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©1999 SpeedCenter Publishing Following the first two races of the 1999FedEx Championship Series (Miami and Motegi), in which Team Target's Jimmy Vasser and Juan Montoya failed to reach the podium, fans and media began to wonder if the Target/Chip Ganassi Racing dynasty had come to an end. Just three races later, those same people are convinced that Target/Chip Ganassi Racing will continue to be the team to beat well into the new millennium. The rapid development of 23-year-old rookie, phenomenon Juan Montoya is the reason for the sudden change in opinion. Utilizing advice from veteran teammate Jimmy Vasser, impeccable pit stops, team owner Chip Ganassi's race strategies, engineer Morris Nunn's set-ups and awe inspiring driving skills, Montoya has dominated three straight races and jumped to the, top of the point standings. "People everywhere are asking me if I'm surprised by my three victories, and I really am," said Montoya, who is trying tie the CART record of four straight victories. "I expected to come to CART and do well because of my experience and Chip Ganassi, but, whoa, this has been unbelievable. I took around at the other great drivers in the; cries, starting with Jimmy, and I get even more surprised, I'm just going to keep pushing harder and hopefully keep winning." Target/Chip Ganassi Racing's next challenge is the 1.27 mile oval at Gateway international Speedway in Madison, Ill., where the team tested May 4-5. "I feel we are ready for St. Louis after our test there," said Montoya, who is leading second-place Dario Franchitti by 15 points in the PPG Cup points standings. "We were very quick, and the circuit offers me another challenge. Do I feel more pressure after three victories? Not really. If anything, the pressure has come from outside the team all season long. Inside the, team they ask me to treat every race the same. I just want to win. The team will be ready, and I'll do the best I can." Although Vasser has not yet rivaled his young teammate's success on the track in 1999, his leadership and experience have been invaluable to Montoya, who had never raced on an oval before this year. "Juan is a very impressive young man who has surprised all of us with his winning streak," said Vasser, CART's 1996 champion, "We thought he would win races this year, but three in a row? No one knew that. But when you talk to Juan, you realize he's so mentally tough and focused that nothing is ever out of his reach. From the start, he's tested well and paid close attention to Alex and myself, and he and Morris have become very close. I offer advice On the tracks that are new to him, but he's such a quick study, I wonder if he needs it. It's fun to be part of a team that can keep winning year in and year out, and Juan's just the guy to help us fight for another championship." Vasser, who has scored points in all but one of this year's races (Rio), is anxious for his next opportunity to improve on his 11th place ranking in the PPG Cup point standings. "After five races, I'm not where I'd like to be in the points and certainly not used to being this far behind," said Vasser, who has completed 56 of his last 63 races dating back to Cleveland in 1995. "The law of averages affects even Chip Ganassi sometimes, and I know the team rarely goes through a period like this. My guys have allowed me to finish most races over the years so I'm not really concerned. I treat every race the same in that we always prepare to win, and St. Louis will be no different. We're heading into the second quarter of the season, and a good race in St. Louis will set me up for the rest of the season." Montoya also wants to take this season one race at a time, and shies away from talk of the team's quest for an unprecedented fourth straight championship. "Whoa, it's way too soon to talk about championships," Montoya said. "I feel very good about winning three races, but we're just getting started. In fact, I've been so busy I haven't had a chance to think beyond St. Louis. But the fact that we are so busy means we are doing well and I want to keep it that way. Fortunately, I had a few days off this week and we got to see "Star Wars" at the cinema. We don't get many breaks during the season so it's nice to think about and do other things than racing," Source: Target Chip Ganassi Racing |
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