Papis Enjoys Day in the Rain

Fighting a steady rain, driver after driver slid off the track, spun out in the mud or slammed into another car during Sunday’s Freightliner/G.I. Joe’s 200 at Portland, Ore.

Fortunately for Max Papis, all of it was going on well behind him.

Being the pole-sitter paid off for the 31-year-old Italian, who made virtually no mistakes and dominated the race for his second career CART victory. Staying ahead of the heavy spray that led to nine caution flags, Papis held off Roberto Moreno by 1.472 seconds.

“I told you I was coming back,” a jubilant Papis said. His performance had fallen off since he won in Homestead, Fla., to open the 2000 season, and last week in Detroit he had started a demoralizing 24th before finishing 11th.

“It’s like your first girlfriend--you’ll never forget it,” he said of last year’s breakthrough victory. “But this is even more special, because we came from zero to hero.”

Christian Fittipaldi made a daring move past rookie Max Wilson on the tricky first turn with six laps left to take third.

Kenny Brack, the CART series points leader, recovered from an early mistake to finish 11th, good for two points. Brack has a 76-69 lead over Helio Castroneves, who finished 17th.

Papis has been overshadowed most of the season by Brack, his Team Rahal teammate. Papis’ best finish had been sixth in Japan, and it has been rumored that Rahal might not renew his contract at the end of the year unless his production picked up.

The developments made winning that much sweeter.

“Today was a great success on and off the track, especially off the track,” he said.

The race on the 1.969-mile permanent road course was scheduled for 98 laps but was shortened by 22 because of a two-hour time limit. It was the first time CART had raced in the rain since Vancouver, Canada in September 1999, when a downpour caused the slowest race in series history.

With so many cautions, the drivers were able to conserve fuel, and the leaders went to the pits only once.

Although Germany’s Michael Schumacher gave the home fans what they wanted in winning the European Grand Prix, a penalty cost the crowd a chance to witness a battle of brothers to the end at Nurburgring, Germany.

As he had before taking the lead and winning two weeks earlier in the Canadian Grand Prix, Ralf Schumacher hounded his brother from the start of the race. But Formula One officials decided the younger Schumacher crossed a line separating pit row from the racing surface after making a stop on the 28th of 67 laps, and ordered him back in on the 39th.

The time lost leaving and re-entering the track, and a 10-second penalty tacked on, left Ralf’s Williams far behind Michael’s Ferrari, effectively ending his bid for victory.

“I was looking in my mirrors when I left the pits and concentrated more on the traffic behind me than the line,” Ralf said. “I have to accept the penalty.

“I am extremely disappointed as I had a chance to win in front of my home crowd. Under the circumstances, I have to be happy with fourth.”

His 32-year-old brother--seven years Ralf’s senior--was happy with another victory, but wasn’t sure he wanted to win in that fashion.

“It was a very strong decision that destroyed my brother’s race,” Michael said.

Tony Pedregon won for the third time this season and 13th in his National Hot Rod Assn. career, beating Tommy Johnson in the Funny Car final at the Sears Craftsman Nationals in Madison, Ill.

Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Warren Johnson (Pro Stock), GT Tonglet (Pro Stock Motorcycle) and Taylor Lastor (Pro Stock Truck) won their respective categories.

Pedregon gained the starting-line advantage and covered the quarter-mile at Gateway International Raceway in 5.006 seconds at 296.31 mph.