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CART: Montoya Becomes First Rookie to Win Since 1996 with Triumph at Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach

20 April 1999

LONG BEACH, Calif. - Juan Montoya became the first rookie since 1996 to win a FedEx Championship Series event Sunday as he led Target/Chip Ganassi Racing to its fourth consecutive Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach crown.

Montoya (Target Honda Reynard), making only his third career FedEx Championship Series start after succeeding two-time series champion Alex Zanardi, ended a rookie victory drought which spanned 38 races following Zanardi's triumph at Laguna Seca in 1996. He was the quickest first-year driver to achieve his inaugural FedEx Championship Series victory since Nigel Mansell won the 1993 season opener at Australia.

Montoya, a 23-year-old Colombian, took the lead from pole-sitter Tony Kanaan (McDonald's Championship Racing Honda Reynard) with just under half the race remaining and rolled to a 2.805-second victory over runner-up Dario Franchitti (KOOL Honda Reynard), averaging 102.414 miles per hour.

Kanaan, who won his first career pole Saturday, threatened to lead nearly flag to flag in the early going as he led a race-high 44 laps. But he made contact with the Turn 6 tire wall while leading the 46th of 85 laps and was forced to retire. Montoya, who was running second at the time, inherited the lead and led the final 40 laps on the reconfigured 1.824-mile temporary street course. He built his lead into double digits on the 76th lap before a late caution flag triggered by contact involving Cristiano da Matta (MCI WorldCom Toyota Reynard) allowed Franchitti to close the final margin.

Franchitti earned his second podium finish of the season, following third at Homestead, en route to his fourth consecutive top-two finish on a temporary street circuit, dating to last year. The streak includes victories at Vancouver and Houston, and second at Australia.

Bryan Herta (Shell Ford Reynard) finished third, 7.003 seconds behind Montoya, for his second consecutive third-place finish at Long Beach. It also marked his fourth consecutive points-paying result at the venue.

Greg Moore (Player's/Indeck Mercedes Reynard) earned an eighth-place finish to maintain the top spot in the FedEx Championship Series championship with 39 points. Adrian Fernandez (Tecate/Quaker State/Patrick Racing Ford Swift), who was fourth Sunday, and Gil de Ferran (Valvoline/Cummins Special Honda Reynard), who was sixth, are tied behind Moore with 33. Fernandez is second in the championship based on highest finish -- his victory at Japan last week.

Rounding out the top five was Christian Fittipaldi (Big Kmart Ford Swift), who finished fifth and has struck together three consecutive top-nine performances this season.

Montoya's victory was the fourth consecutive win for Target/Chip Ganassi Racing at Long Beach. He follows 1996 series champion and teammate Jimmy Vasser (Target Honda Reynard), who won in 1996, and Zanardi, the two-time series champion who won in '97 and '98.

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