Race No. 8

ITT Grand Prix of Detroit
Detroit — Michigan
June 6 — June 8, 1997

1996 Pole Winner: Scott Pruett
1996 Race Winner: Michael Andretti
1996 SpeedCenter Report
Detroit Weather Forecast
Belle Isle Area Map

Turn Left — Turn Right
Return to Street Course Racing!

©1997 SpeedCenter Internet Publishing, Inc.

After a series of four straight oval track races in Rio, Nazareth,Gateway, and Milwaukee, the PPG CART World Series returns this comingSunday to The Raceway on Belle Isle for the ITT Automotive Detroit GrandPrix on the streets of Detroit, MI.

The 2.1 mile street course has been notorious for being a difficulttrack for passing, but this year there have been track widthimprovements to allow drivers a better opportunity.

Said Gil de Ferran, driver of the #8 Pennzoil Special Reynard Honda forHall Racing after last years' Friday practice session, "I think it [thistrack] puts more emphasis on two things, starting position and pit workare very important here."

Last year's race was hampered by drizzle and rain in the first half ofthe race. That made it obvious that Goodyear had brought a superior raintire to the track when the first half of the race saw Goodyears on thetop thirteen cars within 25 laps of the start. Firestone had even goneso far as to ask for special permission to hand-groove their entry, butto no avail. The race would end with sunny skies, and require that teamschange back to slick tires.

Scott Pruett, driving the Patrick Racing Lola Ford took the pole with aspeed of 105.290, but quickly fell back in the pack suffering theFirestone rain tire blues. This enabled Christian Fittipaldi (KMartBudweiser Lola Ford) to take the lead and hold it until a bobble on arestart at lap 66 sent him wide and allowed team mate Michael Andretti(Texaco/Havoline Lola Ford) to take the lead for the remaining nine lapsof the time shortened race. It was Andretti's second consecutive victoryin his late season charge in pursuit of Al Unser, Jr. and Jimmy Vasser.

Coming to the Detroit Grand Prix last year, Vasser lead the points chasewith 97 points, followed by Little Al with 75, Andretti with 51, Pruettwith 50, and Greg Moore and Paul Tracy were tied with 46 points. IfAndretti can repeat the second half success of his '96 season, he shouldhave a great shot at a championship. We can only guess at Tracy's roadcourse prowess.With the return to the road course/street course segment of the PPG Cupchase, we can only hope that the drivers continue to mind their mannersas they seem to have learned on the ovals of late. The last four raceshave offered some of the most exciting, competitive, and entertainingracing we've seen, and now we get to see them turn right again. The race will be televised live on ABC Television Networkat 2:30 pm EDT.