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CART: Vasser wins Houston, Toyota goes 1-2 to take first road-course win

3 October 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

- Jimmy Vasser's win today is the first ever on a road course for Toyota and the manufacturer's fifth of the season and second in a row (Juan Montoya at St. Louis being the other).

- With Jimmy Vasser and Juan Montoya running one-two today, Toyota earned its first-ever one-two finish in CART competition, as well as its first two-car podium finish.

- Today's victory is the first of the season for Jimmy Vasser and his first since winning the 1998 season finale at Fontana. The win is the ninth in his Champ Car career. Vasser's win gives him five consecutive top-10 finishes, and five top-five and 13 top-10 efforts in 18 races this season.

- Juan Montoya's second-place finish gives him his fourth podium of the season and his first in race that he hasn't won. It's also Montoya's second consecutive top-two finish after winning at St. Louis.

- After scoring just 80 manufacturers points a year ago, Toyota has now scored 257 this season with two races remaining - more than three times as many as its previous best season.

- Jimmy Vasser becomes the third different Toyota driver to win a race this season. He joins Juan Montoya (Milwaukee, Michigan and St. Louis) and Cristiano da Matta (Chicago) as race winners.

- Oriol Servia earned his eighth top-10 finish of the season with a ninth today.

- With his second, Juan Montoya (122 points) moves into sixth place in the FedEx Championship points race, while winner Jimmy Vasser sits in a tie for eighth. Cristiano da Matta drops to 10th.

Quotes

Jim Aust, Toyota vice president of motorsports: "We are absolutely thrilled to run one-two today. Jimmy ran a great race, never dropping below second, and it's great to see him get back into winner's circle and become the third different Toyota winner this season. We've had such tremendous success on the ovals this year, it feels great to finally get that first road course victory. I think it also shows how far our program has come in the last year as far as not only horsepower and driveability, but fuel mileage as well."

Jimmy Vasser, #12 Target Toyota: "It feels great to win. It's my first win as a teammate to Montoya. It's good to give him something to remember me by before he leaves. The car was fantastic right off the trailer on Friday and we really got great gas mileage today. It's fantastic to win again. I really think I should have won Long Beach and I've been in position to win a few races this year."

Juan Montoya, #1 Target Toyota: "At the beginning of the race, we were getting good mileage and things looked good for us (to win). I gave it a shot at Jimmy, but he was faster. I tried to pass him twice, but he was really hooked up."

Manufacturer's Championship: Ford 293; Honda 290; Toyota 257; Mercedes-Benz 66

Text Provided By John Prodica

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