Zanardi Sets Records

Check out the latest Sports Guides from Starting Blocks Int'l
Zanardi Sets Records
©1997 SpeedCenter Internet Publishing, Inc.
6th straight pole, track record, tenth consecutive front row start
Surfer's Paradise, April 5 — In Saturday's final round of qualifying for Sunday's SunbeltIndyCarnival Australia, Alex Zanardi and his Target/Chip GanassiRacing Reynard Honda not only claimed the pole starting position, healso broke a long standing record in consecutive poles earned by adriver.
Before the end of the session, Zanardi was trailing Paul Tracy, whohad set fastest lap at 104.660 mph with only 2 minutes remaining. Ina last intense lap, touching the wall in one section, Zanardisurpassed Tracy with a 104.878 mph lap, breaking the track record forthe temporary road course and setting a new record in consecutivepoles, which he previously shared with Mario Andretti and DannySullivan. Sunday's Pole was Zanardi's sixth consecutive pole, astreak he started last season at Mid Ohio Sports car course, followedby top starting positions at Elkhart Lake, Vancouver, Laguna Seca,and Homestead, and now Surfer's Paradise.
"It was a pretty dramatic lap for me," Zanardi said. "I had a bigmargin from yesterday [Friday he led the field by over 1mph],which I thought I could count on, but I knew these guys were toughand that I'd have to work hard today.
"I knew I had no time left and that I had to do it at that point.When I came to Turn 11, I brushed the wall and lost a little bit oftime. But it was enough today, and I was a little bit lucky, also."
Zanardi's qualifying performance over the last races also extends hisrecord in consecutive front row starts. After Saturday's performance,Zanardi has been an institution in front row territory for 10 racesin a row.
Paul Tracy's first front row appearance of 1997 comes at a trackwhere he claimed the win in 1995. He expressed disappointment forjust ranking second, yet was upbeat about his chances in the race,claiming his second grid position was the result of a less thanperfect lap:
"I think we got ourselves on track during the last hour," Tracy said,"but there's still room for improvement. I thought I could have donea couple of corners better. In the first two chicanes, I didn't dothat well. But I was on the lap where I needed to do the time, andthe rest of the lap went pretty well."
Defending race champion and PPG Cup champion Jimmy Vasser gained a lotof speed in Saturday's session after switching to a setup closer toZanardi's. He will start the race from the second row in thirdposition, after lapping the track at 104.333 mph.
Greg Moore and Mark Blundell follow in fourth and fifth startingpositions. They both ran identical laps at 103.996 mph. A fasternext best qualifying lap recorded by Moore allows Moore to start fromRow 2, while Blundell will start from row 3.
Michael Andretti, winner of the 1997 PPG cup opener at Homestead,will start from row 6, after qualifying 12th at 103.337 mph (just1.5% off the polesitter's pace). His run on Saturday was marred by abroken gear shifter, costing him valuable track time.
The race promises to be very competitive, with the top 15 qualifiersranked within 2% of the top qualifying performance. The higheststarting rookie on Sunday will be Hogan Racing's Dario Franchitti,who recorded a lap at 103.103mph for 13th position on the grid.
For the complete starting grid, check SpeedCenter's Australia RaceReport area. 28 cars will take the green flag on Sunday [Saturdaynight in the US], to decide the second round of the 1997 PPG CARTworld series.


		Check out the latest Sports Guides from Starting Blocks Int'l

		Zanardi Sets Records ©1997 SpeedCenter Internet Publishing, Inc. 6th straight pole, track record, tenth consecutive front row start Surfer's Paradise, April 5 — In Saturday's final round of qualifying for Sunday's SunbeltIndyCarnival Australia, Alex Zanardi and his Target/Chip GanassiRacing Reynard Honda not only claimed the pole starting position, healso broke a long standing record in consecutive poles earned by adriver. Before the end of the session, Zanardi was trailing Paul Tracy, whohad set fastest lap at 104.660 mph with only 2 minutes remaining. Ina last intense lap, touching the wall in one section, Zanardisurpassed Tracy with a 104.878 mph lap, breaking the track record forthe temporary road course and setting a new record in consecutivepoles, which he previously shared with Mario Andretti and DannySullivan. Sunday's Pole was Zanardi's sixth consecutive pole, astreak he started last season at Mid Ohio Sports car course, followedby top starting positions at Elkhart Lake, Vancouver, Laguna Seca,and Homestead, and now Surfer's Paradise. "It was a pretty dramatic lap for me," Zanardi said. "I had a bigmargin from yesterday [Friday he led the field by over 1mph],which I thought I could count on, but I knew these guys were toughand that I'd have to work hard today. "I knew I had no time left and that I had to do it at that point.When I came to Turn 11, I brushed the wall and lost a little bit oftime. But it was enough today, and I was a little bit lucky, also." Zanardi's qualifying performance over the last races also extends hisrecord in consecutive front row starts. After Saturday's performance,Zanardi has been an institution in front row territory for 10 racesin a row. Paul Tracy's first front row appearance of 1997 comes at a trackwhere he claimed the win in 1995. He expressed disappointment forjust ranking second, yet was upbeat about his chances in the race,claiming his second grid position was the result of a less thanperfect lap: "I think we got ourselves on track during the last hour," Tracy said,"but there's still room for improvement. I thought I could have donea couple of corners better. In the first two chicanes, I didn't dothat well. But I was on the lap where I needed to do the time, andthe rest of the lap went pretty well." Defending race champion and PPG Cup champion Jimmy Vasser gained a lotof speed in Saturday's session after switching to a setup closer toZanardi's. He will start the race from the second row in thirdposition, after lapping the track at 104.333 mph. Greg Moore and Mark Blundell follow in fourth and fifth startingpositions. They both ran identical laps at 103.996 mph. A fasternext best qualifying lap recorded by Moore allows Moore to start fromRow 2, while Blundell will start from row 3. Michael Andretti, winner of the 1997 PPG cup opener at Homestead,will start from row 6, after qualifying 12th at 103.337 mph (just1.5% off the polesitter's pace). His run on Saturday was marred by abroken gear shifter, costing him valuable track time. The race promises to be very competitive, with the top 15 qualifiersranked within 2% of the top qualifying performance. The higheststarting rookie on Sunday will be Hogan Racing's Dario Franchitti,who recorded a lap at 103.103mph for 13th position on the grid. For the complete starting grid, check SpeedCenter's Australia RaceReport area. 28 cars will take the green flag on Sunday [Saturdaynight in the US], to decide the second round of the 1997 PPG CARTworld series.