CART: Kanaan makes early exit at Long Beach
17 April 2000
Posted By Terry CallahanMotorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
#55 Hollywood/Mo Nunn Racing Mercedes-Benz Reynard
Sunday, April 16, 2000 Race Notes/Quotes
Grand Prix of Long Beach Streets of Long Beach, Calif.
Round 3 of 20 on the 2000 CART FedEx Championship Series
Tony Kanaan and the #55 Hollywood/Mo Nunn Racing Mercedes-Benz Reynard were forced to make an early exit from todays Grand Prix of Long Beach after Kanaan and the car of Kenny Brack made contact on Lap 54 of 82 scheduled laps. Kanaan, who started 15th, was running seventh at the time and was gradually making his way toward the front for the second time in the race. Brack attempted to make a pass heading into Turn 1 at the end of the long Shoreline Drive front straightaway. Brack got alongside Kanaan, who was leaving him room to pass, but turned a sharp left and contacted Kanaans right-front. Both cars were out of the race.
Earlier, Kanaan worked his way from his 15th starting position to eighth by the first round of pit stops. He fell back to 19th before mounting his second charge to the front.
The next stop on the 20-race CART tour is Round 4 on April 30 at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
TONY KANAAN I hate to say it, but, plain and simple, Kenny took us out of the race. I did everything I could to leave him room to get around me. I even breaked early. All of a sudden, he looked like he was going to miss the turn, but then he shot over to the left and right into the front of me. Thats all there is to say about it. We were there. We were moving toward the front. We just have to pick up the pieces and keep working hard. Remember that this is a very new team!
MORRIS NUNN Thats one of those things you dont count on happening, but its a part of motor racing. I could say that Im encouraged to see how we were able to run very competitively in the race after not the most successful two days of practice and qualifying. But, the bottom line is, Im disappointed in the final result, and thats what its all about.
Text provided by Laz Denes
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