Race No. 6
Motorola 300
Gateway International Raceway — Madison, Illinois
May 27-29, 1999
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Can Montoya Keep it Up?
Rookie could make it four in a row if he takes Gateway win
The big story of the race will clearly be what Juan Montoya can put together during his first start at Gateway's oval.Having won three races in a row, the question before the race is not "who will win?" but "who could beat Montoya?."Montoya has quickly established that the no. 4 car fielded by Target Chip Ganassi Racing is still to be feared. Even though Alex Zanardi has made room for a rookie at its wheel, the team behind it has not changed much. Montoya is a clear favorite at this track, because it was Zanardi's car who won at Gateway in '98. He won a race where passing was difficult and fast pit stops were essential to make it to the front. Conditions in early '99 oval events indicate that this year's race should be very similar. Passing will be difficult. Pit stop practice must have been on every team's agenda since they returned from Rio...
The competitors in the early '99 season are also very predictable - almost every race we have seen the same teams finish in the top spots. But there were some recent changes that may affect the running order: Penske may run a Lola chassis, which has shown very promising runs at the ovals so far, and Della Penna will be racing with a used Reynard chassis. They felt they couldn't get their Swift set up properly.
Two drivers will be under extra pressure: Robby Gordon and Roberto Moreno (filling in for the injured Mark Blundell) both are on the starting grid for the Indy 500 scheduled for Sunday. What if the CART race rains out on Saturday? Even if they run the races as scheduled, they'll be pretty busy by open-wheel racing standards.
Apart from the usual high speed action on this rather tricky, narrow oval, CART plans a "night exhibition" practice run on Friday at 8pm. The track has been equipped with lights for summer night races to beat the St. Louis heat. CART could possibly shift their schedule in 2000 and run at Gateway later in the season if the test is successful.
Some quotes:
- Robby Gordon:
This is an open-wheel racer's dream. Howmuch better can it get than this? - racing in the best open-wheel seriesin the world one day, then the biggest open-wheel racing event in theworld the next day. No matter what happens, it'll be a weekend we'llnever forget.
Max Papis:
We had a bad run of luck at Japan and Nazareth whichcost us a chance to finish with some points. The importantthing for our team is to keep building on our successes and not to focus onthe mishaps.
Testing doesn't mean much other than it can help to boost your confidence.As a team we have to continue to work hard and strive forimprovement in all areas. I feel comfortable that we can build on thesuccess of Rio and take another major step forward at St. Louis.
Bryan Herta:
We had a couple of setbacks at Japan and Nazareth but the package we run iscompetitive. We know we have the ability to run up front and win.I hate to emphasize the importance of any race over another, butwith a quarter of the season gone, the next few races starting with St.Louis will be key to our ability to challenge for the championship. We[Team Rahal] had an excellent test at St. Louis a couple of weeks ago whichshould put us in position to run very well at Gateway.
Juan Montoya
(Target Honda Reynard), on his recent and unparalleled run of rookie success in the FedEx Championship Series: "People everywhere are asking me if I'm surprised by my three victories, and I really am. I expected to come to CART and do well because of my experience and [team owner] Chip Ganassi, but whoa, this has been unbelievable. I look around at the other great drivers in the series, starting with [Target/Chip Ganassi Racing teammate] Jimmy [Vasser], and I get even more surprised. I'm just going to keep pushing harder and hopefully, keep winning. I feel we are ready for St. Louis after our test there [May 4 and 5]. We were very quick, and the circuit offers me another challenge. Do I feel more pressure after three victories? Not really. If anything, the pressure has come from outside the team all season long. Inside the team, they ask me to treat every race the same. I just want to win."
Michael Andretti
(Kmart/Texaco/Havoline Ford Swift), on chasing the victory that barely eluded him at Gateway International Raceway last year: "The momentum we need to carry throughout the season is to be able to finish races. We didn't finish the race in Rio so hopefully that was just a temporary setback. It was good that it happened when we were having an off day and were in 14th place, though. We need to get our momentum back in the Motorola 300 and win one. A win would put us back in the title chase. After leading the race the past two years and falling short with second place last year, we really want to do well. We dominated the race last year but were in the pits for one extra second than Zanardi and finished in second place. It was such a shame. I was quicker than Zanardi but just couldn't get by him. The series is so competitive that it is difficult to pass anyone. The pits are a good place to pass someone and that is what he did to us. The team concentrated on improving our pit stops in the off season and I think we have improved. We hope to keep improving in St. Louis and win one."
Christian Fittipaldi
(Big Kmart Ford Swift), on maintaining his early-season success: "We are carrying some good momentum to St. Louis. The fact that we are the only team to have completed every race lap is a good indication of our consistency. The Big Kmart team is really working hard. It would be almost impossible to be able to finish the season having completed every lap but we will work toward that goal. The team is working together very well. Now that we are heading to St. Louis, we know more about our car. It doesn't just take one or two races to have enough data on the Firestone tires to maximize them. We will continue to learn more about them all season. We had a good test here so we feel cautiously optimistic about our chances. We didn't have any testing on the track in Rio and did very well. Scoring points and being third in the championship definitely motivates the team. We definitely have the momentum going with us right now."
Paul Tracy
(KOOL Honda Reynard), on the secret to success at Gateway: "I'm anxious to get racing at Gateway. I like the track, we had a really good test there last month and it seems every time we go to a race or a test nowadays, we make the Team KOOL Green car better. It's all about cornering speed at Gateway. The straightaways are long and we have the smaller wings, so the car accelerates pretty freely. But it's all about getting the car slowed down for the corner and getting back on the throttle as soon as you can." (On the new CART-mandated Energy Absorbing Wheel Restraints, which debut at this weekend's Motorola 300) "I think it's a good idea and I'm surprised we didn't have them already. CART is very safety conscious and is always looking for ways to improve the safety of everyone involved."
Dario Franchitti
(KOOL Honda Reynard), on the challenges of Gateway International Raceway: "The Gateway oval is peculiar in that you've got two totally different corners, which means you've really got to compromise on the setup to make the car as comfortable as you can in both. Turns 1& 2 are fairly slow – we'll downshift for them, while Turns 3 & 4 are reasonably fast and you just try to scrub off as little speed as possible. I'm optimistic we'll be on the pace. Things are going well at Team KOOL Green at the moment. Not as well as I'd like. I mean, we've been on the podium three times and we're second in the points. But, obviously, we'd have like to have won a race by now. The good news is we're ahead of where we were last year at this time. Montoya's the man to beat at the moment, but we're looking to change that."
(On the Energy Absorbing Restraints) "I've seen the wheel tethers applied to a Formula One car and I definitely think it is a good idea. Obviously, CART takes safety very seriously. It's a good move in the right direction. Whatever we can do to make it safer for the fans, drivers and teams is a good thing."
Greg Moore
(Player's/Indeck Mercedes Reynard), on the importance of building on his past success at Gateway: "Last year at Gateway, I managed to win the pole, and I hope to be able to do that again this year. With the series as competitive as it is, getting one of the top spots on the grid is a key. I think we're ready for a good race because I spent the break last weekend testing on the Milwaukee oval and Patrick worked on developing the engine in testing he did with Mercedes at Indianapolis. Everything went well, and I'm optimistic about getting back to the podium, as was the case when I won the season-opener in Homestead."
Jimmy Vasser
(Target Honda Reynard), on the success of teammate Juan Montoya: "Juan is a very impressive young man who has surprised all of us with his winning streak. We thought he would win races this year, but three in a row? No one knew that. But when you talk to Juan, you realize he's so mentally tough and focused that nothing is ever out of his reach. From the start, he's tested well and paid close attention to Alex [Zanardi, 1997 and '98 FedEx Championship Series champion] and myself, and he and [engineer] Morris [Nunn] have become very close. I offer advice on the tracks that are new to him, but he's such a quick study, I wonder if he needs it. It's fun to be part of a team that can keep winning year-in and year-out, and Juan's just the guy to help us fight for another championship. After five races, I'm not where I'd like to be in the points, and certainly not used to being this far behind. The law of averages affects event Chip Ganassi sometimes, and I know the team rarely goes through a period like this. I treat every race the same in that we always prepare to win, and St. Louis will be no different. We're heading into the second quarter of the season and a good race in St. Louis will set me up for the rest of the season."
Al Unser Jr.
(Marlboro Mercedes Penske), on the team's strong finish at Rio de Janeiro, where both he and rookie Tarso Marques scored FedEx Championship Series points: "We really got some momentum behind the team coming out of the race in Rio. With Tarso and I both finishing in the points [Marques finished ninth; Unser Jr. finished 12th], everyone is hoping the tide is turning for Marlboro Team Penske. In the two races CART has run at Gateway, I haven't had very good luck. Actually, if I had the time, and a ticket, I'd see The Phantom Menace just to make sure the force is with us this year." (On Friday night's special "Under the Lights" Champ Car practice session) "I'm really looking forward to driving a Champ Car under the lights. While I raced at night in sprint cars for my first three years as a professional driver, I've never driven an open-cockpit car at night and I'm curious to see what it's like. It will be a unique experience for the drivers and a good show for the fans."
Richie Hearn
(Budweiser Toyota Reynard), on setting the car up properly for Gateway: "St. Louis is a tough track to set the car up for because Turns One and Two are quite different from Turns Three and Four. It makes it a real challenge to get the car right for both ends of the track. It's also really narrow and with these smaller wings, that's going to be more difficult than ever." (On his busy week of pre-race activities) "We have some good events planned of the St. Louis race week. I'm going to several autograph signing events for Budweiser and attending the Cardinals game on Wednesday night, that's always fun. It would be nice to perform well for Budweiser at their home venue, but I want to do well for them, the team and myself at every race event so I can't really say I feel any added pressure. Once the racing starts, it's all the same for me."
Helio Castro-Neves
(Hogan Motor Leasing, Inc. Mercedes Lola), on the value of frequent testing [more than 500 miles] at Gateway prior to the Motorola 300: "Of course [it's an advantage]! We've had time to sort out the car and figure out exactly what our plan will be when we get to the first practice session on Thursday. I not only have confidence in the track, but I've got tremendous confidence in the team. They've continued to give me great cars all season and we've had some very promising results. But, having said that, I have to say even though I'm only 24, I've been doing this long enough to know that motor racing is a crazy business. Having a lot of testing miles does not always mean dominance on the track when it counts.
"[Gateway] really is a nice circuit to drive. There's a bump in turn three and turn one is sharp so you downshift two gears to make it through there safely. I think that it should be a great show for the fans on Saturday. There should plenty of opportunity for passing all the way around. I think it will be great fun!"
Patrick Carpentier
(Player's/Indeck Mercedes Reynard), on building upon his season-best finish of sixth at Rio de Janeiro: "Finishing sixth in Rio was most encouraging, and I can't think of a better place than Gateway to continue to build on that momentum. We're always striving for excellence on the Player's team, and the Brazil race was virtually flawless. It was a big lift for the whole team, and we managed to pick up some valuable points in the standings. I made it to the podium at Gateway in 1997 [with a career-best second-place finish for Bettenhausen Motorsports], and I am aiming to top that performance this year."
Scott Pruett
(Pioneer/MCI WorldCom Toyota Reynard), on the challenges of Gateway International Raceway: "Gateway is a narrow, elongated oval with a definite corner in Turn One. You have to downshift going into Turn One, and you can carry more speed through three and four. Of the tracks we've visited so far, it's most similar to Japan. Both tracks have two different 'ends' -- one set of turns is fast, and the other is slower. Car set-up is key. Gateway does not offer the driving challenges that an oval like Rio presents, so having the car in tune with the track determines where you start and how well you can move through traffic. Doing well there on race day comes down to set-up and race strategy, particularly with pit stop timing and fuel mileage considerations." (On the Energy Absorbing Restraints) "Safety is always our top priority in auto racing. CART's introduction of wheel tethers on the Champ Cars is a great step toward making the sport as safe as possible for fans, drivers and teams alike. CART has always taken a very proactive stance in terms of safety advances, and the tethers are a good example of this."
Mauricio Gugelmin
(Hollywood PacWest Mercedes), on racing at Gateway: "The circuit is very unique, with one end a tighter radius than the other. It's important to have a car that works well at both ends of the track. We've had a very good car on ovals this season – we've just had a bit of bad luck that has kept us from reaching the podium. We continue to make progress in testing [Gugelmin was among the fastest at a recent Milwaukee test] and I'm confident that Gateway can be a turning point for us."
Roberto Moreno
(Motorola PacWest Mercedes), on fitting in with the PacWest Racing Group: "It's a great honor to be chosen to be part of the Motorola PacWest team. We had a very successful race in Rio and I fit into the team very quickly. The interaction between the engineers, the crew, and I was extremely important – it was the only way we could be so competitive in such a short amount of time. It makes it easier to come in on short notice when you're working with such a professional team. I tested for two days at Gateway in 1998 and I think that will help a lot. I like the circuit – it's very challenging. Unfortunately, I'll probably miss the first practice session because of Carburetion Day [at Indianapolis Motor Speedway], but I'm quite confident that the Motorola team will be competitive right out of the box."
Christiano da Matta
(MCI WorldCom Toyota Reynard), on his PPG-Dayton Indy Lights experience at Gateway International Raceway: "I have great memories from St. Louis. I finished second in my first Indy Lights race there (1997), and last year I finished third. Now all that is missing is a first! Gateway is one of my favorite ovals on the circuit, because there's always a lot of good racing there. We tried to test in St. Louis before we left for Rio but we had terrible weather, lots of rain. We did not get any real chance to run the car in two days. It would have been good to get more time there in a Champ Car, but my experience in five races so far has been good preparation. [Teammate} Scott [Pruett] tested there after we did, but the tires they used were different from what we will use during the race. The team got some good information, but the tests didn't really show how the weekend would go for us. It just makes Thursday practice even more important."
Alex Barron
(AAR Denso/Castrol Toyota Eagle), on getting the setup right at Gateway: "Based on our recent test at the St. Louis oval, I think we have a good base set-up for the Eagle 997 chassis. Goodyear is bringing in new tires that were tried at the same test and their construction and compound offers good grip and support. Our Toyota RV8D engine will have more horsepower and therefore a power advantage for this race. We should be much improved from last year's mid-field result as we have a better overall package with the '99 chassis, tire and engine combination. We ran under the same rules last year, and in prior years there was no gear shifting, but with the new wing configuration rules there'll be a lot of changing gears at this 1.27-mile oval, which is unusual. Finally I hope the weather cooperates for race day!"
Tarso Marques
(Marlboro Mercedes Penske), on continuing his rookie FedEx Championship Series season at Gateway: "I'm very happy that [team owner] Roger [Penske] is giving me the opportunity to race again. When I first tested with Marlboro Team Penske [at Nazareth in March], I was there to fill in for Al [Unser Jr.] while he recovered from his broken ankle. Now as we continue to develop the car, Roger is providing me with the chance for more seat time and experience. We still don't know what other races I will compete in; we're just taking one race at a time, but I've waited 15 months without a ride, so I don't mind waiting a little longer for such a great opportunity. The Marlboro Mercedes Penske was strong in Rio and we had some good results, so I'm hoping to improve again for St. Louis."