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CART: Franchitti sits on provisional pole for Miller Lite 200

14 August 1999

LEXINGTON, Ohio - Team KOOL Green's Dario Franchitti celebrated his first-ever event as the FedEx Championship Series points leader by setting a track record Friday to earn the provisional pole Friday for the Miller Lite 200 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (3:30 p.m. ET Sunday, one-hour tape delay, ESPN).

Franchitti (KOOL Honda Reynard) recorded a lap of 124.394 miles per hour (1:05.347 seconds) to claim the provisional pole on the 2.258-mile permanent road course. The effort shattered the track qualifying record of 123.766 mph (1:05.679) set by Franchitti while winning the pole here last year.

Though Franchitti brings a five-point championship lead, 136-131, over Juan Montoya into Sunday's 14th of 20 rounds in the FedEx Championship Series, he will be chasing his first pole position of the season when final qualifying begins 12:45 p.m. ET Saturday. Montoya (Target Honda Reynard) qualified eighth Friday at 122.840 mph (1:06.174).

Bryan Herta (Shell Ford Reynard) qualified second at 123.493 mph (1:05.824). He will be looking for a season-best start, improving on third at Long Beach.

Paul Tracy (KOOL Honda Reynard) was third fastest at 123.336 mph (1:05.908). He seeks his second consecutive front-row start after qualifying second at Detroit last weekend.

Rounding out the top five provisional qualifiers were Tony Kanaan (McDonald's Championship Racing Team Honda Reynard), fourth at 123.190 mph (1:05.986), and Jimmy Vasser (Target Honda Reynard), fifth at 122.994 mph (1:06.091).

The top-10 qualifiers were separated by 1.005 seconds.

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