Zanardi Wins The U.S. 500

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Zanardi Wins The U.S. 500
©1997 SpeedCenter Internet Publishing, Inc.
Takes lead in PPG Championship standings
Target/Chip Ganassi Racing's Alex Zanardi took the points lead in the battle for the $1 million PPG Cup on Sunday with a convincing win in the U.S. 500 at Michigan Speedway. Zanardi, who started seventh in the 28-car field, kept his Target Reynard Honda HRR in contention throughout the 250-lap race on the 2-mile Michigan oval and took the lead for good on Lap 220. He led PacWest Racing's Mark Blundell (Motorola Reynard Mercedes-Benz) across the finish line by 31.737 seconds while Gil de Ferran (Valvoline/Cummins Reynard Honda HRR) finished third, one lap down.
The win was Zanardi's second in the last three races and his first on an oval. He now leads the PPG Cup standings with 127 points while Team Penske's Paul Tracy (Penske Mercedes-Benz) falls to second with 121 points. Tracy finished fourth in the U.S. 500.
"Both Chip Ganassi and (Zanardi's engineer) Morris Nunn were talking to me throughout the race to keep me up on what was happening," Zanardi said. "It was real tough out there, but today we had the car we needed to win. Morris Nunn gave me the best piece of equipment I have ever driven in my career."
Zanardi survived an attrition-plagued race that saw several accidents and numerous mechanical failures, mainly transmissions. Michael Andretti (Kmart/Texaco Havoline Swift Ford Cosworth) charged to the front early in the race after starting 19th only to suffer transmission failure moments after taking the lead. Other transmission failure victims included race leaders Dario Franchitti (Hogan Motor Leasing Reynard Mercedes-Benz) and Andre Ribeiro (LCI International Reynard Honda HRR), defending PPG Cup and U.S. 500 winner Jimmy Vasser (Target Reynard Honda HRR) and third-place qualifier Raul Boesel (Brahma Reynard Ford Cosworth). Michel Jourdain (Herdez Reynard Ford Cosworth) and Juan Manuel Fangio II (Castrol/Jockey AAR Reynard Toyota) were also poised for career-best finishes only to see late-race gearbox failure put them on the sidelines.
Pruett's teammate and race pole-sitter Scott Pruett (Brahma Reynard Ford Cosworth) retired after hitting the wall on Lap 174. Bobby Rahal (Miller Lite Reynard Ford Cosworth) and Parker Johnstone (Team KOOL Green Reynard Honda HRR) also hit the Michigan wall. None of the drivers were injured.
Zanardi and Tracy now lead the PPG CART World Series win category with three victories apiece.
Blundell continues his PPG Cup roll with two wins and a second place finish in his last four races.
De Ferran earned his fifth podium finish in the last seven races and moves to third in the PPG Cup with 108 points.
Source: CART News Service


		NOW AVAILABLE! — The Official Directory for CART Racing

		Zanardi Wins The U.S. 500 ©1997 SpeedCenter Internet Publishing, Inc. Takes lead in PPG Championship standings Target/Chip Ganassi Racing's Alex Zanardi took the points lead in the battle for the $1 million PPG Cup on Sunday with a convincing win in the U.S. 500 at Michigan Speedway. Zanardi, who started seventh in the 28-car field, kept his Target Reynard Honda HRR in contention throughout the 250-lap race on the 2-mile Michigan oval and took the lead for good on Lap 220. He led PacWest Racing's Mark Blundell (Motorola Reynard Mercedes-Benz) across the finish line by 31.737 seconds while Gil de Ferran (Valvoline/Cummins Reynard Honda HRR) finished third, one lap down. The win was Zanardi's second in the last three races and his first on an oval. He now leads the PPG Cup standings with 127 points while Team Penske's Paul Tracy (Penske Mercedes-Benz) falls to second with 121 points. Tracy finished fourth in the U.S. 500. "Both Chip Ganassi and (Zanardi's engineer) Morris Nunn were talking to me throughout the race to keep me up on what was happening," Zanardi said. "It was real tough out there, but today we had the car we needed to win. Morris Nunn gave me the best piece of equipment I have ever driven in my career." Zanardi survived an attrition-plagued race that saw several accidents and numerous mechanical failures, mainly transmissions. Michael Andretti (Kmart/Texaco Havoline Swift Ford Cosworth) charged to the front early in the race after starting 19th only to suffer transmission failure moments after taking the lead. Other transmission failure victims included race leaders Dario Franchitti (Hogan Motor Leasing Reynard Mercedes-Benz) and Andre Ribeiro (LCI International Reynard Honda HRR), defending PPG Cup and U.S. 500 winner Jimmy Vasser (Target Reynard Honda HRR) and third-place qualifier Raul Boesel (Brahma Reynard Ford Cosworth). Michel Jourdain (Herdez Reynard Ford Cosworth) and Juan Manuel Fangio II (Castrol/Jockey AAR Reynard Toyota) were also poised for career-best finishes only to see late-race gearbox failure put them on the sidelines. Pruett's teammate and race pole-sitter Scott Pruett (Brahma Reynard Ford Cosworth) retired after hitting the wall on Lap 174. Bobby Rahal (Miller Lite Reynard Ford Cosworth) and Parker Johnstone (Team KOOL Green Reynard Honda HRR) also hit the Michigan wall. None of the drivers were injured. Zanardi and Tracy now lead the PPG CART World Series win category with three victories apiece. Blundell continues his PPG Cup roll with two wins and a second place finish in his last four races. De Ferran earned his fifth podium finish in the last seven races and moves to third in the PPG Cup with 108 points. Source: CART News Service