CART: Montoya's series leading seventh pole at Texaco Grand Prix of Houston ties CART rookie record
26 September 1999
Posted By Terry
Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
HOUSTON - Rookie Juan Montoya of
Target/Chip Ganassi Racing equaled a CART rookie record for pole positions
Saturday as he grabbed his FedEx Championship Series-leading seventh in
record fashion for the Texaco Grand Prix of Houston (4 p.m. ET Sunday,
live,
ABC-TV).
Montoya's (Target Honda Reynard) lap of 93.651 mph (58.699 seconds) on the 1.527-mile temporary street circuit established a new track record for the second-year event and allowed him to tie the CART rookie record of seven poles in a season established by Nigel Mansell in 1993.
In addition, Montoya earned a PPG Cup point for the pole, extending his championship lead over second-place Dario Franchitti (KOOL Honda Reynard) to 200-171 heading into Sunday's 18th of 20 rounds in the championship. Montoya, currently with a 29-point cushion, needs a 44-point advantage at the conclusion of the Texaco Grand Prix of Houston to clinch the championship.
Bryan Herta (Shell Ford Reynard) earned the outside pole with a lap of 93.037 mph (59.086 seconds). It marks his second consecutive front-row start, following his pole at Laguna Seca two weeks ago.
Paul Tracy (KOOL Honda Reynard) will start third following a lap of 93.006 mph (59.106 seconds). It marks his fourth top-three start in the last six events.
Rounding out the top five qualifiers were Franchitti (KOOL Honda Reynard), fourth at 92.891 mph (59.179 seconds), and Max Papis (Miller Lite Ford Reynard), fifth at 92.871 mph (59.192 seconds).
The top eight drivers were separated by less than one second and top 20 were separated by fewer than two.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
JUAN MONTOYA, Target Honda Reynard: "I think we had a good day. This morning, the car felt pretty good, even from yesterday. In the afternoon, [Adrian] Fernandez put up his time and everybody started shooting for that. I put on my second set of tires and gave it a good go. The car was good, it wasn't perfect, but we tried to improve it every time we came into the pits. [On tying the CART rookie record of seven pole positions in a season] At this time, I don't think it means much. Maybe in 10 or 20 years time it will mean more and I'll think, 'Oh, that's good.' Right now, I'm just trying to win the championship."
BRYAN HERTA, Shell Ford Reynard: "It was a really funky session, at least from my standpoint. Every time I started to get a lap, somebody else would have a problem. I was actually yelling at Bobby [Rahal, team owner] on the radio, just to try to release some frustration. Right at the end, I finally got a good clear lap and put one in. I'm very happy. I just as easily could have been seventh or eighth."
PAUL TRACY, KOOL Honda Reynard: "It [his qualifying lap] was just being on the track at the right time. Being in the second group, we didn't get the rain that was coming. For awhile, we were second, then Bryan got us on the last lap. I'm very happy with how we've done and how the team has done, and I'm looking forward to tomorrow."
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