TOYOTA GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH
Win to Vasser
Records to De Ferran
Parker Johnstone the Crowd Favorite
In the 105th lap of the 22nd running of the Long Beach Grand Prix, Gil de Ferrans owned the race in his Pennzoil Reynard Honda - as he led from the pole - but with three laps to go the engine soured handing the win to Jimmy Vasser who recorded his third Indy car win of the 1996 season. De Ferran, with a cylinder missing nursed the car home to place 5th.
Parker Johnstone who sat out two of this season races with practice/qualifying injuries drove his Motorola Reynard Honda from sixth place to second behind the winner to record his best Indy car effort yet and also drove right into the hearts of 87,000 race fans and a huge TV audience worldwide. In victory circle as the champagne flowed and while Vasser and third place finisher Al Unser thanked their crew and also talked about MY car, MY plane and MY mechanical ills - Johnstone was doing his academy award acceptance speech giving credit to everyone...crew members by name, car owner, Motorola, Firestone, Honda, mentors, his wife, skipping himself in the process. He did this while in tears as he explained that this experience dated back 15 years when he first laid eyes on Long Beach and, then dreamed and set his sights on at least BEING here. The podium finish had him and the media people overwhelmed as Parker, a former anchor on THE AUTO CHANNEL, is now established as one of the new young lions of Indy car racing and a man to be reckoned with.
The race started with Pennzoil’s De Ferran pulling away from the field followed by Alex Zanardi who took over at lap 39 when De Feferran pitted for fuel/tires. Then Zanardi makes contact with Bobby Rahal and is put out. Gregg Moor who had been running in the top six for the early stages made contact with Christain Fittipaldi on lap 48 who then attempted to punch him out. Christain was fined $5,000 for this no-no.
Firestone sponsored Scott Pruett stayed in the top 8 positions at lap 60 along with Johstone, Andretti, Unser, Fernandez and Gugleman. At lap 80 as the Gurney Toyotas plus Matushita dropped out the top guns were De Ferran, Vasser, Johnstone, Unser, Tracy, Fernandez, Tracy, Moreno and Lawson the former motorcycle champion. In lap 103 as De Ferran starts to slow Bobby Rahal and Robby Gordon touched at the hairpin entering the main/pit straight and called it a day as Vasser took the checker. Later Vasser said he felt sorry for De Ferran but its a win and.. "I’ll take it" Ferran was visibly shaken and didn't have much to say as it was HIS weekend all the way. Pole and track record and what seemed to be his first big victory of 1996.
But that's racin' !
RESULTS
1. Vasser
2. Johnstone
3. Unser
4. Tracy
5 De Ferran
6. Fernandez
7. Andretti
8. Moreno
9. Lawson
10 Hearn
11 Pruett
12 Herta
13 Gordon
14 Rahal
15 Gugelman
16 Boessel
Bill Maloney TACH
