The Toronto Star from Toronto, Ontario, Canada • 112

A J8 TORONTO STAR THURSDAY, JULY 10, 2003 Toronto Indy 2003 CART season so far Tracy to the starting lino Just as he would to the finish line at last MARK DUNCAN AF weekend's Cleveland Grand Prlx. TTihiere's E9o EBettfter EFBace Buy Yoon it Tores Service Your Ifeioicie olt PILOT EXA170 uiga Fartormaaca PILOT High Farformanca JMcmim much to iMino on your Sebastien Bourdais leads Paul PILOTSPORT Maxim me Fartarmanca nt-'-nJW -FORCE TA RO, KDVL ROWS Matuaam Fartormaaca 7. TTn -14 ST. PETERSBURG. Fla.

Torontos Paul Tracy got the season off to a winning start at the Inaugural St. Petersburg event when he displayed his recently improved patience by sitting behind rookie pole-sitter Sebastien Bourdais for 29 laps. When the young Frenchman finally made a mistake on lap 30 and brushed the wall, Tracy took the lead and pulled away to finish a huge 12 seconds ahead of Michel Jourdain for the 20th victory of his career. It was Tracys first win in a season opener. Bourdais was the first driver since Nigel Mansell In 1993 to win the pole in his Champ Car debut.

MONTERREY. MEXICO Bourdais took his second consecutive pole and set a track record in the process. However, his race lasted just 17 laps before he brushed the wall in a spin at the entrance to pit lane. Tracy, who had started on the outside of the front row, again used the opportunity to grab the lead and stay there for 69 laps for the victory. Jourdain earned his second consecutive runner-up finish, while Alex Tagliani of Lachenaie, gave new team Rocketsports Racing its first podium finish by coming in third.

LONG BEACH, Calif. Tracy became the first driver since Al Unser Sr. in 1971 to win the first three races of a season after battling Jourdain In tight racing. But he got a little help from Lady Luck to beat the Mexican. Jourdain, who was in the lead, attempted to pull away after making his final pit stop but his gearbox locked and wouldnt unjam despite the frantic efforts of his pit crew.

Handed the lead, Tracy fended off a challenge from Adrian Fernandez for his 1 third Long Beach victory. Bruno Junqueira finished third and moved into second place in the championship standings behind Tracy. BRANDS HATCH, ENGLAND Tracy's run of good fortune finally ran out as the series moved across the Atlantic to England. Starting on the pole, Tracy took the lead and helda two-second gap for the first 30 laps. Bourdais snatched the lead from Tracy with a quicker pit stop on lap 55, but the Canadian remained in contention until the Ford-Cosworth engine powering his PlayerVForsythe Lola gave out on lap 118.

Bourdais went on to claim his first CART victory, while his NewmanHaas teammate, Junqueira, finished second followed by Mario Dominguez. LAUSITZ, GERMANY Following an emotional 13-lap drive by Alex Zanardi around the oval where he lost both legs in a chilling crash two years earlier, Bourdais scored his second consecutive victory. Coming out 5 of his final pit stop in third place, Bourdais made two dramatic passes to get into position for his final move with 13 laps remaining. He roared past Dominguez and Jourdain to take the win by a mere J)84 seconds. Tracy finished 12th and fell back into a tie for the championship lead with Junqueira, who finished fourth.

MILWAUKEE Jourdain, who had come agonizingly close to scoring his first CART victory in Long Beach, was not to be denied as the Champ Car series went under the lights for the first time on the mile oval. He was clearly the best In class this night as he led a race-record 233 laps to give Team Rahal the win. Jourdain lost the lead to Canadian Patrick back to regain it and stay in front for the final 177 laps. Spaniard Oriol Servia made a late charge to finish second, while Carpentier of Joliette, wound up third. LAGUNA SECA.

Calif. First it was Tracy at Long Beach, now it was his teammate Carpentier who took advantage of yet another bout of misfortune to befall Jourdain. The Mexican the pole, but was then disqualified when his car failed a technical inspection. That elevated Carpentier Into the No. 1 spot on the starting grid and he used that break to race to his fourth career victory, leading all 87 laps.

Carpentier needed brilliant pit stops from his crew on two occasions to beat the field back on to the track and maintain his lead. Junqueira finished second and Tracy third. PORTLAND Fernandez, the only ownerdrlver on the circuit, scored his first win as the team boss when he took advantage of -a mistake by Tracy with 16 laps remaining to grab the lead and go on to his sixth career win as a driver. Fernandez made his winning move going into turn one of the road circuit when he spotted Tracy hitting the brakes early. He waited a split second longer and dove in under the Canadian to come out of the corner in front With the second-place finish, however, Tracy moved back into the championship lead by four points over Junqueira.

Tagliani reached the podium for the second time as he finished third. CLEVELAND Bourdais used the efficient work of his NewmanHaas crew to come out ahead of Tracy, whom he had trailed for much of the race, on the third pit stop, going on to score his third win of the season and first in North America. He had a scary moment with three laps remaining when he made contact with Adrian Fernandez, but managed to escape relatively unscathed and was able to maintain the lead in a final-lap shootout with Tracy. The Canadian, however, headed home to Toronto with an eight-point lead in the championship standings over Junqueira. Junqueira was third, 3.9 seconds behind Bourdais, and defending champion Carpentier was fourth.

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