champion. He used to compete in the IndyCar Series, formerly drove in the CART series, and won the rain-shortened 2007 Indianapolis 500. for second in the final series standings, will start next to Pruett. 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. will start third with Glendale product Richie Hearn Richie Hearn is an American auto racing driver born January 4, 1971 in Glendale, California. He ran in the Toyota Atlantic championship for two seasons, winning the title in 1995. In 1996, he began driving for John Della Penna in both the IRL and Champ Car ranks. fourth. Bobby Rahal, starting the final race of his 17-year CART career, will start fifth. Alex Zanardi, who already has the season points title won, will start 18th, next to Valencia's Bryan Herta. ``The pole position is very exciting for me personally, being as how it's my last race with Visteon and Patrick Racing,'' Pruett said. ``Ever since the announcement of the move, my goal with my guys has been to . . . end this season on a high note.'' Of those racers who didn't qualify well, none was distraught. As they each pointed out, 500 miles offer one plenty of time to make up ground. ``I don't think it is that much of a disadvantage,'' said Pruett's teammate, Adrian Fernandez, who will start in the last row. ``If you aren't on the pole or at least in the front row, it's all pretty much the same.'' And with the Handford Device in use, no one expects one driver to run away from the field. The race also figures to be something of a race of attrition. To win, one must first finish. Drivers with previous victories at 500 miles include Zanardi, Rahal, Andretti, Al Unser Jr., Vasser, Pruett, Andre Ribeiro, Greg Moore - who won the tour's other 1998 500-mile race in Michigan - and Mark Blundell, who won last year's inaugural Marlboro 500. Andretti said he will draw upon that 500-mile experience today. ``The first goal is to be there at the end of the 500 miles,'' he said. ``If you're on the lead lap on the last lap, you'll probably be a contender.'' MARLBORO 500 WHEN: Today, 12:30 p.m. WHERE: California Speedway in Fontana TV: ESPN ESPN Entertainment and Sports Programming Network CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO (Color) SCOTT PRUETT He won the pole for today's season finale $1 million CART Marlboro 500 at California Speedway. |
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