Newman-Haas Goes International

For the first time in 19 years, there will be no Andretti in the driver’s seat of a Newman-Haas car in Sunday’s Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Mario, a four-time winner, has retired, and Michael, a one-time winner, was dropped last year before hooking on with Barry Green’s team.

In their place are two Brazilian pals, holdover Christian Fittipaldi and newcomer Cristiano da Matta.

Da Matta, in his first outing as Andretti’s replacement, won the CART opener last month on a road course in Monterrey, Mexico. Driving a Toyota-powered Lola, he defeated defending series champion Gil de Ferran after battling former Indy 500 winner Kenny Brack most of the race.

That gave Newman-Haas a two-race winning streak, since Fittipaldi had won the final 2000 race at California Speedway.

Now Long Beach is next, a temporary street course that would appear to be similar to Monterrey, but isn’t, Da Matta says.

“It is two very, very different circuits,” said the 5-foot-4, 130-pound driver from Belo Horizonte, Brazil. “In Mexico, the track was really smooth. There wasn’t a bump on the whole racetrack. It is probably the smoothest track I have ever driven.

“Long Beach is a different thing. It is a very, very bumpy track. So the way we set up the cars, I am sure, is going to be pretty different [from Mexico]. My expectations are good because we have been doing good off-season testings at Sebring [Fla.], which is a bumpy track too, the same kind of rough circuit as we have at Long Beach.”

There is something else unique about Long Beach--the temporary walls, more than 14 million tons of concrete blocks fitted with debris fence and cable.

“A street race is always a little more dangerous because the walls are so close,” Da Matta said. “But the way they put the walls around Long Beach, it is the best way possible. There was a concern, a drivers’ concern, last year about the fencing getting too old, but now we have new fencing all the way around, which is what we asked for.

“I think the safety conditions are going to be pretty good. Of course, racing is always a dangerous sport, but we appreciate that they are trying to make it as safe as they can for us.”

A more immediate concern for the Newman-Haas drivers was passing the time between their season opener March 11 and Sunday’s Long Beach race. The gap was widened when a race in Brazil, scheduled for March 25, was canceled.

“It has been a strange feeling, to be honest, because I do not ever recall in my whole life having a one-month gap after the first race,” Da Matta said. “Usually, in a gap like that, we would test three or four times and keep busy. But this time all Christian and I could do was keeping riding our bicycles around Miami, and play some guitar. I even had enough time to get back home to Brazil.”

Neither Newman-Haas driver hit the right combination during Friday’s long practice sessions, but both expect to be ready for today’s qualifying at 1:45 p.m. Fittipaldi ran 103.079 mph for a lap around the 11-turn 1.968-mile course, with Da Matta at 101.729. Nunn Racing’s Tony Kanaan was quickest at 104.559.

“We used [today] as a testing day, since there is a no in-season testing rule,” Fittipaldi said. “Tomorrow morning, we will work more on speed and putting a good lap together. I have my work cut out in qualifying, since I am in the slow group because I did not get any points in Mexico.

“Maybe the ‘Bluelight Special’ will bring us a good finish in this race so we can qualify in the fast group next time.”

Fittipaldi’s car, which has been black for many years, has a new blue paint scheme.

“I also want to erase the disappointment of last year’s finish here when we were running in second place when a huge fire in the pits ended our chance at a podium finish,” Fittipaldi said. “I’m sure we would have had a top-three finish.”

Notes

Only 13 Dayton Indy Lights showed up to qualify for Sunday’s morning race with Mario Dominguez of Mexico City taking the pole at 93.250 mph. He was followed by three rookies--Jon Fogary of Portola Valley, Calif., Dan Wheldon of England and Damien Faulkner of Ireland.

David Rutledge of Canada won the pole for today’s 32-lap Toyota Atlantic race with a lap at 90.636 mph. Rookie Joey Hand of Sacramento will start alongside Rutledge in the 3:15 p.m. race, first of the season for the Atlantics.

The 10-lap pro-celebrity race will be at noon. Actor Josh Brolin, last year’s winner, was fastest in the practice, lapping his Celica at 66.353 mph. Former Trans-Am champion Scott Pruett was next at 66.266.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Race Facts

TODAY

* Noon--Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race

* 1--Dayton Indy Lights Championship Qualifying

* 1:45--Toyota Long Beach Grand Prix Qualifying

* 3:15--Toyota Atlantic Championship Race

* 5--Trans-Am Series Qualifying

SUNDAY

* 10:15 a.m.--Texaco Havoline Challenge Dayton Indy Lights Championship Series Race

* 12:15 p.m.--Toyota Long Beach Grand Prix

* 3:45--Trans-Am Series Race