• Adrian Fernandez owns three top-five finishes in as many career starts at California Speedway, topped by last year's $1 million victory. He paved the way for that victory with finishes of third in 1997 and fourth in '98.
• Jimmy Vasser has finished among the top-five drivers in each of his three career appearances at California Speedway, including a $1 million victory in 1998. He also finished second in 1997 and fifth last year. In addition, he has qualified fourth or better for all three appearances, with starts on the outside pole in 1997 and '98, and fourth last year.
• Mauricio Gugelmin (Nextel PacWest Mercedes) of the PacWest Racing Group has collected top-six finishes in all three of his starts at California Speedway, topped by fourth in 1997. He also finished fifth in '98 and sixth last year. Gugelmin qualified on the pole in '97 at an average speed of 240.942 miles per hour (30.316 seconds), which remains the fastest lap in auto racing history. He has been on the lead in all three events, including 66 laps in '97, 40 in '98 and two last year.
• Christian Fittipaldi (Big Kmart/Route 66 Ford Lola) of Newman/Haas Racing has finished ninth or better in all three of his appearances at California Speedway, topped by last year's podium result of third. He also finished seventh in 1998 and ninth in '97.
• Michael Andretti (Big Kmart/Route 66 Ford Lola) of Newman/Haas Racing has led a combined 142 laps in his three starts at California Speedway. He led 36 laps in 1997, 44 in '98 and 62 last year.

• Ford holds a 16-point lead, 314-298, over two-time defending champion Honda in pursuit of the CART Manufacturer's Championship and could clinch the title if one of its drivers finishes sixth or better this weekend. Ford is seeking its first Manufacturer's Championship since 1995 while Honda has won three of the past four Manufacturer's titles (1996, '98, 99). Ford is also the defending champion at the Marlboro 500 Presented by Toyota as Adrian Fernandez drove to victory there last year.
• Toyota-powered drivers have won the past four FedEx Championship Series events contested on ovals, including victories from Juan Montoya (Target Toyota Lola) of Target Chip Ganassi Racing at Milwaukee, Michigan and Gateway, and Cristiano da Matta (Pioneer/MCI WorldCom Toyota Reynard) of PPI Motorsports at Chicago. Montoya has also put Toyota power on the pole for five of the past six FedEx Championship Series oval events (Japan, Nazareth, Milwaukee, Chicago, Gateway).
• If a Toyota-powered driver wins the Marlboro 500 Presented by Toyota, each of the four engine manufacturers currently competing in the FedEx Championship Series would own a victory in the season-ending 500-mile event. Mark Blundell won the CART's first race at California Speedway for Mercedes in 1997. His victory was followed by Jimmy Vasser's triumph for Honda in '98 and Adrian Fernandez for Ford last year.

• When the green flag falls Sunday, Juan Montoya will be looking to become the first driver in CART history to win three 500-mile races in one season and just the second in all of open-wheel history. Montoya has already collected victories in the Indianapolis 500 and the Michigan 500 Presented by Toyota this season. He seeks to join Al Unser, who won 500-mile events at Indianapolis, Pocono and Ontario (Calif.) in 1978.

• The most illustrious group of Champ Car legends and CART champions has been assembled to celebrate the sport's rich heritage during the Marlboro 500 Presented by Toyota weekend at California Speedway and Monday's FedEx Championship Series Awards Banquet in Los Angeles. The stellar group consists of 16 of the sport's greatest stars who have combined for 19 CART series championships, 24 Indianapolis 500 titles, 8 USAC championships and 381 career Champ Car triumphs. Those scheduled to attend the festivities include Mario Andretti, Michael Andretti, Wally Dallenbach, Emerson Fittipaldi, Dan Gurney, Rick Mears, Juan Montoya, Bobby Rahal, Johnny Rutherford, Danny Sullivan, Al Unser, Al Unser Jr., Bobby Unser, Jimmy Vasser, Rodger Ward and Alex Zanardi. The Champ Car legends will be honored throughout the Marlboro 500 Presented by Toyota race weekend as well as the FedEx Championship Series Awards Banquet on Monday at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles. The legends, who will be available for media interviews and photo opportunities throughout the weekend, will be featured on a free commemorative poster and participate in a special free Legends Autograph Session on Saturday at California Speedway. The session will be held from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. at the Toyota tent opposite Gate 16 on the grandstand side of the speedway. The Legends also will participate in Sunday's pre-race ceremonies as well as the pre-race Heritage car parade. All of the legends will be acknowledged as special guests at the FedEx Championship Series Awards Banquet the evening following the Marlboro 500 Presented by Toyota. All former CART champions also will participate in a special on-stage segment of the crowning of the new champion known as the "Legacy of Champions". Each former champion will be introduced, honored with a video clip and share in the coronation of the new 2000 champion. In addition to the Legends, the heritage of the Champ Cars themselves will be featured throughout the weekend with the fourth annual Victory Lane Historic Champ Car Showcase. More than two dozen historic Champ Cars from every decade dating to 1926 will be on display, as well as on track for parade runs throughout the weekend. Several that will be showcased are the former Champ Cars of the legends in attendance. Among some of the Champ Cars participating are a 1926 Ford Rajo, 1938 Lencki Miller Offy, 1948 Kurtis Offy, 1958 Epperly Roadster, 1966 Eisert Harrison Special, 1972 Gurney Eagle, 1981 Penske Cosworth, 1993 Lola T9300.
• The field of five has been set to compete for the $50,000 top prize in the finals of the second annual Craftsman Pit Crew Challenge. Pit crews for the Patrick Racing entries driven by Adrian Fernandez and Roberto Moreno (Visteon Ford Reynard); the Player's Forsythe Racing Team entry driven by Patrick Carpentier (Player's Forsythe Racing Team Ford Reynard); the PPI Motorsports entry driven by Cristiano da Matta; and the Team KOOL Green entry driven by Paul Tracy (KOOL Honda Reynard) have qualified for a chance at the winner's purse. The finals will take place Friday afternoon from 5:05-5:35 p.m. PT in the pit lane at California Speedway. The competition will consist of a five-minute warm-up, followed by a 15-minute period during which all five cars will take to the track. Each entry must make a minimum of three pit stops, during which four tires, provided by Firestone, must be changed safely and correctly during the 15-minute period. The winner will be determined by averaging the two best pit stop times. In the event of a tie, the fastest time earned by the entrants involved will be used to resolve the deadlock. The five pit crew finalists qualified on the basis of standings kept through the first 19 events of the FedEx Championship Series season, at which they collected points based on the least amount of time spent in the pits. Points were awarded according to the same scale used to score FedEx Championship Series drivers (20-16-14-12-10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1). Fernandez' crew led the season-long standings with 162 points, followed by Carpentier's at 135; Moreno's at 131; da Matta's at 127 and Tracy's at 118. Tracy's crew won the inaugural Craftsman Pit Crew Challenge last year. Craftsman is the official tool of CART.
• The season-ending Budweiser Hard Charger Award is also up for grabs at the Marlboro 500 Presented by Toyota. Luiz Garcia Jr. (Hollywood/Embratel/Tang/Banco Sofisa Mercedes Reynard) of the Arciero Project Racing Group and Adrian Fernandez of Patrick Racing are the two drivers who remain in contention for the $10,000 award, which recognizes the driver who makes the greatest improvement in track position over the course of the 20-race season. Drivers receive one point for each position gained at each event. Standings were kept on a per-event and season-long basis, and the driver who gained the most positions at each event earned a $1,000 award from Budweiser. Through 19 events, Garcia has totaled 120 points, while Fernandez has totaled 115. Garcia has improved from start to finish in 16 of 19 starts this season, while Fernandez has improved in 14 of 19.
• A number of questions regarding the 2001 FedEx Championship Series driver lineup will be answered this weekend as four teams have scheduled announcements in the California Speedway interview room. The first of those is scheduled for 9:45 a.m. Friday when four-time FedEx Championship Series champion Target Chip Ganassi Racing is expected to announce its driver lineup for the 2001 campaign. The new ZakSpeed team is expected to make formal announcement of its entry into the 2001 FedEx Championship Series at 9:30 a.m. Saturday. Adrian Fernandez and Mo Nunn Racing have scheduled time to announce their 2001 plans Saturday at 4 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., respectively.

• Qualifying for the Marlboro 500 Presented by Toyota will air 1:30 a.m. ET Sunday on ESPN2. "CART 2Day" airs 2 p.m. ET Sunday on ESPN2, one-half hour prior to ESPN's live race broadcast. The race will also air live on the CART Radio Network, the Armed Forces Radio Network and on CART's official website, at www.cart.com . It will be broadcast locally on KIEV (870 AM).

GIL de FERRAN (Marlboro Honda Reynard), on completing the quest for hisfirst FedEx Championship Series championship: "Obviously the Marlboro 500 isan extremely important race for me, but I'm concentrating on my racing andworking hard not to think about the meaning and significance of a possiblesuccessful outcome. I'm trying to get as unemotional as possible, sinceemotions tend to get in the way of reason and besides, thinking about hownice it would be to win this Championship is immaterial to my performance.It's certainly a tough mental exercise to block these thoughts out, but it'smore important to stay focused and concentrate on the 500 miles ahead of us,since anything can happen."

PAUL TRACY (KOOL Honda Reynard), on being a contender for the FedExChampionship Series title with one race remaining: "We really have our workcut out for us, but it's great to go into the final race of the season still in contention to win the championship. You can'tbe concerned about what the guys ahead of you in the standings are doing.It wouldn't serve any purpose, anyway, because my championship hopes rest onwinning the race. Fontana is tough on both cars and drivers, and it reallycomes down to survival of the fittest. If anyone has a good chance to bethere at the end, it's Team KOOL Green. The team gave me an outstanding carwhen we raced on the superspeedway in Michigan earlier in the season. Wewere able to set a record for the fastest qualifying lap in winning the polethere. Hopefully, we can do the same thing at Fontana. Winning the poleisn't usually important for a 500-mile race but I need every point I canget, and it's a great momentum-builder going into the long race."

MICHAEL ANDRETTI (Big Kmart/Texaco/Havoline Ford Lola), on the uniquechallenges presented by a 500-mile Champ Car race: "You've obviously got tofinish a 500-mile race first to win it. We've led a lot of laps there, butnot the lap that we wanted to lead, which is the 250th, and that's our goalthis weekend. The racing is going to be different than we had at Michigan.The track looks the same but it is slightly different, which is enough themake the racing different. When you are driving it, it's more of a one-linetrack than Michigan, which is a two-line track, but you'll still see a lotof close racing and passes. (On the 2000 season) "It's been a long year.We put in a lot of work this season and I'm looking forward to theoff-season so I can relax for a few days in a row. The racing season takesits toll on you and everyone deserves a big vacation after the Marlboro 500.(On his final race with Newman/Haas Racing:) "I really want to make my lastrace with the team something special by winning it. I can't think of abetter way of us parting ways than parting on a winning note. We have won alot of races together over the years and it would be great to have our lastrace together end with a victory. It will definitely be in the back of allof our minds. It will be an emotional day for sure. We [Andrettis] havebeen here so many years. An Andretti has been with the team since Day 1 andI have a lot of great friends here that I am going to miss. I've had a great relationship with Kmart and Texaco over the years and theyhave been so great to work with that it's more like a family at Newman/HaasRacing than anything. It's a great team and we've had some great timestogether. For an Andretti to bring the Big Kmart/Texaco/Havoline car intoWinner's Circle in our last race together and collect $1 million for theguys would be a perfect tribute to the team and be the best going-awaypresent I could think of."

JUAN MONTOYA (Target Toyota Lola), on his disappointment at not bringingTarget Chip Ganassi Racing, winner of an unprecedented four consecutiveFedEx Championship Series crowns, a fifth title: "I feel bad that I couldn'tgive the team one more championship. It would have been great to give TeamTarget a fifth straight title to repay them for being so good to me thesetwo years. We gave it our best shot, so I'm proud to have been a part ofsuch a great team. I've always liked to go fast, and you can't go muchfaster than on big ovals like Fontana. Our Toyota Lola has been great on 500miles races this year. I would love to finish up with one more win. It'sbeen a lot of fun, but we're not done yet."

KENNY BRACK (Shell Ford Reynard), on finally scoring that first FedExChampionship Series victory at California Speedway: "I think we should havewon a few races this year. We were leading in the first race at Miami andhad a mechanical problem. At Rio, I was leading with ten laps left and Istalled the engine in the pits. We led at Michigan and Christian[Fittipaldi] got into me on the back straight. And at Chicago, I stalledagain while leading. I believe we'll have shot at the win at California.[On contending for the FedEx Championship Series title as a rookie] I didn'tthink of it [winning the title] that way in my first year. I couldn't thinkin those terms. You don't know your opponents, you don't know the tracksand you don't know the cars. You know you're a fast driver and with a goodteam, but there are too many unknowns to predict anything like that. Ofcourse, it's been a positive experience to be in this position, but there'snothing I had as a goal. I just wanted to win races. Maybe we can atFontana. Then the other things will fall into place. That is kind of outof my control."

DARIO FRANCHITTI (KOOL Honda Reynard), on Team KOOL Green's bid for theFedEx Championship Series title: "This is the second year in a row that TeamKOOL Green is going to Fontana with a chance to win the championship, and Ithink that's a credit to the entire organization. We came up just short inthe final race last year, but maybe this time Paul [Tracy] can bring homethe driver's title. It's a million-dollar race, so the competition is goingto be fierce not only for the championship, but for the win as well. From apersonal standpoint, this season has been a big contrast to last year, whenwe were in the hunt right to the end. It's been frustrating, but it's alsobeen a character-builder. I have no doubt that I'm going to come backstrong next season, and doing well at Fontana will be a good way to set thetone for that comeback."

JIMMY VASSER (Target Toyota Lola), on his tenure at Target Chip GanassiRacing: "I've been very fortunate to be surrounded by such a talented andclassy group of individuals these past six seasons with Target Racing. Thememories and friends that I've made over the years will be with me forever.Returning to a race where you've had some success is always a nice feeling.It would be great to find a way to get one last checkered flag as a memberof Team Target. We've really been running well recently. I've been pleasedwith how the car has performed, so I don't see any reason we can't challengefor another race win."

HELIO CASTRONEVES (Marlboro Honda Reynard), on the excitement surroundingthis year's Marlboro 500 Presented by Toyota: "The Marlboro 500 is alwaysexciting and this year with five drivers in contention for the championship,there should be some great racing. We had a successful test at Fontana lastmonth and a good run at Michigan, so we hope to perform well this weekend.The key will be taking care of the equipment and making sure we're there atthe end. It's been a terrific first season with Marlboro Team Penske andI'd love to end the year with a strong finish."

MAX PAPIS (Miller Lite Ford Reynard), on attempting "bookend" victoriesduring the 2000 FedEx Championship Series season: "I won the first race ofthe year and I would love to win the last one.It's been a hard season for us and I would like to end the year on a highnote. We were second at Fontana last year and led the most laps. I'd liketo have a similar performance this year but be at the top of the podium. Allof the Miller Lite guys deserve a strong run after the tough luck we havehad this year. I know I will be flat [on the throttle] at Fontana and liftafter 250 laps. I have a motto this weekend: "See Ya' Up Front," as a goodfriend [Greg Moore] used to say."

CHRISTIAN FITTIPALDI (Big Kmart/Route 66 Ford Lola), on last year's eventat California Speedway: "Last year was a pretty awkward race because ofwhat happened to the #99 car [of Greg Moore]. It was a sad day foreveryone. The ultimate result in the race for all of the drivers wasovershadowed by our loss. Looking specifically on the performance side, Iwas pretty happy with the car because it was capable of winning. Settingthe fastest race lap at a place like California Speedway is something to behappy about; winning the race would have been better. We were leading agood amount of laps but unfortunately, because of the pit strategy at theend, [race winner] Adrian [Fernandez] was able to capitalize on the timingof the yellows and it really helped him out but didn't work out so well forus, so we finished third.

"I think the racing will be similar to the Michigan race although I reckonthe race in Fontana will be harder than Michigan because it's more of aone-lane groove track. It's also a little more bumpy so we definitely needto run more downforce which means that Fontana will be a little harder thanMichigan.

(On having Michael Andretti as a teammate) "Michael and I have had a goodworking relationship over the years. Michael decided to go his own way andI wish him all the best in his future races and I hope we can kick manybutts here at the Newman/Haas camp next year and especially his."

PATRICK CARPENTIER (Player's Forsythe Racing Team Ford Reynard), on chasingthe first top-10 championship finish of his four-year FedEx ChampionshipSeries career: "We've battled hard all season and we're certainly not goingto let up now. We still have a shot at finishing in the top 10 in thestandings and we have a chance to finish with more than 120 points, whichisn't too bad when you consider I missed three races with an injury. Plus,there's the added incentive of getting that first win. Team Player's hasbeen close quite a few times this season, and maybe Fontana is the placewhere we'll be able to put it all together and finish off the season ingreat style. I haven't had too much luck in my two previous appearances atFontana but I'm convinced that Team Player's has the right package to dowell there. We had a really good race on the super oval in Michigan earlierthis season, and Fontana is a lot like that track, except the banking isn'tas steep and you have more grip on the track. It's a race that tests adriver's stamina and endurance, as well as the reliability of the car. I'mconfident we'll be up to the task."

ALEX TAGLIANI (Player's Forsythe Racing Team Ford Reynard), on closing hisrookie FedEx Championship Series season on a high note: "It's been a whilesince we've scored some points, so we're looking to get back on track inFontana. I haven't raced at Fontana before but I got some valuableexperience on the Michigan superspeedway earlier in the season. The fact Iwas able to hold my own and lead the Michigan race is a confidence-builderheading into Fontana. It's hard to believe that we've already reached thelast race of the season. I know that I've made progress in my rookie seasonin CART but I'm the type of guy who is very focused on results, and in thatrespect there have been highs and lows. Quite often, it's been little thingshere and there which have kept us out of the points. But everyone on TeamPlayer's is still working hard and it's going to pay off."

TONY KANAAN (Hollywood/Mo Nunn Racing Mercedes Reynard), on capping theFedEx Championship Series season in style: "It's hard to believe we're downto the last race of the season after all we've been through this year. Butwe're looking to make it a good one, definitely. We'd like nothing betterthan to send Mercedes off with a win, or at least a podium finish. They andthe people at Ilmor have been very good to us all season long. They are thereason this team was formed in the first place. They have worked very hardall year, and even though the results may not be where we - or they - wouldlike them to be, I think we are capable of finishing the season with a goodresult at Fontana. It's a long race. Anything can happen. So let's justgive it our best effort of the year and hope that it pays off in the end.The million-dollar winner's check would make for some good Christmasshopping money!"

MEMO GIDLEY (DirecTV Toyota Reynard), on the similarities between CaliforniaSpeedway and Michigan Speedway: "Fontana is a lot like Michigan, which wasmy first superspeedway event and my first race for the Della Penna team. Going into Michigan, I had no idea whatto expect. We had a great car at Michigan towards the end of the race, andas a group we have learned a lot about setting up the car on an oval sincethen. The speeds at superspeedways are awesome. It's amazing when you walkthe track and you see how big the place really is, because at speed, thetrack looks really small. Now that I've done a number of ovals in ChampCars, I feel confident about our prospects at Fontana, and I'm reallyexcited about working with the 'Red Menace' guys once again. It's the end of the season,and who knows what will happen next season, but for me it's just a pleasureto work with these guys because I like being around them so much."

MICHEL JOURDAIN JR. (Herdez Mercedes Lola), on continuing his momentumfollowing a seventh-place finish in Australia, which matched a FedExChampionship Series career best: "I think we can get a good result inFontana, because we gave a good performance in Michigan, which is the other500-mile race. I like this track and after achieving some points inAustralia, we have good momentum for the season finale."

LUIZ GARCIA JR. (Hollywood/Embratel/Tang/Banco Sofisa Mercedes Reynard), onthe conclusion of his first full FedEx Championship Series campaign: "AfterAustralia, I'm really looking forward to California and a nice finish to theseason. I'm just glad I have a superspeedway under my belt with Michigan,and I expect some good things in the form of results, as the car will be amuch better one than the one I drove at Michigan. I would be a littleconcerned if I had not driven on a large track, but that's not a factor now.I would love to cap the season with another finish in the points. It wouldbe great for everyone, myself, my team and my sponsors."