Monday, October 07, 2002
Da Matta wins race and first CART title
The Associated Press
MIAMI - Cristiano da Matta clinched his first CART series championship with a victory in the Grand Prix of the Americas Sunday.
Da Matta held off Newman/Haas teammate Christian Fittipaldi by 0.734 seconds, winning for the seventh time this season and the 11th time in his career.
In a race slowed by six yellow flags, Da Matta's average speed on the 1.387-mile, 16-turn temporary road course was 68.723 mph and is believed to be the second-slowest winning speed in CART history. Juan Montoya won in Vancouver in 1999 with an average of 65.279 mph.
Da Matta extended his lead to an insurmountable 69 points over Bruno Junqueira, who finished fifth. There are three races remaining.
“I think there isn't a better way to clinch the championship than with a victory,” said da Matta, who collected a $1 million title bonus. “If you clinch in fifth place, everybody forgets pretty quickly that you've won many other races before. When you clinch it with a win, it's pretty obvious that you were there the whole year.”
Da Matta, 29, became the quickest series champion since 1998, when Alex Zanardi wrapped up the crown with four races remaining. The only time he relinquished his lead in Sunday's final 80 laps was on pit stops.
Junqueira needed to finish at least fourth to stay incontention for the title.
Da Matta started sixth, but he took the lead after polesitter and early leader Tony Kanaan was penalized for blocking Scott Dixon on the 20th lap. Dixon was attempting to slide past Kanaan on the inside, but Kanaan dropped low and pushed Dixon's car into the concrete wall, putting Dixon out of the race.
Race officials issued a blocking penalty and sent Kanaan to the back.
“We had a good run on him and got practically beside him,” Dixon said. “He just turned right and the corner was another 50 yards away. It's just so obvious and pretty blatant.”
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Da Matta wins race and first CART title
