CART: Takagi leads first session in practice, Vasser second overall

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

August 18, 2001

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. - Tora Takagi (Pioneer Toyota) and Jimmy Vasser (Visteon Toyota) ran one-two in the morning practice session and then Vasser followed that up by finishing second in the afternoon and second overall in the first day of practice for Sunday's Motorola 220 at Road America.

For the day, Vasser led a group of five Toyota-powered drivers that finished in the top-10 with his second place. His Patrick Racing teammate, Roberto Moreno (Visteon Toyota), was next in line in fifth, followed by Cristiano da Matta (Texaco Toyota) in sixth, Bruno Junqueira (Target Toyota) in seventh and Takagi in 10th.

They were followed by Mauricio Gugelmin (12th - Nextel Toyota), Memo Gidley (14th - Target Toyota), Scott Dixon (16th - PacWest Toyota) and Christian Fittipaldi (20th - Kmart Toyota). The top 14 cars were separated by less than one second over the 4.048-mile road course.

Qualifying for Sunday's feature race is set to begin Saturday at 1:45 (CDT). The green flag for Sunday's Motorola 220 is set to wave at 1:00 p.m. EDT/ 12 noon CDT and will be aired live by ESPN.

Toyota Drivers Overall - Day 1 at Road America

Place. Drive

2. Jimmy Vasser
3. Tora Takagi
5. Roberto Moreno
6. Cristiano da Matta
7. Bruno Junqueira
10. Tora Takagi
12. Mauricio Gugelmin
14. Memo Gidley
16. Scott Dixon
20. Christiani Fittipaldi

Text provided by John Prodica

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