Championship Points Battle Narrows to Four ©2000 SpeedCenter Publishing All in search of their first championship London, Canada (October 28, 2000) - Qualifying is over and the man leading the points race; Gil de Ferran; not only took the pole and a point but set a new closed course speed record by clocking a lap of 241.428 mph. As a result Roberto Moreno has been eliminated from the battle. The Vanderbilt Cup is now in the grasp of four. We'll start with the obvious. Kenny Brack not only needs to win, he has to lead the most laps and hope Adrian Fernandez finishes seventh or lower and De Ferran out of the points. He would be beat on any tie by number of wins. Paul Tracy is in a similar situation but a win alone would tie him with De Ferran. The tiebreaker would be Tracy's four wins to de Ferran's two. Tracy too needs Fernandez to finish seventh or lower. Without getting into all the details and causing more confusion, Adrian Fernandez at minimum needs to finish sixth to take the points lead and hope de Ferran places twelfth or lower. There are too many variations that could happen between Gil and Adrian so we'll leave that for the race. Gil de Ferran could sit in the pits and win the Cup, although his boss Roger Penske would probably prefer him to drive. A Fernandez win would mean Gil would have to place third or second if Adrian leads the most laps. A Tracy win would mean Gil would have to place twelfth or eleventh if Paul leads the most laps. A Brack win would mean Gil would have to place twelfth. This is without including all the variable Gil and Adrian could create. If you're still coherent, enjoy the culmination of a historic season and try not to wear out the edge of your couch or chair. Points Possibility before Fontana       1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th   DRIVER PTS 20 16 14 12 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1 1 Gil de Ferran 154 174 170 168 166 164 162 160 159 158 157 156 155   1 point for most laps lead   175 171 169 167 165 163 161 160 159 158 157 156   1 point for pole   175 171 169 167 165 163 161 160 159 158 157 156   Number of finishes   2 2 2 0 1 2 1 1 2 0 0 1                               2 Adrian Fernandez 148 168 164 162 160 158 156 154 153 152 151 150 149   1 point for most laps lead   169 165 163 161 159 157 155 154 153 152 151 150   1 point for pole   170 166 164 162 160 158 156 155 154 153 152 151   Number of finishes   2 2 1 0 2 2 2 1 0 2 0 2                               3 Paul Tracy 134 154 150 148 146 144 142 140 139 138 137 136 135   1 point for most laps lead   155 151 149 147 145 143 141 140 139 138 137 136   1 point for pole   156 152 150 148 146 144 142 141 140 139 138 137   Number of finishes   3 0 3 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0                               4 Kenny Brack(R) 134 154 150 148 146 144 142 140 139 138 137 136 135   1 point for most laps lead   155 151 149 147 145 143 141 140 139 138 137 136   1 point for pole   156 152 150 148 146 144 142 141 140 139 138 137   Number of finishes   0 2 2 2 3 1 0 0 1 2 1 0                               5 Roberto Moreno 131 151 147 145 143 141 139 137 136 135 134 133 132   1 point for most laps lead   152 148 146 144 142 140 138 137 136 135 134 133   1 point for pole   153 149 147 145 143 141 139 138 137 136 135 134   Number of finishes   1 2 2 1 1 2 0 0 1 1 2 0 - Michael Kruppa, SpeedCenter Statistician and Contributing Editor

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