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CART: Tracy procures provisional pole for Honda Indy 300

15 October 1999

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

SURFERS PARADISE- Paul Tracy of Team KOOL Green took a step toward his first FedEx Championship Series pole position since 1997 Friday when he earned the provisional pole for Sunday's Honda Indy 300 (midnight ET Saturday, live, ESPN) on Australia's Gold Coast.

Before a Friday afternoon crowd of 47,328, Tracy (KOOL Honda Reynard), whose last pole came at Milwaukee in 1997, recorded a lap of 108.544 miles per hour (1 minute, 32.700 seconds) to lead 27 drivers who posted qualifying times on the 2.794-mile temporary street circuit in preparation for Sunday's 19th round of the championship. Final qualifying is scheduled for 10:45 p.m. ET Friday, at which time Tracy also will seek his first pole on a road or street course since 1994 at Laguna Seca.

Michael Andretti (Kmart/Texaco/Havoline Ford Swift) qualified on the outside pole provisionally at 108.037 mph (1:33.135). He is seeking his best start since winning the pole at Road America in July.

Rookie Juan Montoya (Target Honda Reynard), the FedEx Championship Series leader, qualified third on the provisional grid at 107.639 mph (1:33.479). Montoya, who leads the series with seven victories and seven pole positions, could clinch the title in this weekend's penultimate round of the championship by exiting Australia with a 22-point lead over second-place Dario Franchitti, Tracy's Team KOOL Green teammate.

Franchitti (KOOL Honda Reynard), the defending polesitter who trails Montoya by 13 points (200-187) entering the weekend, qualified fifth at 107.212 mph (1:33.851). He owns the track record of 109.028 mph (1:32.288), established during qualifying for last year's event.

Bryan Herta (Shell Ford Reynard) qualified fourth at 107.448 mph (1:33.645). He seeks his seventh top-four start of the season, including his fourth in the last six events.

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