CART: Fast Facts for the Bosch Spark Plug Grand Prix Presented By Toyotoa

1 April 1999

WHAT: Bosch Spark Plug Grand Prix Presented by Toyota.

WHERE: Nazareth Speedway, Nazareth, Pa.

WHEN: Thursday-Sunday, April 29-May 2.

SUPPORT EVENTS: PPG-Dayton Indy Lights Championship; KOOL/Toyota Atlantic Championship.

CART SCHEDULE: (All times Eastern )

THURSDAY, APRIL 29 Atlantic Open Test, 9-11 a.m.; Atlantic Open Test, 12:15-2 p.m.; CART practice, (2 groups/45 minutes each), 2:15-4 p.m.; Atlantic Open Test, 4:15-5:15 p.m.

FRIDAY, APRIL 30 Atlantic practice, 8:45-9:15 a.m.; Indy Lights practice, 9:30-10:10 a.m.; CART practice 10:30 a.m.-Noon.; Indy Lights practice, 1-1:30 p.m.; Atlantic practice, 1:45-2:15 p.m.; CART practice (2 groups/45 minutes each), 2:30-4:15 p.m.; Atlantic qualifying, 5:15-6 p.m.

SATURDAY, MAY 1 Indy Lights practice, 8-8:40 a.m.; CART practice, 9-10:15 a.m.; Indy Lights qualifying, 11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; Atlantic warm-up, 12:45-1 p.m.; CART qualifying, 1:15-2:45 p.m.; Atlantic race, 3-4 p.m.

SUNDAY, MAY 2 CART warm-up, 9-9:30 a.m.; Indy Lights warm-up, 10:30-10:45 a.m.; Grid Champ Cars, 11:45 a.m.; Bosch Spark Plug Grand Prix Presented by Toyota, 12:30 p.m.; Indy Lights race, 3 p.m.

BROADCAST: TVESPN (Live, 12:30 p.m. EST). RADIOCART Radio Network.

SUPPORT PROGRAMMING: Bosch Spark Plug Grand Prix Presented by Toyota pole qualifying, midnight Saturday/early Sunday, ESPN2; CART 2Day, noon ET Sunday, ESPN2.

PRESS CONFERENCE: Bosch Spark Plug Grand Presented by Toyota Press Luncheon, Thursday, April 29, 10 a.m., Dave and Busters, 325 N. Columbus Blvd., Philadelphia, Pa. Featured drivers include Jimmy Vasser, Paul Tracy, Robby Gordon, Alex Barron and Cristiano da Matta.

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Jimmy Vasser.

DEFENDING POLESITTER: Patrick Carpentier.

TRACK LAYOUT: 0.946-mile oval.

RACE LENGTH: 225 laps, 212.85 miles.

TRACK RECORDS: Qualifying (one lap) 1998, Patrick Carpentier, 184.896 mph (18.419 seconds); Race 1997, Paul Tracy, 112.498 mph.

RACE ROUND: 4 of 20 in the FedEx Championship Series.

FedEx CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES POINTS LEADERS FOR THE PPG CUP: 1. Greg Moore, 39; 2. Adrian Fernandez, 33; 3. Gil de Ferran, 33; 4. Michael Andretti, 32; 5. Dario Franchitti, 30.

NEXT EVENT: May 15, Rio 200, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

INSTANT REPLAY Jimmy Vasser (Target Honda Reynard) used a two pit-stop strategy to drive to victory in the rain-delayed 1998 Bosch Spark Plug Grand Prix Presented by Toyota at Nazareth Speedway. Vasser led the final 31 laps while earning his sixth career FedEx Championship Series victory by 1.400 seconds over Target/Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Alex Zanardi (Target Honda Reynard). Target/Chip Ganassis one-two finish helped put to rest any doubts about the teams inability to perform on short ovals. Although Vasser and Zanardi owned a combined 15 FedEx Championship Series victories over three seasons for Target/Chip Ganassi Racing, Vassers victory was the teams first on a short oval during that span. Vasser averaged 108.839 miles per hour in winning the event, which was delayed from its scheduled Sunday competition until Monday morning due to persistent rains. It marked the first time a FedEx Championship Series event had been completely postponed since 1982. Greg Moore (Players/Indeck Mercedes Reynard) finished third and took over the FedEx Championship Series points lead in the process. Heading to Round 5 in Brazil, Moore held a 51-50 point lead over Zanardi while Adrian Fernandez (Tecate/Quaker State/Labatt Ford Reynard) stood third with 41 points.

Bosch Spark Plug Grand Prix Presented by Toyota Fast Facts

Vital Race Statistics

Time of Race: 1 hour, 57 minutes, 20.307 seconds.

Average Speed: 108.839 mph.

Margin of Victory: 1.400 seconds.

Caution Flags: 6 for 65 laps.

Lap Leaders:

Michael Andretti, 102 laps; 
Bryan Herta, 42; 
Jimmy Vasser, 41; 
Alex Zanardi, 27; 
Patrick Carpentier, 10; 
Greg Moore, 3.

Editors Note: For hundreds of hot racing photos and racing art, be sure to visit The Racing ImageGalleries and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.