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CART: Michael Andretti wins rain-delayed Firestone Firehawk 500

14 May 2000

FedEx Championship Series Report

Race:   Firestone Firehawk 500, Twin Ring Motegi, Japan
Date/Session:   Sunday, May 14, 2000        Race Report

    Michael Andretti won the rain-delayed Firestone Firehawk 500 today at the 
1.549-mile Twin Ring Motegi oval in Motegi, Japan, as Tony Kanaan's bid for a 
top-five finish ended with a cut tire and then a loss of power 12 laps before 
the checkered flag.

    "We definitely had a race car heading for the top five," said Kanaan, 
driver of the Hollywood/Mercedes-Benz for Mo Nunn Racing, who was credited 
with 16th place in the final standings.  "We were running very well and 
hanging with the leaders.  The only time I got passed on the race track was 
when my left rear tire went flat."

    Bettenhausen Motorsports/Herdez driver Michel Jourdain Jr., was the 
highest finisher for Mercedes-Benz with a 12th-place result.  He started 
18th, but was penalized by CART and forced to go to the back of the pack for 
a pit-lane rule violation during his first stop on lap 35.  Jourdain's car 
hit an air gun that was lying in Christian Fittipaldi's pit box, which was 
located immediately in front of Bettenhausen's pit.

    "The car was very good," said Jourdain.  "I had a very competitive car.  I 
know that with this team I can get to the podium.  Our package is very good." 

    Tom Brown, Jourdain's race engineer, was pleased with his driver's 
performance and his equipment.  "The engine was very strong, very impressive. 
I guess it can't always go right, but Michel just charged.  I'm really 
looking forward to the rest of the races now."

    PacWest Racing/Nextel/Mercedes-Benz driver Mauricio Gugelmin started in 
seventh place and ran in the top 10 early in the race, but his car suffered a 
broken header on lap 42 and he finished 22nd.

    Gugelmin's teammate, Mark Blundell, driver of the Motorola/Mercedes-Benz, 
struggled with an ill-handling race car and brushed the wall twice during the 
race, first on lap 79 and then again on lap 171.  He continued after the 
first incident with virtually no damage to his race car.  But the second 
incident brought about his retirement from the race.  He finished 19th.

    Luiz Garcia Jr., finished 23rd after exiting the race with a leaking gearbox 
on lap 18.
    
                        Race Results, Firestone Firehawk 500
                            Twin Ring Motegi, Japan
                                May 14, 2000

Pos.    Driver              Engine              Laps
1       Michael Andretti        Ford                201
2       Dario Franchitti        Honda               201
3       Roberto Moreno      Ford                201
4       Cristiano da Matta  Toyota              201
5       Kenny Brack     Ford                201
6       Paul Tracy          Honda               201
7       Juan Montoya        Toyota              201
8       Max Papis           Ford                200
9       Gil de Ferran       Honda               200
10      Adrian Fernandez    Ford                200
12      Michel Jourdain Jr. Mercedes-Benz       198
16      Tony Kanaan     Mercedes-Benz       189
19      Mark Blundell       Mercedes-Benz       161
22      Mauricio Gugelmin   Mercedes-Benz       42
23      Luiz Garcia Jr.     Mercedes-Benz       18

Driver's Championship               Manufacturer's Championship

Paul Tracy          56                      Ford                74              
    Jimmy Vasser    42                      Honda               68
Roberto Moreno      42                      Toyota                  56
                                            Mercedes-Benz       15