CART: Team Kool Green looks for perfect Surfers weekend
pr...@motorsport.com
Paul Tracy heads to the Honda Indy 300 in Surfer's Paradise, Australia,
hoping to repeat teammate Dario Franchitti's perfect performance of a
year ago.
Last year, Franchitti was in a heated battle for the championship and
earned the maximum 22 points for the weekend (one for pole, one for most
laps led, 20 for the win) to come away at the top of the standings.
This year Tracy is the one eyeing the big prize. With just two races
remaining, he sits second in the standings, just 19 points behind Gil
de Ferran. A solid performance on the streets of Surfers Paradise is
crucial to Tracy's title chase, and the odds may be in his favor: he
has already scored two street course wins this year at Long Beach and
Vancouver, where Franchitti finished 2nd.
PAUL TRACY
, #26 Team KOOL Green Honda/Reynard:
(Started 4th / Finished
7th in Australia in 1999; Currently 2nd in the standings with 134
points)
"It's come down to a two-race season for the championship and I'm
excited about being in a position to win it. Moving into second place
with our performance in Houston was a big help in our bid for the
championship because at least now there's only one driver between us
and the top. But there's no room for mistakes in these last two races
of the season. I think it's great that the final two races are on the
street course in Australia and the super-speedway in Fontana because
it's really going to test our mettle."
"Dario was virtually flawless in Australia last year when he was
battling for the championship and I'd really like to be able to do
something like that this year. The guys at Team KOOL Green have been
successful all year in preparing a great car on street courses and it
resulted in wins at Long Beach and Vancouver. We're going to try to use
the same formula in Australia."
DARIO FRANCHITTI
, #27 Team KOOL Green Honda/Reynard:
(Started 1st /
Finished 1st in Australia in 1999; Currently 11th in the standings with
92 points)
"I can't think of a better place than Surfers Paradise to come up with
that elusive first win of the season. Our last two races in Australia
have been such tremendous experiences, with the pole and second-place
finish two years ago and then the 22-point weekend last year (for
winning pole, setting fastest lap and victory), when everything clicked
to such perfection and we were able to make it a wonderful homecoming
for Barry Green. The 2000 season has been a difficult one but we have
the chance to go out with a flourish in the last two races. I'll also
be doing everything I can to help Paul (Tracy) win the championship."
"Surfers Paradise is a demanding course, where you're really put to
the test by the quick straights and having to handle the curbs and the
chicane. But it's also a fantastic race setting, where the Australians
really get into the sport and turn the entire week into a festive
occasion. I only hope that it will also be a festive time for Team
KOOL Green with the opportunity to celebrate another win at Surfers
Paradise."
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