CART: Championship decided; Drivers focus on $1 million prize at Marlboro 500

DETROIT (October 31, 2001) - Although the 2001 FedEx Championship Series
champion has finally been decided, more than $1 million of unfinished
business remains as the series prepares to conclude its 2001 campaign with
this weekend's Marlboro 500 Presented by Toyota at California Speedway. 

A winner's prize of $1 million awaits the driver who claims Sunday's
season-ending event, which will bring the curtain down on one of the most
competitive campaigns in FedEx Championship Series history. The series has
already tied its record of 11 different race winners in a single season and
established a new standard with 19 different podium finishers, and it is
entirely possible that both totals could grow this weekend, given that none
of CART's past three winners on the two-mile California Speedway oval has
yet claimed a victory this year.

Among those drivers who have reached victory circle is Gil de Ferran of
Marlboro Team Penske, who clinched his own $1 million prize by wrapping up
his second consecutive FedEx Championship Series championship last weekend.
De Ferran's fourth-place finish at Australia brought Team Penske its
record-ninth CART championship, its 10th Champ Car title overall, and made
de Ferran one of only four drivers ever to earn back-to-back FedEx
Championship Series crowns.

De Ferran (Marlboro Honda Reynard) comes to California with fond memories of
last year's event, when he established a world closed-course speed record of
241.428 miles per hour (30.255 seconds) while winning he pole, then finished
third in the race to clinch his first series championship. De Ferran arrives
this year as the hottest driver in the championship, having finished fifth
or better in eight of his last nine starts, with victories at England and
Houston. With 191 championship points, he could post only the eighth
200-point season since CART's current scoring system took effect in 1983
with a finish of fifth or better this weekend.

The runner-up spot in this year's championship, and the $500,000 payout that
accompanies it, has also been wrapped up by Kenny Brack of Team Rahal. Brack
(Shell Ford Lola) has been the most successful oval driver in the series
this season, with victories at Japan, Milwaukee, Chicago and Germany and
runner-up finishes in Nazareth and England. Of his series-leading 621 laps
led, 581 have come on ovals, more than three times the total of his next
closest pursuer.

Reigning Indianapolis 500 champion Helio Castroneves (Marlboro Honda
Reynard) of Marlboro Team Penske and CART career victory leader Michael
Andretti (Motorola Honda Reynard) of Team Motorola are tied for third with
141 championship points, while Cristiano da Matta (Texaco/Havoline/Kmart
Toyota Lola) of Newman/Haas Racing stands fifth at 120 points following last
Sunday's victory in Australia. 


A considerable amount of jockeying remains as drivers finishing from third
through 10th in the championship will collect bonus monies of between
$300,000 and $100,000 from the season-ending FedEx Championship Series point
fund.

Christian Fittipaldi (Kmart Toyota Lola) of Newman/Haas Racing is the
defending Marlboro 500 Presented by Toyota champion, and will be looking for
his first victory of the 2001 season with a repeat performance. Other past
winners at California Speedway, both of whom are looking to get into the
victory column for the first time this season, are 1999 champion Adrian
Fernandez (Tecate/Quaker State/Telmex Honda Reynard) of Fernandez Racing and
1998 winner Jimmy Vasser (Patrick Racing Toyota Reynard) of Patrick Racing.

All FedEx Championship Series entries ride on Firestone Tires, the Official
Tire of CART.

Following the Marlboro 500 Presented by Toyota, the FedEx Championship
Series will honor its 2001 champion at its annual awards ceremonies on
Tuesday, Nov. 6, at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas.


WHO'S HOT

*    Two-time FedEx Championship Series champion Gil de Ferran (Marlboro
Honda Reynard) of Marlboro Team Penske finished fourth at last weekend's
Honda Indy 300 in Surfers Paradise, Australia to become only the fourth
driver in CART history to win back-to-back championships. De Ferran's
accomplishment allowed him to join Rick Mears (1981-82), Bobby Rahal
(1986-87) and Alex Zanardi (1997-98) as winners of consecutive crowns. He
also joined Al Unser (1983, '95) and Al Unser Jr. (1990, '94) as winners of
multiple CART driving titles. De Ferran has scored championship points in
nine consecutive events, dating to a podium finish of third at Chicago, and
owns eight top-five results in that span, including victories at England and
Houston. The run also includes podium finishes of third at Laguna Seca and
second Mid-Ohio and Vancouver. De Ferran's 191 championship points are a
career high in his seven FedEx Championship Series seasons, and he has also
started fourth or better in his past eight events, with poles at Mid-Ohio,
Germany (where the starting grid was based on championship points), Houston
and Laguna Seca.

*    Kenny Brack (Shell Ford Lola) of Team Rahal has finished eighth or
better in five of his past six FedEx Championship Series starts to clinch a
runner-up finish in the 2001 championship. Brack's run includes a victory in
Germany and a runner-up finish in England, and was extended by a fifth-place
finish at Australia last weekend. He is the only driver to have earned four
victories this season, the others having come at Japan, Milwaukee and
Chicago. Brack also leads the FedEx Championship Series with six pole
positions and 621 laps led, and has scored championship points in 13 of 19
starts.

*    Michael Andretti (Motorola Honda Reynard) of Team Motorola has
finished fifth or better in five of his past seven FedEx Championship Series
starts, dating to a runner-up result at Road America and including podium
finishes of third at Vancouver and second at Australia last week. Andretti,
CART's all-time victory leader (41), has tied reigning Indianapolis 500
champion Helio Castroneves (Marlboro Honda Reynard) of Marlboro Team Penske
for third place with 141 championship points, and has clinched his 11th
top-five finish in 18 seasons of FedEx Championship Series competition. 

*    Cristiano da Matta (Texaco/Havoline/Kmart Toyota Lola) of
Newman/Haas Racing owns finishes of sixth or better in three of his past
four FedEx Championship Series starts, including a victory in last Sunday's
Honda Indy 300 on Australia's Gold Coast. Also included is a podium finish
of third at Rockingham, England. Da Matta has moved from eighth to fifth
place in the FedEx Championship Series championship during the run, with 120
points.


*    Scott Dixon (Nextel Powerware Panasonic PacWest Toyota) of the
PacWest Racing Group clinched the $50,000 Jim Trueman Rookie of the Year
Award for 2001 at Australia last weekend when he exited the event with an
insurmountable 98-56 lead over Bruno Junqueira (Target Toyota Lola) of
Target Chip Ganassi Racing. Dixon's season has included six top-five
finishes, including a victory at Nazareth, which made him, at age 20 years,
nine months and 14 days, the youngest driver ever to win a major open-wheel
event. Dixon also leads the FedEx Championship Series in laps completed,
with 2,306 of a possible 2,309, and miles completed with 3,914.982 of a
possible 4,074.603.

*    Max Papis (Miller Lite Ford Lola) of Team Rahal owns points-paying
results in five consecutive FedEx Championship Series events, with a victory
at Laguna Seca and a podium finish of second at Germany. Papis is one of
five multiple race winners during the current FedEx Championship Series
season, joining Team Rahal teammate Kenny Brack (4), reigning Indianapolis
500 champion Helio Castroneves (3), FedEx Championship Series champion Gil
de Ferran (2) and Cristiano da Matta (2). During his current run, Papis has
moved from 16th to eighth in the FedEx Championship Series championship,
with 90 points.

*    Memo Gidley (Target Toyota Lola) of Target Chip Ganassi Racing has
scored championship points in three consecutive FedEx Championship Series
events, with podium finishes of third at Houston and second at Laguna Seca,
which equaled a career-best result established at Cleveland in July.  He
stands 15th in the FedEx Championship Series championship, with 65 points.




ON THE RIGHT TRACK

*    Gil de Ferran recorded a third-place finish at California Speedway
last year, which clinched his first career FedEx Championship Series
championship and the eighth for Marlboro Team Penske. He established a world
closed-course speed record of 241.428 miles per hour (30.255 seconds) while
winning the pole position, and led 23 of 200 laps. Overall, de Ferran owns
three points-paying finishes in four career appearances at California
Speedway, including sixth in 1997, when he led nine of 250 laps, and ninth
in 1999. 

*    Adrian Fernandez (Tecate/Quaker State/Telmex Honda Reynard) of
Fernandez Racing owns four top-five finishes in as many career starts at
California Speedway, including a victory in 1999, for which he claimed $1
million. He also finished third in 1997, fourth in 1998 and fifth last year.


*    Christian Fittipaldi (Kmart Toyota Lola) of Newman/Haas Racing is
the defending Marlboro 500 Presented by Toyota champion, having led 35 laps
en route to last year's victory, which brought him a $1 million winner's
purse. He also owns a podium finish of third at the Speedway in 1999, when
he led 37 laps, and scored championship points with finishes of seventh in
1998 and ninth in '97. 

*    Jimmy Vasser (Patrick Racing Toyota Reynard) of Patrick Racing owns
three top-five finishes in four appearances at California Speedway,
including a $1 million victory in 1998.  He also finished second in 1997 and
fifth in 1999. Vasser led a race-high 63 laps en route to his 1998 victory,
and has qualified sixth or better for all four appearances at the venue,
including outside poles in 1997 and '98. 


*    Mauricio Gugelmin (Nextel PacWest Toyota) of the PacWest Racing
Group has enjoyed outstanding success at California Speedway with finishes
of fourth in 1997, fifth in '98 and sixth in '99. He qualified on the pole
in '97 at an average speed of 240.942 miles per hour (30.316 seconds), which
stood as the fastest lap in auto racing history until Gil de Ferran's lap of
241.428 miles per hour  (30.255 seconds) last year. Gugelmin has led at
least one lap in all four appearances at California Speedway, including 66
laps in '97, 40 in '98, two in '99 and eight last year.




MANUFACTURING SUCCESS

*    Thanks largely to the efforts of Kenny Brack, Ford-powered drivers
have won five of seven FedEx Championship Series events contested on ovals
this season. Brack has led the way with a series-high four victories, at
Japan, Milwaukee, Chicago and Germany, while Patrick Carpentier
(Player's/Indeck Ford Reynard) claimed Ford's other triumph at Michigan
Speedway, the first victory of his FedEx Championship Series career. Ford
has scored a series-high 137 Manufacturer's Championship points on ovals
this season.

*    Cristiano da Matta's victory at Australia last Sunday was the ninth
of the season for Lola, bringing it one behind Reynard's series-high total
of 10 wins. Although Reynard has already clinched its seventh consecutive
CART Constructor's Championship, Lola and Reynard could finish the season
deadlocked at 10 victories each if Lola scores a win on Sunday at California
Speedway.





NOTEWORTHY

*    For the second consecutive year, the season-ending Marlboro 500
Presented by Toyota at California Speedway will pay tribute to The Legends,
a group of drivers, active and retired, who have played a major role in
shaping the heritage of Champ Car racing. Among the Legends expected to
participate in a variety of fan-focused activities throughout this weekend
are Mario Andretti, Bobby Unser, Rick Mears, Bobby Rahal, Emerson
Fittipaldi, Parnelli Jones, Dan Gurney, Jim McElreath, Danny Sullivan, Wally
Dallenbach and Tom Sneva. Current FedEx Championship Series competitors and
champions Michael Andretti, Gil de Ferran and Jimmy Vasser will also
participate in the program. Included on the weekend program will be a Fan
Forum on Friday at 3 p.m. in the Chalet Village at California Speedway; an
autograph session on Saturday at 9:45 a.m. in the Toyota Hospitality Tent at
Turn Four of the Speedway; and a pre-race parade lap prior to Sunday's
Marlboro 500 Presented by Toyota. Media are also invited to participate in a
Legends press conference in the Drivers Meeting Room at California Speedway
at noon on Friday, as well as a Legends luncheon at 1 p.m. Friday at the
Marlboro media hospitality trailer. For further information on the Legends
program, contact Jordan Miller, at (818) 344-6195, extension 110.


*    Pit crews for the Marlboro Team Penske cars driven by Helio
Castroneves and Gil de Ferran; the Team Rahal car driven by Kenny Brack and
the Sigma Autosport car driven by Oriol Servia (Sigma Autosport Ford Lola)
joined the crew for the PacWest Racing Group car driven by Mauricio Gugelmin
in qualifying for the $50,000 Craftsman Pit Crew Challenge Shoot Out, to be
held next Saturday, November 3, following qualifying for the season-ending
Marlboro 500 Presented by Toyota at California Speedway. Now in its third
season, the Craftsman Pit Crew Challenge was instituted in 1999 to recognize
the efforts of the mechanics who build, maintain and service the race cars.
Champ Car teams competed all year, scoring points according to the same
scale used to score FedEx Championship Series drivers, but based on least
time spent in the pits at each CART event. The top four teams at the
conclusion of last Sunday's Honda Indy 300 qualified for the season-ending
Shoot Out, while Gugelmin's crew earned its wildcard berth by spending the
least time in the pits during the July 22 Harrah's 500 Presented by Toyota
at Michigan Speedway. Castroneves' crew finished the season with 156 points,
followed by the crew for de Ferran, with 150. "Part of our success each race
weekend is due to the excellent work of our crews, and I feel that our
position in the points is a reflection of their effort and commitment," said
de Ferran, who clinched his second consecutive FedEx Championship Series
championship with a fourth-place finish last weekend. Brack's and Servia's
crews rounded out the top four finishers, with 117 and 112 points,
respectively. The shootout will consist of two timed pit stops per entrant,
with the fastest time claiming the Craftsman Pit Crew Challenge Trophy and
$50,000 in cash. The Team KOOL Green crew of Paul Tracy (KOOL Honda Reynard)
won back-to-back Craftsman Pit Crew Challenge championships in 1999 and
2000.

*    Runway Madness IV, "A Red, White and Blue Celebration," will take
place on Friday, Nov. 2 at the Ontario (Calif.) Convention Center, a new
venue for the event located just one mile from the Ontario Airport hanger
which hosted the first three Runway Madness celebrations. An annual
fundraiser for Championship Auto Racing Auxiliary (CARA) Charities, Runway
Madness IV will feature food and refreshments and a full lineup of
entertainment featuring FedEx Championship Series drivers, other members of
the CART community and celebrities from the Hollywood and music industries.
Honorary co-chairs of this year's event are Team KOOL Green driver Dario
Franchitti and actress Ashley Judd. Academy Award-winning actor Paul Newman,
co-owner of the Newman/Haas Racing Team, will also be in attendance.
Proceeds from Runway Madness IV will benefit the New York Police and
Firefighter's Widows and Children's Benefit Fund. A new feature of this
year's Runway Madness IV celebration is an on-line auction, featuring a wide
variety of CART memorabilia, which can currently be viewed at
http://cara.cmagic.com . Among the more than 80 items available are
autographed driving suits from FedEx Championship Series drivers Dario
Franchitti, Paul Tracy, Christian Fittipaldi, Roberto Moreno, Adrian
Fernandez and Bruno Junqueira; full autographed rear-wing assemblies from
Patrick Racing - signed by team owner Pat Patrick and former Champ Car
driver Scott Pruett - and Target Chip Ganassi Racing, signed by the entire
Target Ganassi team; and dozens of additional autographed items, including
driving shoes, gloves and helmet visors. One of the highlighted items in the
on-line auction is the original art work of the Legends lithograph designed
by Canadian artist David Arrigo, which will be autographed on stage by the
Champ Car legends attending Runway Madness IV. The on-line auction, which
runs through Nov. 12, is created and hosted by Seventh Gear.com and its
partners, Cinemagic.  


*    CART Vice President of Broadcast Services Keith Allo has resigned
his position, effective November 9, to pursue another opportunity. Allo, who
joined CART in the spring of 1997 from Fox Sports Detroit where he was
executive producer, has served as CART's liaison with its television
partners - ESPN and ABC - and has worked closely with them on the production
of race events.  Among other projects, Allo developed the CART Radio Network
and also served as CART's liaison to Franchise Pictures on the movie,
Driven.  He also produced Inside CART and CART Insider during his tenure at
the company. "I have enjoyed my time at CART and will truly miss working
with many of the people at the company," said Allo.  "The CART television
environment offers many opportunities and is very challenging.  I was able
to learn a great deal, particularly about international broadcasting, over
the four-plus years I spent there.  I wish everyone at CART well and am
positive the new television package with Fox Cable Networks and CBS will be
a winner for CART and the FedEx Series."




ON THE AIR

*    Qualifying for The 500 Presented by Toyota will air 1:30 a.m. ET
Sunday on ESPN2. CART 2Day airs 12:30 p.m. ET Sunday on ESPN2, while ESPN's
live race broadcast begins 3:30 p.m. ET. Sunday's race will also air live on
the CART Radio Network and on CART's official website, at www.cart.com .




MARLBORO 500 PRESENTED BY TOYOTA "QUOTEBOARD"


GIL de FERRAN (Marlboro Honda Reynard), on taking a different approach to
this year's Marlboro 500 Presented by Toyota: "Last year at the Marlboro
500, our strategy was biased to win the [FedEx Championship Series]
championship versus the race. The big difference this year is that we can
play our cards to win the race, since we clinched the championship in
Australia. It's an unpredictable race and it's not going to be easy by any
means. We had a good set-up last year, and even though the aerodynamic rules
are different this year which may affect our set-up, I'm confident we can be
competitive and put on a good show this weekend." 

HELIO CASTRONEVES (Marlboro Honda Reynard), on competing at California
Speedway: "I really enjoy racing at the California Speedway - it is a very
fast track. We had a good run going at last season's Marlboro 500, but
unfortunately my race ended early [Lap 226 of 250] when I made contact with
the wall. This year, we're looking to be there at the end and add one more
to the win column [Castroneves has three wins in 2001], plus, I'd love to
take home the million-dollar prize. I'm heading into this race in third
place in the point standings [141 points - tied with Michael Andretti] which
is a career best for me, so I really want to do well and finish in the top
three in the championship." 

KENNY BRACK  (Shell Ford Lola), on his oval-track success during the 2001
FedEx Championship Series season: "We've had a tremendous car on the ovals
this year. To be honest, the Shell car was good last year, too.  We came to
Fontana on a mission.  We had to lead the most laps and win the race to have
a shot at the championship.  We led the most laps but we had a mechanical
problem that ended the day.  With our success this year on ovals, I expect
us to be at the front at Fontana.  We thought we would come to the last race
just like we did last year.  But it didn't work out.  I want to congratulate
[FedEx Championship Series champion] Gil [de Ferran] and his Penske team.
They did a great job all year.  I always had a feeling he would be the one
to beat for the championship.  We just have to settle for second in the
championship.  We can go to California with no pressure, just race to win.
We were fast at Michigan this year and only an incident with Max [Papis,
Brack's teammate] kept us from a possible win.  That's hard for both of us.
I think both Max and myself could have won Michigan and I think we'll be
right there now again. After the tough race at Michigan, I know Team Rahal
is anxious for the California race.  The team has been so close to winning a
500-mile race in the last three years.  I have been fast and I know should
have won a couple of those races.  So, I expect us to be racing for the lead
at the end again.  The Fontana race will be an all-out fight.  Plus, this
will be my last race in the Shell Ford and I'd like to give Team Rahal a
great finish with a win."  

MAX PAPIS  (Miller Lite Ford Lola), on the speed he has shown in past FedEx
Championship Series superspeedway events: "We have been very fast at the
superspeedway in the Miller Lite Ford [Papis has led 371 laps in the last
five superspeedway races since 1999].  We just haven't had any luck getting
to the checkered flag.  We have been fast at both tracks, Michigan and
California.  I still remember the 1999 race at California.  I thought I had
won the race and Adrian [Fernandez] won a fuel strategy.  We'll be ready for
that this time.  We were very fast at Michigan before Kenny and I got
together.  I am very focused on the Marlboro 500.  I want to win a 500-mile
oval race very badly.  I grew up watching the Indy 500 on television in
Italy.  A 500-mile race is such an American tradition that winning the
Marlboro 500 would be a great achievement for me.  It has been one of my
dreams since I started racing as a child."    

PAUL TRACY (KOOL Honda Reynard), on the importance of a strong finish to the
FedEx Championship Series season: "It's been a tough year, but I guess if we
end up only winning one race, Fontana is the one to win. It would be a good
way to end the season for everybody at Team KOOL Green, and there are a
million great reasons why everybody wants to win at Fontana so the racing
will be flat-out, no-holds-barred. It's a tough 500 miles and my luck this
year hasn't been the best, so survival is the most important thing. Fontana
is also our last race this year to raise money for the 100 Black Men of
America program, so a good finish would mean a lot for them, too." 

DARIO FRANCHITTI (KOOL Honda Reynard), on the demands of competing at
California Speedway: "I certainly wouldn't mind ending the season with a
million-dollar check, but this is one you'll really have to earn. Fontana is
a big, fast track and 500 miles there really can take a toll on equipment.
Team KOOL Green has given me great cars at all the oval races this year, so
I think my chances to do well this weekend are maybe the best I've had.
We've been on the verge of that first oval win for some time now, and it
would be a fantastic way to finish off the year and set the tone for next
year. We're also raising money for our partnership with 100 Black Men of
America, and earning another win bonus for them, like we did in Cleveland,
would make for a great day." 

PATRICK CARPENTIER (Player's/Indeck Ford Reynard), on setting the tone for
the 2002 FedEx Championship Series season: "Team Player's has made a great
deal of progress this season, especially 
considering the fact we went through a rough period in the early races. Now,
we're at the point where we  go into every race as a strong contender. We've
won a race and Team Player's has been on the podium six times. It would be
great to cap the season with a win at Fontana, because that would deliver
another message that we're going to be a major force in the 2002 series.
Besides, the $1 million bonus for winning would be a nice reward for all the
guys on Team Player's who have played such a big role in our success this
year. The superspeedway at Fontana hasn't been too kind to me in the three
years that I've raced there. Something always seems to happen to prevent me
from finishing. But I expect to do well this year. Winning on the two-mile
super oval in Michigan a few months ago for my first CART win adds to my 
confidence going into the Fontana race."

ALEX TAGLIANI (Player's/Indeck Ford Reynard), on taking care of unfinished
business at California Speedway: "Things were looking so good for a podium
finish at Fontana last year, when we were running third with less than two
laps to go. But then the car got away from me, as it spun in [Turn] 1 and I
ended up in the wall and came away with a sore back. It was such a
disappointing finish to what was shaping up as my first podium in the CART
series. But this time I'm going to Fontana with more experience under my
belt and I hope that, like last year, Team Player's is in a position to win
going into the last few laps. If that happens, I'm convinced we can get the
job done. It's hard to believe that we're heading into the last race of the
season already. I've been saying for the past few weeks that I believe I can
get my first CART win by the end of the season. Well, it's down to one race,
and I'm going to go all out to come up with a win, not just for myself but
for the entire Team Player's crew. These guys really deserve it, because
they've been so consistent in preparing a competitive car. The last two
thirds of the season, Team Player's has been one of the top teams in the
series and that's a major plus to build on for next season."  

TONY KANAAN (Hollywood Honda Reynard), on translating his oval-track success
into a victory this weekend: "Well, it all comes down to this weekend for
our second season together as a team.  I all but promised [injured teammate]
Alex [Zanardi] I would win for him in Australia last weekend and that didn't
happen.  Now we're back on the oval for one last shot at our first win.
We've been strong on the ovals
all year long.  For sure, we were the best team on the track at Germany and
England, and we were on the pole in Chicago, and in the top five at
Michigan.  In a 500-mile race, nothing is for certain.  But I have to like
our chances.  Hopefully the [alternator] problem we had at Michigan is
behind us.  The hot weather in Michigan had a lot to do with that, and that
shouldn't be a factor this weekend.  Otherwise, it'll be the same story as
always ... stay out of trouble and on the lead lap for the first 400 miles,
and then go racing to the finish with a big million-dollar prize waiting at
the end, and then send our trophy to Alex."


CASEY MEARS (Pioneer WorldCom Honda Reynard), on his return to California
Speedway, where he recorded a strong fourth-place finish in his Champ Car
debut last season: "I've been looking forward to this race since I got out
of the car here last year.  I had no idea if I would even have a ride, but I
sure wanted another chance to do it again.  It was a great day.  We just
hung in there and managed to not get caught up in all the incidents that
were happening around us, and it paid off with a fourth-place finish.  It
sure would be nice to go one better and land on the podium, but there are
never any guarantees in these long races.  Even for the veteran drivers.  I
feel awful for making a rookie mistake at Australia last weekend.  We were
doing so well, staying out of trouble in all of our practice sessions and
our first two races.  And then I go into the first corner just a little too
hot.  I guarantee I won't make that mistake again.  The good thing is, we
are all working better and better as we go along.  And I've been feeling
more and more comfortable in the Pioneer-WorldCom car.  Five hundred miles
is a long time to get comfortable.  Once again, it'll be a matter of being
there at the end and making sure you have a shot at the front of the pack."

MAURICIO GUGELMIN (Nextel PacWest Toyota), on overcoming the disappointment
of the 2001 FedEx Championship Series season:  "This has been a very
disappointing year for me and my crew. We came into the season very
motivated and confident that we would compete at a higher level than before,
especially with the addition of Toyota engines, but good luck just hasn't
fallen our way.  For some reason, I've caught a lot of bad breaks this year
and I've had way too many accidents, which is something that I'm really not
used to.  If I can take anything positive away from this season it's that my
Nextel crew have worked very hard in their efforts to provide me with a
competitive car every weekend, and for the most part, they've hit that mark.
We [my crew and I] will be participating in the Craftsman Pit Crew Challenge
this weekend and winning that event [which carries a winner-take-all prize
of $50,000] would mean the world to the guys.  They work very hard all year
and I think that sometimes their efforts are taken for granted.  Hopefully,
we can win that competition so my crew can at least walk away from the
season with their heads held up high, knowing that they are the fastest crew
in the series.  As for the race, it's no secret that I really enjoy running
on superspeedways and I've had some success in Fontana especially.  The
speed record that I set in 1997 at Fontana has been broken, but I've managed
to lead laps there every year since 1997, so I fully intend to keep that
streak alive this weekend.  I just want to make sure I lead the last lap.
My mentality is to never give up, so I don't intend to just 'show-up' in
Fontana.  We're going there to race, and to win."   

SCOTT DIXON (Nextel Powerware Panasonic PacWest Toyota), on changing his
superspeedway luck at California Speedway: "I would like to finish out the
season with a solid performance in Fontana. Last year in Indy Lights I had
to win Fontana to clinch the championship, which I did.  This year I don't
quite have that kind of pressure on my shoulders, but like I've said before,
it's still important to finish strong so we can carry that momentum into the
winter testing season.  We haven't had a good performance on a superspeedway
yet this year, so I'm hoping to turn things around this weekend.  With
Fontana being the last race of the year, I don't have to worry about
anything other than going flat-out and trying to win that purse.  I enjoy
running on the big ovals because it seems to be a battle of attrition and
physical endurance.  I'm sure my engineers will come up with a good fuel
strategy to keep us in the hunt for that final sprint to the finish, but I
do need to qualify high to avoid what happened to us in Michigan.  If you
lose a lap on a superspeedway you're done."