• A good morning to all from what is shaping up to be a magnificent day in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve for the opening day of Champ Car practice in preparation for Sunday's inaugural Molson Indy Montreal--Round 13 of the CART FedEx Championship Series. This 90-minute session (10–11:30 a.m. ET) officially kicks off the weekend, and will be followed by the first of two Champ Car qualifying sessions slated for the weekend. The weather in Montreal at 9:45 a.m. is 61° F (16° C) with 63 percent humidity. Skies are partly sunny and the expected high this afternoon is 73° F (23° C).

• At your service today and throughout the weekend are Adam Saal (CART Vice President of Communications), Merrill Cain (Senior Manager, Public Relations), Eric Mauk (Manager, News) and Kelby Krauss (News Associate). Feel free to contact any of the above for help or information regarding Championship Auto Racing Teams, Inc. and the CART FedEx Championship Series.

• This weekend will mark the 1st year the CART FedEx Championship Series has raced at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. The permanent road course measures 2.709-miles (4.359 km) in length, and is the 10th road or street course event of the 2002 season. The CART FedEx Championship Series Molson Indy Montreal on Sunday will consist of 80 laps (216.72 miles/348.702 km).

• Fuel allotment--Fuel allotment for this race is 121.5 U.S. gallons (459.88 L). The calculated distance is 224.847 miles (361.7788 km) including two parade laps and one pace lap based on 1.85 miles per gallon pursuant to 9.6.1B of the 2002 Rule Book.

• Pit Stops--The maximum lap interval for pit stops will be 21 laps.

• CART FedEx Championship Series Starter Jim Swintal waves the GREEN FLAG at 10 a.m. to open the first session of practice for the Champ Cars on Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve's 2.709-mile permanent road course.

• RED FLAG at 10:07 a.m. for #26 TRACY who lost the back end and spun driver's right between Turns 14 and 15. Tracy stood on the throttle and tried to get the back end to snap around, but ran out of real estate and had to get off the gas, resulting in the loss of power and the stoppage that will cost him an eight-minute penalty.

• GREEN FLAG at 10:11 a.m., #11 FITTIPALDI is fastest early in the session in his backup car at 1:34.803 (102.870 mph/165.525 km/h).

• At 10:19 a.m., The penalty to #26 TRACY has been assessed.

• At 10:21 a.m., #8 VASSER tops the speed chart at 1:25.343 (114.273 mph/183.873 km/h).

• At 10:27 a.m., #55 DOMINGUEZ is fastest at 1:25.269 (114.372 mph/184.032 km/h) on his 12th lap.

• At 10:31 a.m., #52 NAKANO tops the speed chart at 1:24.986 (114.753 mph/ 184.646 km/h) on his ninth lap.

• At 10:35 a.m., #8 VASSER turns the fastest lap of the session at 1:24.115 (115.941 mph/186.557 km/h) on his 13th tour of the course, followed by #12 BRACK, #9 JOURDAIN, #52 NAKANO and #55 DOMINGUEZ.

• At 10:42 a.m., #5 TAKAGI fastest on his 13th lap at 1:22.395 (118.362 mph/190.453 km/h). #32 CARPENTIER spun and continued driver's left in Turn 10.

• At 10:45 a.m., #27 FRANCHITTI tops the speed chart at 1:22.372 (118.395 mph/190.506 km/h) on his 13th tour of the session, followed by #5 TAKAGI, #52 NAKANO, #44 DIXON and #33 TAGLIANI.

• At 10:51 a.m., #6 DA MATTA now fastest at 1:22.238 (118.588 mph/190.817 km/h) on his 11th lap.

• At 10:53 a.m., #6 DA MATTA improves to 1:22.096 (118.793 mph/191.146 km/h) on his 12th lap, followed by #27 FRANCHITTI, #11 FITTIPALDI, #5 TAKAGI and #20 SERVIA.

• At 10:56 a.m., #6 DA MATTA is the first to break 1:22.000 mark with a lap of 1:21.127 (120.212 mph/193.430 km/h).

• RED FLAG at 11:05 a.m. for #5 TAKAGI who spun driver's left after light contact with the wall. The Simple Green CART Safety Team restarts #5 TAKAGI on the bump and he continues back to pit lane where he will serve an eight-minute penalty for the stoppage.

• GREEN FLAG at 11:10 a.m. #6 DA MATTA remains fastest, followed by #4 JUNQUEIRA, #44 DIXON, #52 NAKANO and #27 FRANCHITTI.

• At 11:16 a.m., #4 JUNQUEIRA turns the fastest lap of the session at 1:20.730 (120.803 mph/194.381 km/h) on his 18th lap. #10 KANAAN spun and continued at Turn 6.

• The 11:18 a.m., The penalty to #5 TAKAGI has been assessed. #4 JUNQUEIRA remains fastest, followed by #6 DA MATTA, #33 TAGLIANI, #26 TRACY and #20 SERVIA.

• At 11:26 a.m., #26 TRACY moves to second on the speed chart at 1:21.150 (120.177 mph/193.393 km/h) on his 25th lap.

• CHECKERED FLAG. #6 DA MATTA of Newman/Haas Racing turns the fastest time of the session on his 30th and final lap at 1:20.593 (121.008 mph/194.710 km/h). #4 JUNQUEIRA of Target Chip Ganassi Racing finished second fastest at 1:20.730 (120.803 mph/194.381 km/h) on his 18th lap, followed by #20 SERVIA of Patrick Racing at 1:21.012 (120.382 mph/ 193.703 km/h) on his 28th lap, #5 TAKAGI of Walker Racing at 1:21.041 (120.339 mph/193.634 km/h) on his 20th lap and #32 CARPENTIER of Player's/Forsythe Racing at 1:21.135 (120.200 mph/193.410 km/h) on his 24th lap.

• Stay tuned for more “Real Racing. Real Sport” from picturesque and historic Montreal when CART FedEx Championship Series action continues this afternoon with the first round of Champ Car qualifying at 2:10 p.m.