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©2001 SpeedCenter Publishing DETROIT (July 18, 2001) - Championship Auto Racing Teams Chief Steward Chris Kneifel today penalized drivers Tora Takagi of Walker Racing and Paul Tracy of Team KOOL Green for infractions committed during last Sunday's Molson Indy, Round 10 of the FedEx Championship Series, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Citing section 8.13 of the CART Rule Book, Kneifel penalized both drivers for unjustifiable risk and put both on probation for differing periods. Takagi, a FedEx Championship Series rookie, was penalized two championship points and placed on probation for the next five events, through the September 2 Molson Indy Vancouver, for causing several incidents of contact with other competitors during Sunday's event. Tracy was also penalized two championship points and placed on probation for the next three FedEx Championship Series road- or street-course events - the Aug. 12 Miller Lite 220 at Mid-Ohio, the Aug. 19 Motorola 220 at Road America and the Molson Indy Vancouver - for "nose-to-tail" contact with other competitors which caused a pair of spins at Toronto. CART Rule 8.13 states "Any action that represents an unjustifiable risk or reckless endangerment, in the opinion of the stewards, will result in the assessment of penalty(ies) pursuant to Chapter 10 of this Rule Book. Decisions by the stewards and penalties assessed for unsafe acts are not subject to protest or appeal." Said Kneifel, "We did not want to simply issue probations without accompanying them with a strong signal that actions like this will not be tolerated. Championship points are very hard-earned, and they're more valuable than money. We want our response to send out the very strong message that this isn't a slap on the wrist, or a token punishment." As a result of the penalty, Tracy will enter this weekend's Michigan 500 Presented by Toyota at Michigan International Speedway with 46 championship points and will remain 10th in the FedEx Championship Series championship. Takagi will lose two of his three championship points and will fall to 27th place in the championship.
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