CART: Al Unser Jr. Earns Fifth at Cleveland
28 June 1999
Marlboro Team Penske's wily veteran Al Unser Jr. used experience
and careful driving to survive treacherous conditions and finish fifth in
today's Medic Drug Grand Prix of Cleveland. He was the first of three
Mercedes-Benz drivers among the top 10. Meanwhile, Juan Montoya earned
victory at the 2.106-mile temporary circuit at the Burke Lakefront Airport.
The race began in hot and dry conditions, and the battle at the
front was fast and furious as the wide-open taxiways and runways allowed
for passing opportunities at almost every corner. Several Mercedes drivers
ran in the top five early in the race, but after the first round of pit
stops were completed, a deluge of rain totally changed the complexion of
the competition.
With multiple incidents around the track, CART sent the pace car
out to lead the field for 16 laps while the storm passed and crews cleared
standing water. Once the rain stopped, attention turned to strategy as
teams decided when to make the change from wet-weather tires to slicks.
Player's/Forsythe Mercedes driver Patrick Carpentier was the second
competitor to pit for slick tires, and he was rewarded with a seventh place
finish despite having a race car that didn't handle well in wet or dry
conditions. Finishing eighth, right behind Carpentier, was PacWest
Motorola Mercedes substitute driver Roberto Moreno, who was possibly
driving in his last race for the team. Regular pilot Mark Blundell is
expected to return for the next race in two weeks at Road America in
Elkhart Lake, Wis.
Player's/Forsythe Mercedes pilot Greg Moore ran in the top 10 for
most of the day, but finally retired from the race on lap 64 with a broken
exhaust header. Classified 18th and out of the points, he falls to fifth
in the driver's championship standings.
PacWest Hollywood Mercedes driver Mauricio Gugelmin was knocked out
of the race when his car hydroplaned into the wall that borders the final
turn on the course. He finished 21st.
Tarso Marques, driver of the second Marlboro Team Penske entry, was
involved in an accident during the height of the thunderstorm on lap 32,
and he was listed 24th. Helio Castro-Neves, driver of the Hogan Racing
Mercedes, had a throttle linkage break on lap 19 and was credited with 26th
place.
Mercedes Quotes
Al Unser Jr., No. 2, Marlboro Team Penske/Mercedes/Goodyear (Fifth)
"It was great to get a top-five finish today. We found a good race
setup, and the Marlboro Team Penske Lola stayed with me all day long.
Goodyear and Mercedes performed well and were right there with us. The
whole team did a super job. It was a good time out there today-except
during the downpour when I couldn't see out of my visor. The Marlboro car
has been performing well during the race. Now we need to focus on
qualifying better."
Patrick Carpentier, No. 33, Player's/Forsythe Mercedes/Firestone (Seventh)
"It was pretty tough with the changing conditions and such. I
really wish we had gotten a higher placing. The car was decent both in the
dry and wet. My rear was fairly loose in the wet, though."
Roberto Moreno, No. 18, Motorola Mercedes/Firestone (Eighth)
"We were looking good until the rain. The car was very fast in the
dry. We were saving fuel, so we came in later than everyone else. But it
looks like we came in just short of realizing we were going to need rain
tires. The setup was good in the dry, but not good in the wet."
Greg Moore, No. 99, Player's/Forsythe Mercedes/Firestone (18th)
"We had an exhaust problem. We probably broke a header. It was
not our day today. We were fast in the dry, but we just lost it in the
rain."
Mauricio Gugelmin, No. 17, Hollywood Mercedes/Firestone (21st)
"We had a nice run before it started to pour with rain. We were
running in the top group, and the car was really very good. I was
comfortable with the balance, and we were conserving fuel. Finally, I
aquaplaned and clipped the wall in Turn 8. I was going straight ahead and
next thing I knew, I was being sucked off-line like the wall was a Hoover
(vacuum). About three or four of us went off in the same place at almost
the same time."
Tarso Marques, No. 3, Marlboro Team Penske/Mercedes/Goodyear (24th)
"It had started to rain pretty heavily and we were planning to come
in on the next lap for rain tires. I was setting up for turn eight and I
saw the #44 and the #12 cars in the tires. Unfortunately, I was having
problems downshifting since the start of the race, so I couldn't slow down
through the corner and I slid into the tire wall."
Helio Castro-Neves, No. 9, Hogan Racing Mercedes/Firestone (26th)
"I don't know what happened at the beginning. The car was good.
If I could just get one chance I know I could do it. The throttle cable
went down finally, and that was it."
Race Report
Medic Drug Grand Prix of Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
June 27, 1999
Pos. Driver Engine Laps
1 Juan Montoya Honda 90
2 Gil de Ferran Honda 90
3 Michael Andretti Ford Cosworth 90
4 Paul Tracy Honda 90
5 Al Unser Jr. Mercedes-Benz 90
6 Bryan Herta Ford Cosworth 90
7 Patrick Carpentier Mercedes-Benz 90
8 Roberto Moreno Mercedes-Benz 90
9 Robbie Gordon Toyota 89
10 Richie Hearn Toyota 88
18 Greg Moore Mercedes-Benz 64
21 Mauricio Gugelmin Mercedes-Benz 34
24 Tarso Marques Mercedes-Benz 32
26 Helio Castro-Neves Mercedes-Benz 19
Driver's Championship: Manufacturer's Championship
Juan Montoya 112 points Honda 176
Gil de Ferran 87 Ford Cosworth 139
Dario Franchitti 85 Mercedes-Benz 97
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