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CART: Montoya, Toyota fastest on first day at Rio

29 April 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Juan Montoya registered a lap of more than 172 mph on his way to earning the top spot in the first day of practice for Sunday's Rio 200 FedEx Championship Series race in Brazil.

Montoya's Target Toyota lapped almost three-tenths quicker than the next fastest car in the two Friday practice sessions. In three events to date this season, the defending CART champion has qualified no worse than third in his first season with Toyota power.

Defending race champ Montoya may have been the fastest, but he wasn't the only Toyota among the leaders as Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Jimmy Vassser placed sixth overall, while Cristiano da Matta was seventh in his Pioneer Toyota. Norberto Fontana (Videomatch Toyota) placed 13th and Oriol Servia (Telefonica Toyota) rounded out the Toyota contingent in 17th position, less than a second behind Montoya's pace.

Overall, 19 cars were separated by less than a second on the 1.864-mile oval as they prepared for Saturday's qualifying when Montoya will go for his second pole of the season.

Sunday's Rio 200 will be shown live on ESPN at 12:30 pm EDT.

Text provided by Lynne Nielsen

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