The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 65

THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR WWW.INDYSTAR.COM Sports MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2003 R5 U.S. GRAND PRIX OFFICIAL BY THE NUMBERS 120,000 Comments by Curt Cavin Estimated crowd at the Indian apolis Motor Speedway Sunday 266 Days until next year's U.S. Grand Prix, which will be held on "in "HiWiiTlna in iiiiii a Kimi Raikkonen Team: West McLaren Mercedes Michael Schumacher Team: Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro or Country: Germany Country: Finland Behind leaden 18.258 seconds June 20, 2004 70 Schumacher's career victory total, 19 more than second-place Alain Prost The quiet Finn grabbed the USGP's pole, the second top spot of his career, but Indy will not be a good memory given his precarious title hopes. With a nine-point lead over Kimi Raikkonen, German is on his way to his record sixth world championship and record-tying fourth in a row. 10 points for first-place finish 8 points for second-place finish 55 Temperature at the start of the race 36 nii "imri i iiiiii Laps led by winner Michael Jarno Trulli Team: Renault Heinz-Harald Frentzen Team: Sauber Petronas Schumacher, including 35 of the or I Country: Italy Behind leaden 48.329 seconds Country: Germany Behind leader: 37.964 seconds The weekend was a series of near-misses for the Italian, who had the best car in practice but crashed and didn't win the pole.

He just missed the podium, too. Likable German isn't sure where he'll drive next season, but he delivered another memorable performance in the rain, earning his second podium in Indy. last 36 18.25 mij. Hi' 1 Schumacher's margin of victory, 5 points for fourth-place finish a 6 points for third-place finish in seconds, largest In a U.S. F-1 race since Alain Prost in Phoe nix in 1989 (39.696 seconds) 18 a Laps led by Kimi Raikkonen at the race's outset Kick Heidfeld Team: Sauber Petronas Juan Pablo Montoya Team: Williams-BMW 13 Country: Germany Behind leaden 56.403 seconds Seldom has a sixth-place finish been more devastating to a driver.

The Colombian fell out of the title chase with Schumacher's victory. German delivered a season-best fifth place -in what could be his final season with Sauber. For a while it looked like he could snare a spot on the podium. Country: Colombia Behind leader: llap Career victories for David Coulthard, second-most of any other driver In Sunday's field 5 LI IT ft' 3 points for sixth-place finish 4 points for fifth-place finish 11 Drivers who finished the race, EH lowest total in the race's four- year history i f. 9 it- ra I II rtlh.li i mta I Five-time champion Schumacher's points lead heading Into the season-closing Japanese Grand Prix on Oct.

12 Ralph Firman Country: Great Britain Team: Jordan Ford Reason out: Spin 8 Jordan driver damaged Jacques Villeneuve Country: Canada Team: Lucky Strike BAR Reason out: Engine Continues to be jinxed at the Indy track that he conquered in 1995. Had a points-scoring day going until his Honda engine expired on backstretch. Jos Verstappen Country: Netherlands Team: European Minardi Cosworth Behind leader. 4 laps Was best-finishing Minardi driver as both finished four laps off the pace. Each ran his best laps late in the race.

Nicolas Kiesa Country: Denmark Team: European Minardi Cosworth Behind leader: 4 laps Fourth F-l race started with a bang for the young Danish driver, who made contact with Jordan's Ralph Firman entering the first corner. Glancarlo Flslchella Country: Italy Team: Jordan Ford Behind leader 1 lap Leader of the Jordan camp ran his quickest lap before the rain came, Only second time he's i scored points this season. The other was his win in Cristlano da Matta Country: Brazil Team: Panasonic Toyota Racing Behind leader: 2 laps Brazilian's 15th F-l race was an adventure. Like other drivers, he went off the course in the wet eighth turn and was penalized for exceeding the pit road speed limit. Justin Wilson Country: Great Britain Team: Jaguar Racing Behind leaden 2 laps Young Jaguar driver grabbed the final point of the day, which was the first of his career after 15 starts.

Was two laps behind Schumacher at the finish. 1 point for eighth-place finish the front nose of his car in first-corner contact with Nicolas Kiesa. Never Finish by Justin Wilson, giving him the first point of his F-1 career recovered. Retired with mechanical failure after 48th lap. 1 Brazil.

2 points for sevanth-pbcafWsh 6 EE Drivers who led the race, a record for the U.S. Grand Prix Laps completed by second-fastest qualifier Rubens Barrichello Sunday before his race ended -T II 1 Rubens Barrichello Country: Brazil Team: Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro Reason out: Accident 1 Jenson Button Country: Great Britain Team: Lucky Strike BAR Reason out: Engine Brit's strategy got him to the lead, but he retired with the first Honda engine failure on the 42nd lap. Ralf Schumacher Country: Germany Team: Williams-BMW Reason out: Spin Another unimpressive trip to Indy for this German with the famous last name. He lasted 21 laps this time when he went off line in the eighth turn. David Coulthard Country: Great Britain Team: West McLaren Mercedes Reason out: Gearbox McLaren driver was all over the news with his passing of Michael Schumacher early, which caused contact, and his Mark Webber Country: Australia Team: Jaguar Racing Reason out: Spin Aussie got to the lead for the first time in his young F-l career when Michael Schumacher pitted on lap 20.

But on dry tires he slid off the eighth turn. Defending race winner Fernando Alonso Country: Spain Team: Renault Reason out: Engine Promising young Spaniard passed eventual winner in what seemed to be a podium run. But his Renault engine didn't last and he retired after 44 laps. Olivier Panls Country: France Team: Panasonic Toyota Racing Reason out: Spin Second-row starter arguably got the event's best start as he chased pole winner Kimi Raikkonen to the first turn. Frenchman held the second position until the fifth lap.

Number of Indianapolis 500 winners who finished (Juan Pablo Montoya, who was sixth) and number of 500 winners who didn't (Jacques Villeneuve) looked like the driver to beat through the weekend, but he got a poor start and was knocked into the sand fit hi speeding on pit road. trap on lap three by Juan Pablo Montoya. QUOTABLE Retirement ended his string of success here. 1 Vital statistics Time of race: 1 hour: 33 minutes, 35.997 seconds Winner's average speed: 12 1.890 mph Margin of victory: 18.258 seconds "It's nice to lead, but people don't remember who leads races." Race incidents Lap three: Juan Pablo Montoya attempts an inside pass of Rubens Barrichello, sending Barrichello into the gravel trap on turn two. Lap 22: Ralf Schumacher slides backward into the tire barrier on turn eight and is out of the race.

Mark Webber spins into the same tire barrier and is out of the race with damage to the front of his car. Lap 30: Olivier Jenson Button hydraulic pressure after crossing the startfinish line to complete his 41st lap. Lap 53: Ralph Firman stopped next to turn seven after experiencing problems with his front wheels and fuel. Lap 66: Jacques Villeneuve's car begins smoking as he nears the back turns. It catches fire on turn eight, and he jumps from the car, out of the race.

Lap leaders Laps 1-18 Kimi Raikkonen Lap 19 Michael Schumacher Laps 20-21 Mark Webber Lap 22 David Coulthard Lap 23-37 Jenson Button Laps 38-47 Schumacher Lap 48 Heinz-Harald Frentzen Laps 49-73 Schumacher Drivers' points standings (Top s) 1. Michael Schumacher 92 2. Kimi Raikkonen 83 3. Juan Pablo Montoya 82 4. Ralf Schumacher 58 5.

Rubens Barrichello 55 Fernando Alonso 55 "My first experience here in Indianapolis wasn't good at all." Cristiano da Matta "We lost the race because we were very unlucky with the weather today. But what can you do?" Race fastest laps 0: 1. Michael Schumacher 2. Fernando Alonso 3. Juan Pablo Montoya fj A.

Kimi Raikkonen 5. Ralf Schumacher 5 6. David Coulthard 7. Jarno Trulli 8. Jenson Button 9.

Nick Heidfeld I 10. Mark Webber 11. Cristiano da Matta 12. Justin Wilson 13. Heinz-Harald Frentzen 14.

Olivier Panis 15. Jacques Villeneuve 16. Giancarlo Fisichella 17. Rubens Barrichello i 18. Ralph Firman 19.

Nicolas Kiesa Time lap 1:11.473 13 1:11525 9 1:11.595 9 1:11.617 9 1:11.655 13 1:12.009 12 1:12.015 14 1:13.038 10 1:13.085 13 1:13.099 12 1:13.231 13 1:13.324 12 1:13.338 71 1:13340 12 1:13.538 62 1:13.630 13 1:13.905 2 1:14.687 11 1:14.737 67 68 Panis slides backward into the tire barrier on turn seven and is out of the race. Lap 41: Jenson Button's car smokes on the front Kimi Raikkonen straightaway, and he stops for good with loss of 20. Jos Verstappen Constructors' championship points standings "I was able to catch a lot of positions straight at the start, which brought me back into the fight." Michael Schumacher 'TIN Toyota 22 14 13 0 JAGUAR 18 RUWWIINamsFlTam AlcLaren' RENAULT 84 BRITISH A Ml RICA RMINC SAUBER PETRONAS 147 144 128 19 18.