Front Row
©1997 SpeedCenter Internet Publishing, Inc.
PacWest and Mercedes-Benz teammates Mauricio Gugelmin and MarkBlundell qualified first and second this afternoon in first-roundqualifying for Sunday's Texaco/Havoline 200 at Road America. Gugelmin,driving the Hollywood Reynard/Mercedes-Benz, stole the top spot fromBlundell on his final lap of the 30-minute qualifying session. ShouldGugelmin retain the pole position following tomorrow's final qualifyingsession, it will be his second pole of the 1997 PPG CART World Seriesseason, and Mercedes' fifth.
Mercedes rookie Dario Franchitti continued his qualifying hotstreak, placing his Hogan Reynard fourth in Friday's session after adisappointing morning practice session.
Greg Moore, driving a back-up Player's car after his primaryReynard chassis was damaged in a crash this morning, qualified tenth. PaulTracy, currently second in PPG Cup points, qualified 15th after suffering apunctured left rear tire on his Marlboro Penske/Mercedes-Benz.
Patrick Carpentier was uninjured in a dramatic crash at thehigh-speed 'kink' area along the back straightaway. Carpentier slid hisAlumax Reynard off the course and was launched skyward. The car slammedback to the ground and then slid into the turn 12 gravel trap. Carpentierwas able to return to the track in his back-up car.
Sunday's 50-lap, 200-mile race will begin at 3:30 p.m., EDT, (2:30p.m. local) and will be broadcast live by ESPN.
Source: Mercedes-Benz USA