CART Drivers Have a Million Reasons Not to Slow Down

Speeds are down at California Speedway, but the possibility of three-abreast racing through the corners and 225-mph drafting on the straightaways--plus a guaranteed $1 million to the winner--make today’s Marlboro 500 one of the most anticipated CART champ car races of the season.

Scott Pruett, a lame-duck driver making his last start for Patrick Racing, will start on the pole after averaging a modest 233.748 mph in his Reynard- Ford Cosworth during Saturday’s time trials.

This is a dramatic slowdown from the 240.942 mph lap Mauricio Gugelmin recorded here last year. Because speeds were escalating so swiftly, CART officials introduced the Handford Device, a rear-wing like aerodynamic piece that reduces downforce and increases drag.

It was hoped that the device, which is used only at the California and Michigan two-mile superspeedways, would reduce speeds by 6-8 mph.

“It [the pole] is exciting for me personally, being as how it’s my last race with Visteon and Patrick Racing,” said Pruett, who has announced that he will drive a Toyota-powered car next year for the Arciero-Wells team. “It’s a great way to start the weekend and puts us in good position for the race.

“Ever since we made the announcement [about switching teams], my goal with my guys has been to focus on the last few races and end this season on a high note. My relationship with [team owner] Pat Patrick has been great over the years. He hasn’t changed his commitment to me one bit.”

Pruett collected $10,000 for winning the pole and can collect an additional $45,000 if he can win today’s race--plus the $1-million winner’s purse.

Jimmy Vasser, who won the last time CART promised a million dollars to a race winner--in the 1996 U.S. 500 at Michigan--will start alongside Pruett with a 233.360 qualifying speed.

Alex Zanardi, Vasser’s Target Chip Ganassi teammate, who already has clinched his second CART FedEx championship and is headed for Formula One after today’s race, will start 18th after a disappointing 229.525 lap.

“If you cannot get the pole position, all the remaining positions don’t make a difference,” said Zanardi, who will collect a $1-million bonus at Monday night’s CART banquet at the Century Plaza. “It’s better if you can start farther up in the pack and stay out of trouble, but I’m not worried.

“We saw in Michigan how easy it was to move up. Heck, Jimmy [Vasser] was a lap down at Michigan [where the Handford Device was used for the first time] and almost won the race.”

Vasser lost to Greg Moore in a last-lap pass after three drivers had been in front the last four laps.

“I don’t think we’ll see quite the amount of passing [a record 62 lead changes] we did at Michigan because the banking here is not as severe, but we will see a lot more than last year,” said Michael Andretti, whose 232.832 lap puts him in the third starting position.

Bobby Rahal, who is ending a 17-year champ car career with this race, will start fifth, his best superspeedway start since becoming a team owner in 1992.

“It’s not the pole, but I’m very happy with our qualifying run,” Rahal said. “Now we can go race. It feels good to go out and grab the car by the neck. That’s the one thing I’ll miss driving--when you have a good car and you drive it hard. I feel really good about our chances for the race.”

The first 24 drivers on the starting grid qualified within one second of Pruett’s time.

Two accidents during qualifying--one that knocked Adrian Fernandez to the rear of the field and one that will force Alex Barron to start in a backup car--contributed indirectly to the slow speeds. Neither driver was hurt, but during the time lost in cleaning up the accidents, a brisk wind came up that was bothersome to late qualifiers.

Fernandez, who had been one of the fastest in practice, lost control in the second turn of his timed lap and slid into the wall as the car exited the turn.

Barron hit the wall on the first turn during his cool-down lap. The car spun backward and hit the wall on the left side, damaging the car beyond repair. He will start 15th in the All American Racers backup car.