---

CART: Castroneves Takes Pole at Toronto

16 July 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Helio Castroneves captured the prime position on the starting grid for Sunday's Molson Indy Toronto, the mid-point of the CART FedEx Championship Series. Castroneves' qualifying lap of 57.200 seconds (110.455 mph) bested 24 competitors on the 1.755-mile temporary street circuit before a record Toronto qualifying crowd of more than 52,500 fans.

Mauricio Gugelmin led the Mercedes-Benz contingent, qualifying his PacWest Nextel Mercedes on the fifth row (10th place) for Sunday's 112-lap contest with a hot lap of 58.152 seconds (108.646 mph). The effort tied his career-best qualifying effort at the circuit. Teammate Mark Blundell, who won the 1997 event, had a productive morning practice when he ran as high as third quickest. But the Brit was unable to improve his position from Saturday's provisional qualifying, and placed his Motorola Mercedes 15th on the starting grid with a lap in 58.428 seconds (108.133 mph).

Bryan Herta, substituting for injured Tony Kanaan in the Hollywood/Mo Nunn Racing Mercedes, will start 18th (58.570 seconds/107.871 mph). Herdez/Bettenhausen Motorsports Mercedes driver Michel Jourdain Jr. qualified on the 10th row with a lap of 59.022 seconds (107.045 mph). Luiz Garcia Jr. will start 25th in his first career appearance at Toronto (61.268 seconds/103.121 mph).

Hakkinen Captures Pole for Austrian Grand Prix

West McLaren Mercedes driver and two-time defending driving champion Mika Hakkinen scored the pole position Saturday for the Austrian Grand Prix, the 10th round of the Formula One World Championship. It was Hakkinen's 25th career pole * fourth this season * and placed the Finnish pilot seventh on the all-time list. Teammate David Coulthard, who is currently second in the driver's championship, will start alongside Hakkinen on the front row. The Formula One World Championship returns to the United States on September 24 for the inaugural U.S. Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Final Qualifying, Molson Indy Toronto
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
July 15, 2000

Pos. Driver Engine Time Speed

1 Helio Castroneves Honda 57.200 110.455
2 Cristiano da Matta Toyota 57.539 109.804
3 Michael Andretti Ford 57.666 109.562
4 Juan Montoya Toyota 57.928 109.066
5 Dario Franchitti Honda 57.940 109.044
6 Christian Fittipaldi Ford Cosworth 57.949 109.027
7 Kenny Brack Ford Cosworth 57.984 108.961
8 Gil de Ferran Honda 58.045 108.847
9 Adrian Fernandez Ford Cosworth 58.056 108.826
10 Mauricio Gugelmin Mercedes-Benz 58.152 108.646
15 Mark Blundell Mercedes-Benz 58.428 108.133
18 Bryan Herta Mercedes-Benz 58.570 107.871
20 Michel Jourdain Jr. Mercedes-Benz 59.022 107.045
25 Luiz Garcia Jr. Mercedes-Benz 61.268 103.121

Text provided by Susan Schroeder

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.