Sunday, May 12, 2002
Brazilian force stays at front of pack
By MICHAEL MAROT
AP Sports Writer
INDIANAPOLIS — Bruno Junqueira knew all about the top threats to his first Indianapolis 500 pole.
He'd raced against Helio Castroneves, Felipe Giaffone and Tony Kanaan since they were driving go-karts in Brazil, and he grew up watching Raul Boesel race Indy cars.
On Saturday, the boys from Brazil were such a strong force, few could keep pace with them. Junqueira took the pole, and Brazilians earned four of the top five spots on the first day of qualifying for the race May 26.
“We were friends when we were kids and now we're here together, on the best level of racing,” Junqueira said after posting a four-lap average of 231.342 mph. “I'm glad to see that.”
Perhaps, but he probably was not as happy to see how close they were to him.
Boesel is the most experienced of the Brazilians. He earned his 13th Indy start Saturday, one more than the total his six countrymen have combined.
“There are too many Brazilians, and I'm the oldest fish among them,” Boesel joked. “They should respect me, and all but one of them did.”
The contingent nearly made it a clean sweep of the top four spots.
Junqueira was the first qualifier of the day — and the fastest. Giaffone went next and wound up with a 230.326.
Rookie Tony Kanaan didn't have it as easy. His first qualifying attempt was stopped by rain after he failed to reach the 230s he had in practice.
“Everyone thought the car wasn't right,” he said. “I knew it was raining. Being a rookie, I called in and said 'What should I do, I've already taken the green and it's raining?' ”
IRL officials brought Kanaan in and let him restart after the track dried. Kanaan then turned a four-lap average of 230.253. Seven drivers later, Boesel went 230.613, giving Brazilians the top four speeds.
Only America's Robbie Buhl, who went 231.033 and wound up second, split up the contingent.
Castroneves, the defending champ, qualified a disappointing 13th after having the fastest speed of the week Friday. His Penske Racing teammate, Gil de Ferran, will start 14th, placing six Brazilians among the first 24 qualifiers. Airton Dare can still make it seven in the field on Sunday or on May 19 when qualifying concludes.
It was the kind of Pole Day the Brazilians had dreamed about.
“I won poles, I won races, I lost poles, I lost races,” Junqueira said. “It was really competitive. It was nice to grow up together and race against each other. When you see everyone succeed like this, it's nice.”
Junqueira is the first Brazilian to win an Indy pole since two-time race winner Emerson Fittipaldi in 1990.
———
TOUGH BREAKS: Defending IRL champion Sam Hornish Jr. had a close call prior to Saturday's qualifying session.
Hornish, who has two wins and a third-place finish in the IRL's first four races this season, spun on the back straightaway in the morning practice and barely avoided hitting the wall.
He wasn't the only one having trouble.
Kenny Brack, the 1999 Indy 500 champ, wasn't as fortunate. He brushed the turn four wall in practice, then called off two qualifying attempts after warming up his car.
Finally, things turned around and Brack qualified on the outside of the seventh row at 227.240.
“We got the car in the show, but I don't know if it's going to be enough,” said Brack, concerned about being bumped by faster cars after the 33-car field is filled.
Jon Herb also hit the wall in turn four during an afternoon practice run. He was not injured.
Paul Tracy had the toughest luck, though, crashing in turn two during the morning practice. He hit the “soft” wall with the rear of the car, which was badly damaged.
Tracy was released from the hospital after being treated for abrasions on his knees and heels, but Team Kool Green will have to scramble to find him another car.
“We were struggling this morning,” he said. “We decided to make a change, really two or three changes at once. Then we went out, and it was too much.”
Teammate Dario Franchitti called off a qualifying attempt after three laps above 226. Barry Green's third driver, Michael Andretti, was the 23rd fastest qualifier with a four-lap run of 226.780.
———
TRADING PLACES: Two-time Indy champion Arie Luyendyk will not be in his familiar No. 5 car at this year's race even though he practiced all week in the car.
Team owner Fred Treadway announced late Friday that Luyendyk will be driving the No. 55 car, while rookie Rick Treadway, his son, will take over the No. 5.
The reason? The points standings.
With Treadway in the No. 5 car, he can continue to earn points in the IRL title chase. Treadway is 19th with 50 points. Luyendyk came back from retirement to run Indy each of the past two years, but no longer races anywhere else.
Treadway qualified the No. 5 in the 17th spot at 228.039. Luyendyk made two attempts and failed to qualify. He warmed up for a third attempt at the end of the day, but came in without taking the green flag.
———
PIT STOPS: Qualifying was delayed twice briefly by rain. More rain is expected Sunday, the second of three days of time trials. ... The slowest qualifier Saturday was Billy Boat at 226.589. ... Five rookies — Kanaan, Treadway, Tomas Scheckter, Laurent Redon and Max Papis — and five former winners — Castroneves, Brack, Eddie Cheever Jr., Al Unser Jr. and Buddy Lazier — qualified for the tentative lineup. ... George Mack, who is seeking to become the second black driver to start at Indianapolis, waved off his only attempt Saturday. ... Boesel is the third driver team owner John Menard has had in the No. 2 car in a month. Jaques Lazier suffered a season-ending back injury in a crash at Nazareth, Pa., on April 21, and PJ Jones will miss six weeks after coming away from a crash here Tuesday with a back injury.
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Brazilian force stays at front of pack
