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CART: Mechanical problems force PacWest out early in Toronto race

17 July 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

(Toronto, CA)--Both PacWest Racing entries failed to finish the Molson Indy of Toronto today the 10th round of the FedEx Championship Series.

Mauricio Gugelmin, driver of the #17 Nextel PacWest Mercedes-Benz, was forced out on lap 45 of the 112-lap contest with an electrical problem.

Mark Blundell, the pilot of the #18 Motorola PacWest Mercedes-Benz, stopped out on track on just lap 20 with a mysterious mechanical problem that cut all power.

Blundell was looking forward to a successful day after being fastest in the morning warm-up that started in damp conditions and which dried enough for most drivers to be on slicks by its completion.

Michael Andretti won the 40th race of his career when he took the checkered flag from Patrick Racings Adrian Fernandez and local hero Paul Tracy all three, previous race winners at Toronto.

The race was run in front of a record weekend crowd of 168,000 Champ Car fans. The next round of the FedEx Championship Series will be a 500-mile contest at the Michigan Speedway next Sunday, July 23.

MAURICIO GUGELMIN - # 17 NEXTEL PACWEST MERCEDES-BENZ 15th

"The oil switch had been giving me problems since Saturday and it came back to haunt me today," said Gugelmin.

"The switch kept popping up which caused my oil temperature to jump up to 126 degrees.

"The car quit because something burned it smelled like burnt rubber in the cockpit.

"We are looking forward to a better result in Michigan next weekend."

MARK BLUNDELL - # 18 MOTOROLA PACWEST MERCEDES-BENZ 22nd

"It (the car) just stopped," said Blundell.

"I dont think it was a fuel pressure problem because there was no splutter or anything, it just cut off. It is never a pleasant experience walking back to the pits.

"It is tremendously disappointing because I think we had the race set-up to put us in the running at the end. It is frustrating for me, the crew, the rest of the team back at the shop everyone. But at the end of the day thats the result we have and we cant change it.

"We just need to put it behind us and get refocused for Michigan next weekend."

TOP 12: 1: Michael Andretti; 2: Adrian Fernandez; 3: Paul Tracy; 4: Cristiano da Matta; 5: Alex Tagliani; 6: Gil de Ferran; 7: Patrick Carpentier; 8: Max Papis; 9: Jimmy Vasser; 10: Kenny Brack; 11: Oriol Servia; 12: Luiz Garcia Jr.

Text provided by Brett Murray

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