Race No. 19

Honda Indy
Surfer's Paradise
Gold Coast, Australia
October 15-17, 1999

	Forsythe Player's/Indeck Reynard Mercedes
GREG MOORE
Our strategy was to conserve fuel. We were getting pretty good mileage, but unfortunately we had the electronics problem. It's too bad for the guys for sure.

	Target Chip Ganassi Racing Reynard Honda
JUAN MONTOYA
Obviously, this isn't the way I wanted to end the day. I'm mostly disappointed because we had a winning car and a shot at a spot on the podium. I locked the rear brakes, turned around and tagged the wall. Now, we look toward Fontana.

	Kmart/Texaco/Havoline Swift Ford
MICHAEL ANDRETTI
I was just dying out there in the closing laps. Especiallyin the last corner. The Ford power kept us in fifth today. Kanaan was ableto get a run on me but he didn't have the power to get by. YOU AND KANAANHAD QUITE A BATTLE IN THE CLOSING LAPS OF THE RACE . . . Yeah we did. Hewas good to race with. Her drove a really clean race. I knew that I couldtrust him.

	Marlboro Lola Mercedes
AL UNSER, Jr.
It's been a long weekend but we had a good race going today. I passed five cars onthe first lap, and my car was really hooked up. We had a great pit stop on lap 20. Unfortunately,something happened to the throttle mechanism and I had to park it, ending our day.

	MCI Worldcom Arciero-Wells Reynard Toyota
CRISTIANO DA MATTA
We had a great car today. I was having a lot of fun in the race, because the MCI WorldCom car was fastand I was able to do a lot of passing. It was exactly the way racing should be. Coming here for the first time thisyear, I found that I like this track a lot so it was not too difficult to learn. Then when the car started to have problems Istarted to lose gears. We tried to stay out as long as we could, but the race did not have muchlonger to go and the gears got worse. I was falling very far behind. There was nothing we could do.

	Pioneer Arciero-Wells Reynard Toyota
SCOTT PRUETT
It's an understatement to say we're disappointed. The Pioneer car was all-around a fantastic car.It was very fast, and it handled beautifully. We had a couple of miscued pit stops that set us back,which is unfortunate because the car was very comfortable near the front of the pack. In a way,I guess you could say it was a good day for Pioneer and Toyota -- we were competitive and running strong out thereall day. We just had some bad timing.

	PacWest Motorola Reynard Mercedes
MARK BLUNDELL
We had a very good race car today. Actually, we had a good car all weekend, but for a number of reasons wedidn't get a lot of running time. The car was well balanced and we had the pace - we just couldn'tget by people in traffic. Once I got clear, the car was very fast. I'm disappointed with the deal with Hattori. He made a mistake in Turn 7 and Icapitalized on that. I had the next corner, and he turned in. He didn't do himself any favorsbecause he ended up taking us both out.

	Kmart/Texaco Havoline Newman/Haas Racing Swift Ford
CHRISTIAN FITTIPALDI
WHAT HAPPENED? DID YOU HAVE ANY INDICATION THAT SOMETHINGWAS WRONG? No. It happened all of the sudden. I think it was the turbo.When it happened I got on the brakes to pull off but I had no rear brakesbecause the fire burned through the line. I had no idea that anything waswrong, I looked in my mirrors and saw a huge fire and a lot of smoke. It'svery disappointing to be out after only two laps. The car was not perfectbut with some good pit strategy we could have salvaged some points. I guessI am going to have to wait 365 days until next year for another shot to winhere.

	Herdez Competition Payton/Coyne Lola Ford
MICHEL JOURDAIN
At thebeginning the car was great and I was able to pass several people duringthe first lap. Later, the rear wing was moving a lot and the car lostdownforce. Due to this problem the car was very loose and also did notbrake well. Unfortunately, after a pit stop, I hit some tires when I passedby Gualter Salles' pit, which was next door. They penalized me sending meto the back of the field. We were able to make up some positions up to 11thplace, but on the last lap Jan Magnussen passed me.

	Miller Lite Team Rahal Reynard Ford
MAX PAPIS
We came out very strong and when everyone came in for the pits and westayed out I trusted Bobby that it was the right call. They are my eyes andthey take care of me and as it turned out it was the perfect strategy. Wehad a very, very fast car and the Ford engine was very strong. We have theright package and we were the fastest car on the track. I think this is avery good result for us, we came over here and had a good result. I want tothank the organizers, too. They put on a great show. They really make youfeel like you are part of something very important and very special. HOWDID IT FEEL TO DRIVE A FUEL STRATEGY RACE? I think that this being thefirst time for Bobby calling the race that he did a great job. We werepushing very hard and it felt good to lead the race. It was very nice to beable to drive 100-percent and not have to worry about the fuel strategy likewe do in so many races these days. I was flat out all the way to the end ofthe race. Dario got a really good run on Magnussen at the end of the raceand I kept pushing harder and harder and I was wondering what I needed todo, but then I saw that he was coming in. Dario drove a very good racetoday. I think that what is important for me is that today is my personalbest and now I am fifth in the championship. It is a great end of theseason for me. I want to dedicate this second place to Gonzalo (Rodriguez).He was a very special person and he has to be very happy to see what we aredoing.

	Shell Team Rahal Reynard Ford
BRYAN HERTA
WHATHAPPENED ON THE START OF THE RACE THAT CAUSED YOU TO FALL BACK? When I goton it, the rear wheels broke loose. It was a bit slippery at the beginningof the race. I tried to keep pace with Dario, but he got a cleaner jumpthan I did. RACE CONTROL CLAIMED THAT YOU PASSED FERNANDEZ UNDER THEYELLOW GOING INTO ONE OF THE CHICANES. DID YOU SEE ANY FLAGS? I didn'tsee any flags. What I can't understand is why Montoya was able to stayahead of Fernandez and I wasn't because we both went through together. Thatsituation was a bit frustrating for me. I don't quite understand it.

	Team Kool Green Reynard Honda
DARIO FRANCHITTI
What can you say about that? We came here this weekend, hoping for a22-point weekend. We were just working towards that and it happened.Its pretty amazing that it actually happened. Team KOOL Greenworked tremendously hard all weekend. Obviously, it's perfect to takethe points lead thats what we came here to try and do. I heard on the radio that there was a local yellow in Turn 9. When Ifound out Juan was out of the race, it was a big relief because of thepoints situation. Its never nice when something like that happens, but theway the championship fight is going, you have to take what you can get. I wasnt pressured too much at all today. When Max was up ahead, hewas moving away but we were saving fuel at that point. Everythingworked itself out after everybodys final stop, with us back in the lead.The guys did a great job on the pit stops and the KOOL car was justwonderful. It's nice to win in Australia. Barry said to me 'Youve got to win inAustralia, mate.' We finally did it for him. Its great because his entirefamily is here. He can hold his head up high tonight when we have a hugeparty!

	Team Kool Green Reynard Honda
PAUL TRACY
We got screwed on the start. In the race, we lost something in theelectronics or the boost right after the first stop. I was really slow comingonto the straightaways. We struggled and just couldnt keep up on thestraights. As soon as I went to full throttle, it would stumble and fall. Butthe KOOL car was superior in the corners; I could catch right up underbraking. Then the field would pull six or seven car lengths ahead of me onthe straightaway. Thats how Tony [Kanaan] and other guys passed metoday. I think we might have finished on the podium quite easily even withthe boost problems we had. At the end of the day we were seventh andscored some points. Well take it.

	McDonald'sForsythe Championship Racing Team Reynard Honda
TONY KANAAN
We had a very good car and I believe that if we would have started alittle bit further up, we could have finished in the top five. I hadgood passes a couple of times. I tried to get Michael the whole race.I couldn't do it but we had a lot of fun and he played very clean, andso did Paul and Greg. I would consider this one of my best races of theyear even though it wasn't one of our best results. I'm excited. Ilearned a lot and I can use that in the future. I think Australia put on one of our best shows of the year. I thinkCART and the people from Australia should be really happy, and Honda toput on an event like this. This weekend was 100 percent -- no bigaccidents and a very good show for the people and that's what we're herefor.

	Tecate Beer/Quaker State Patrick Racing Reynard Ford
ADRIAN FERNANDEZ
First of all, I want to thank the organizers of the race,they did a great job. All you have to do is look at the amount of fans wehad here. As for the race, the car was working really well for us and itfelt really strong. I was getting really good fuel mileage and managed togo an extra lap before I had to make my first stop. There was a little bitof confusion with the first yellow with Bryan Herta and Montoya and finallyI guess the decision was made that Bryan had to pass back. The fuelstrategy came into play but we were fortunate to have a strong car. At theend my tires held on really well and I managed to keep them which helped me.My engine ran really well all day. In the closing laps of the race Ithought my oil pressure was dropping. I started to hear things and alarmsand I got really worried but it held up. YOU AND JUAN HAD A GOOD BATTLEGOING FOR A WHILE, THEN HE REALLY BEGAN TO PRESSURE YOU. . . He was pushinghard and I was doing my best to hold him off. Juan was there but he wasquicker than me in a few spots and I was quicker than him in others. Then Iwent to look into the mirrors and he was not there, so I guess he made amistake.

	Herdez Payton-Coyne Racing Lola Ford
MEMO GIDLEY
The car was goodat the beginning of the race and I was conserving fuel. The car was veryconsistent. Later the car started to go slower and slower. The boost waslosing power on the straightway. The turbo blew up and I had a little fire,which forced me to retire. Also, I had a problem with the brakes. It is sadthat this was my last race with Herdez and I thank them the opportunity tojoin the team.

	Hogan Racing Lola Mercedes
HELIO CASTRO-NEVES
The car was very good on old tires. I was able to put pressure on Papis,but unfortunately this was not to be our day. I had a scary moment when the shock covercame off. I couldn't see anything - only the wires for the telemetry and the radio. Of all thestrange things that have happened to me on the race track, that will go down as one ofthe strangest. After that happened, we only had spotty telemetry, and I couldn't really communicate with theteam on the radio. I could hear them but they weren't able to hear me. I was cruisingafter the first stop and then something in the drivetrain broke. All I can say is, 'On to Fontana!

	Forsythe Player's/Indeck Reynard Mercedes
PATRICK CARPENTIER
When you're quite far from the front like that, you have to take somechances and, unfortunately, they don't always work out," explainedCarpentier. "I was trying to pass for position on the track and it was justone of those things that happen from time to time from trying to beaggressive.

	Hollywood Reynard Mercedes
MAURICIO GUGELMIN
We had some type of gearbox oil leak at the start of the race. All of a sudden,I had a lot of wheel spin, and it was because the oil was spraying on the right rear tire. Idid one lap until the gearbox ran out of oil. It's very frustrating because we had an excellent car all weekend. Iwas ready to go for it, but it just wasn't our day.

	Epson Bettenhausen Motorsports Reynard Mercedes
GUALTER SALLES
The car was very consistent today. I only wished we had had more time towork with the car over the weekend. The Mercedes engine performed very well. I was able to keepup on the straightaways, and I had no problems whatsoever. The team did a great jobwith the pit stops, and I gained positions with each stop. After everything this team hasgone through this season and this weekend, they really deserved this one. And I deserved it too. It'smy last race of the year, and I hope to be back again next year.

	Team Gordon Eagle Toyota
ROBBY GORDON
This is a great run for us. We made a bunch of changesin the morning in hopes that we could turn around the poor qualifyingeffort and it paid off. We had the fifth-fastest race lap of the dayand the car seemed to get stronger as the stints went along. The radio communication was really bad all day. Turns out the antennabroke off the nose of the car. I could only hear the pit box on thefront straight for a brief period of time and they couldn't hear me atall. When it came to pit calls at the last minute, which we had two, Ijust followed everyone else in. There was no way they could communicateto me to take a splash when that last yellow came out. I just figuredwe were on the same strategy as the leaders. At the end, I was hooked up. Pruett and I got da Matta, then had a fundice the rest of the way in. We finally got Pruett in the chicane onthe back straight when he hopped a curb and got sideways. Once again the car held up and I give the guys credit for that. Thisis going to make the next two days here in Australia a lot of fun!

	Team Kool Green Team manager
BARRY GREEN
Fantastic! To win at home in Australia is just incredible. We won pole,we did what we had to do. Paul had a little problem with his turbo, buthe still drove a heck of race to finish seventh. What can I say, the TeamKOOL Green boys had a perfect weekend almost. It was a brilliantdrive today by Dario, but getting the pole position was equally brilliant.Winning the pole gave him the confidence going into the race today. Thenthe great pit stops from the boys, especially that last one. This is what welive for! ON PAUL TRACYS DRIVE-THRU PENALTY: Im verydisappointed on the call by the stewards on the start. Maybe they've gota better seat than I do. But it looked like it was evasive action by Paul. Idont understand. You cant stay in the line and get hit from the rear if hethinks the car in front of him is slowing. And thats what I saw, but it'sthe Chief Stewards call. At least they took some time to review it andthat was their call. Im very disappointed.

	Owner Team Rahal
BOBBY RAHAL
This is a great result for our teamconsidering everything. This was my first race calling the strategy for Maxand it paid off. Sure, we took a gamble with the pit strategy for Max, butit is so hard to pass here that you have to roll the dice. Bryan also had afast car. I don't know what happened to him with the penalty. But, this isour third straight top five with both drivers. It's a good way to wrap upthe season.