The Leaf-Chronicle from Clarksville, Tennessee • 19

Monday, June 20, 2005 The Leaf-Chronicle ii AUTO RACING www.theleafchronicle.com Page C5 Formula One field reduced to six 1 4 teams pull out of U.S. Grand Prix over concerns of Michelin tire safety 'i'i i 1 -ft m. Formula One I in Jin iii.in.il I I I li I- iTT'l ri-' I 1 i The Renault team pushes the cars of Fernando Aionso into ine garage aner tne start or tne race as teams using Michelin tires boycotted the United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Sunday. Michelin advised teams using its tires not to compete because of safety concerns. By JENNA FRYER Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS One by one, 14 Formula One cars ducked off the race track and parked in a unified protest over safety concerns at the United States Grand Prix.

From their seats in the grandstands, the few American fans of the globe-trotting racing series watched in wide-eyed disbelief as just six cars started Sunday's event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The drivers were embarrassed The fans were disgusted. Any chance F-l had of capturing the American audience was crippled. "I feel terrible. I have a sick feeling in my stomach," David Coulthard said after pulling out of the race.

"I am embarrassed to be a part of this. The reality is that mature adults were not able to come to a resolution that would have allowed us to put on the show that everybody wants to see in Formula One. "It is a very sad day for this sport. I am so, so sorry for what weVe done." Michael Schumacher bested five other cars on the- track to win his first event of the seasoa It was his third consecutive victory in the U.S. Grand Prix and fourth in the six years it has been held at Indy.

But it will forever be tainted. He was booed on the podium, the traditional champagne celebration was canceled, and the public address announcer implored the few remaining fans in attendance to stop throwing things. "Bit of a strange Grand Prix," Schumacher said. "Not the right way to win my first one this year." The event was in jeopardy from the start because Michelin advised the seven teams it supplies that its tires were not safe to race through Associated Press The Ferraris of Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello lead just four other race cars at the start of the United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway Sunday. Only six cars started the race after tiremaker Michelin advised the teams it supplied not to race because of safety concerns.

Associated Press Giancarlo Flsichella, left, and After just 10 laps, many spectators began heading for the exits. There were reports of thousands of fans showing up at the ticket office demanding refunds, and that police had been called to keep the peace. Indianapolis Motor Speedway boss Tony George didn't immediately respond to an interview request by The Associated Press. Instead, he issued a statement urging fans to direct their frustration to Michelin, the FIA and F-l's management The statement provided e-mail addresses for all three. This event already draws just a fraction of what other races here do.

Less than 100,000 come to this race, compared to a crowd in excess of 300,000 for the Indianapolis 500. Sunday's debacle will do nothing to improve that. "Quite frankly, the fans got cheated," Ecclestone said. Scott Brombacher, a fan from California, said he was disgusted as he left. "I love Formula One it just aggravates me," Brombacher said.

"I itself in a positive and professional manner," it said. "It is sad that we couldn't showcase Formula One in the manner we would have liked today." Among those refusing to race were world championship points leader Fernando Aionso and Kimi Raikkonen, who trails him in the standings by 22 points. Aionso is F-l's biggest threat to end Schumacher's five-year reign as world champion. But when he and the other contenders pulled out of the event it opened the door for seven-time world champion Schumacher to climb back into the race. "I am really sorry for the USA fans because they came here to support us and see our show.

The decision for us not to race is sad, but we were in danger. JftmO Trillli Pole-sitter for F1 race the high banked final turn at Indy. The world's largest tiremaker worked endlessly with the teams to try to persuade the FIA the series governing body, to make allowances that would ensure the 14 drivers using Michelins would be safe. The FIA wouldn't ease its rule that forbids teams to change tires after qualifying. And it absolutely refused to consider installing a chicane in turn 13 to slow the speeds.

So Michelin advised its teams not to compete after a lengthy morning meeting between the seven team bosses, F-l boss Berriie Ec-clestone and the FIA At one point, all 20 drivers were summoned to the meeting. In the end, nine teams decided they would not race without the chicane. Ferrari, which fields cars for Schumacher and Rubens Bar-richello, was the lone holdout. The nine teams even agreed to race for no points, as long as the obstacle was added to the course, od. Hendrick (Motorsports) is close to that, as well.

They're knocking on that door. (But Roush) is definitely the best lineup of people." Tony Stewart, who dominated the race, leading 97 of 200 laps, finished second in his Chevrolet. "We'd like to be complacent with second, but we're a very competitive team," said Stewart, who improved four spots in the points and currently is sixth after Sunday's race. "I wish I could say I'm really happy." Biffle, who also won last August's race at Michigan, made a providential decision during the final caution period. He opted not to pit Kenseth, Edwards and Roush driver Kurt Busch, who finished 12th, all stayed out when then-leader Stewart pitted for four tires on lap 172.

Martin, running fifth at the time, also pitted. Most of the leaders, including Biffle, had pitted for four tires on lap 158. "I said, 'I'm going to stay out and see what said Biffle, who led 63 laps. "It's just so hard to pass here. I was hoping six or eight guys would stay with us and give Tony something to have to burn his tires to get back for.

Biffle gives Ford another win MainStream Heating Cooling, LLC 1539 Ashland City Road Clarksville, TN 37040 647-9610 spent a lot of money and took a week off from work to come out here. To have all this happen at the last minute is just disgusting." Now the future of the series in the US. hangs in jeopardy. This is the rare country that has not embraced the world's top racing series, and teams have been working hard to tap into the lucrative market All seven teams that pulled out of the race signed a single statement apologizing for the debacle. "We are totally aware that the USA is an important market for Formula One and there is an obligation for Formula One to promote Spring 1 st time customers only.

Not 7. -N- The Detroit News BROOKLYN, Mich. Greg Biffle earned his fifth victory of the season in the Batman Begins 400 before an estimated 160,000 at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday. This was the 100th victory for the Ford Taurus and gives team owner Jack Roush his eighth victory in 15 NASCAR Nextel Cup races as his team continues its season domination. Biffle led the way of a near-Roush sweep of the top five Mark Martin was third, Matt Kenseth was fourth and Carl Edwards was fifth.

'This is home," Roush said when asked about the satisfaction of having four of the top five finishers at MIS. "It's like we were target shooting, and you've got this really tight pattern where there's a little bit of variance from load to load, but you can get it close to the bull's-eye." It was the third straight victory for Roush Racing, which has won the last two series championships. "In my opinion, Roush Racing has the hottest lineup of drivers in NASCAR said Martin, who will retire from Cup racing after this season. "We don't have an off team right now, peri in an effort to ensure the race was completed. But when the chicane was not erected, the Michelin teams decided to withdraw from the event.

Already lined up on pit road, they all completed the warmup lap. Then they pulled off and parked, climbing out of their cars -at the same time the remaining six drivers started the race. The cars that did compete all race on Bridge-stone tires. "I am really sorry for the USA fans because they came here to support us and see our show," pole-sitter Jarno Trulli said. "The decision for us not to race is sad, but we were in danger." The crowd was stunned when the 14 cars pulled off, with fans pointing and gawking as they tried to figure out what was going on.

Fans booed and some threw water bottles on the track in disgust. "If I was a fan out there I would do the same," said driver Jacques Villeneuve, a former Indianapolis 500 winner. "If everybody came in behind us, then we might have been more of a sitting duck, but lucky enough, I had roughly four or five guys stay out with us and that makes the guys with new tires have to race those guys for positioa" But Biffle was worried about Stewart "When I was going into (turn) one, I could seen an orange car. There aren't many on the race track, but I could see an orange car (Stewart). It looked to me like he was fourth.

There wasn't a lot of cars in between (us), so I knew that he had to have passed a group of cars." Stewart said he doesn't quite know why his newer tires didn't give him the needed advantage. "For some reason (the car) didn't take off like it did," Stewart said. "That was a little different, or maybe I overdrove it at the front of the rua I just couldn't get to those guys." Belgian Jacky Ickx, who achieved his feat between 1969 and 1982. "Brilliant. It was a great race," Kristensen said.

"I am so happy to be the record holder, to have been part of a fantastic victory." The Dane shared driving duties with Audi teammates JJ Lehto of Finland and Merco Werner of Germany. Nearing the finish, Kristensen raised a single finger in the air to celebrate his victory. Kristensen took the lead in the fourth hour of the race, and his team then held off a strong challenge from Pescarolo driver Jcan-Christophe Boullion and his French teammates Emmanuel Collard and Erik Comas. "They deserved to be near the front" Kristensen said. "But the toughest deserve to win at the end.

I could not be more satisfied." Kristensen completed 370 laps, while Boullion was two laps back. Another Audi car, driven by Frank Bicla, Emanucle Pirro and Allan McNish, finished third with 364 laps completed. I NEXTEL I da Matta returns to Champ Car Victory Lane CO OFF Tune-Up valid with any other offer) 'With this Ad 1 -Sv ..4 t.iti.. 1 4 I i tk Associated Press Champ Car driver Cristiano da Matta celebrates after winning the Champ Car Grand Prix of Portland Sunday at Portland International Raceway in Portland, Ore. Kristensen takes seventh straight Le Mans trophy Associated Press PORTLAND, Ore.

Cristiano da Matta cruised to victory Sunday in the Champ Car World Series of Portland to repeat his first-place finish in 2002 his last season with the series before switching to Formula One. da Matta, the 2002 champion of Champ Car, finished 10.128 seconds in front of defending champion Se-bastien Bourdais and then did doughnuts for fans at Portland International Raceway. Paul Tracy, who won two weeks ago at Milwaukee, finished third on the 1964-mile road course. Under cloudless skies, da Matta led 50 of the 105 laps after pole sitter Justin Wilson had what was thought to be electrical trouble. The Brazilian, who returned to Champ Car and is now driving for PKV Racing, had not won a race since 2002, when he won seven.

It was da Matta's 12th career win. Wilson started from the pole for the first time and had a lead of more than 10 seconds on Tracy when he suddenly lost power. RuSport owner Carl Russo said the team did not know the exact cause of the problem, da Matta took the lead when the leaders pitted under caution. Stretching his margin to more than 185 seconds, da Matta pitted early with 30 laps left, surrendering the lead for a time to Bourdais. In 2002, da Matta had the pole and led 55 laps.

The next season he left Champ Car to run in Formula ioam et 2Z through July 3rd Auto racing roundup One with Toyota In first-round qualifying on Friday, Bourdais had to forfeit his best lap because he came out of the pits at the same time Wilson was passing at full pace. Then he contested second-round qualifying results Saturday, claiming a power outage meant his best lap wasn't timed. That drew attention away from Wilson, whose qualifying lap of 57597 seconds (122.756 mph) Friday established the record on the road course, which was modified and shortened slightly to smooth out the Festival Curves. Kristensen wins Le Mans for record seventh time LE MANS, France Tom Kristensen won the 24-hour endurance race at Le Mans for a record seventh time Sunday. Kristensen, who won in his debut in 1997, eclipsed the previous mark of six titles he shared with.