CART: Andretti and Team Ready for Time Off After Hectic Mid Season Schedule
Posted By Terry CallahanMotorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
July 25, 2001
Indianapolis, IN-Team Motorola are in the final stretch of competing in six races in seven weeks and they are definitely ready for a day off. The team is tired, the driver is tired but they are in a better points position than when this run started. Team manager Tony Cotman had said when this stretch began that the team "who held it together and finished races would come out on top at the end of these back to backs" and he was right. Team Motorola went in to the Milwaukee race in 10th place in the champi onship but a podium finish (second place) moved Michael into eighth place in the championship. Andretti went on to string together two top-ten finishes and capped the run with a victory in Toronto in mid-July. Andretti and Team Motorola are now in fourth place in the championship and are hoping to finish this six -race stretch with another victory.
"We've been pushing pretty hard," said Andretti. "Michigan was a disappointment because we were really on a roll after our victory in Toronto and we had a good car. But the team is working well together and we've been pretty reasonable on the ovals, so t here is no reason why we can't get on the podium in Chicago."
Andretti is looking forward to this weekend's race in Chicago where he finished second last year after a problem with his final pit stop dropped him from the lead. "We had a good race last year but I left disappointed since I think we definitely could hav e won the race," Andretti said this week. "I've been pretty strong in Chicago over the last two years and I know with Team Motorola that we'll be strong again this year." Andretti did say that there would be some changes this year at Chicago. "With the new wing package Chicago could look like a completely different race, but we'll just have to see how it affects the way we run."
Andretti and Team Motorola are looking forward to continuing their hunt for the championship on the 1-mile oval of Chicago. Team manager Tony Cotman explained their goals for the weekend. "The fact that we didn't finish last weekend hurt us in points, al though we caught a break with some of the other guys going out as well. This weekend we need to finish in the points and best case, on the podium, to continue in the championship hunt and keep our momentum."
Team Motorola and Andretti begin practice on Friday, July 27 at 9:30 a.m. The Target Grand Prix will be shown live on ABC on Sunday, July 29 beginning at 4:00 p.m. ET.
Text provided by Jana Griffith
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