BOURDAIS DOMINATES IN CHAMP CAR EURO RETURN
In the return to Europe by the Champ Car World Series, Sebastien
Bourdais (#1 McDonald’s Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone) proved
once again why he is the driver to beat in the series with
a dominant win today at Zolder in Belgium.
Bourdais extended his championship lead to 53 points over
Dutch driver Robert Doornbos (#14 Minardi Team USA Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone).
He earned nearly every point on offer this weekend by grabbing
the pole position on Saturday, setting the fastest race lap
and winning by more than 13 seconds.
Finishing second was Dale Coyne Racing driver Bruno Junqueira
(#19 Sonny’s Bar-B-Q Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone), who
scored the best ever finish in Dale Coyne’s 24 years
as a team owner. Though the Brazilian started fourth, he lost
a position off the start and a further ten spots after a problem
during his first pit stop.
Mired in the back of the field, Junqueira and the Coyne Racing
crew came back onto pit lane under the next yellow just ten
laps later. The alternate strategy saw him move up to second
in the order as the other drivers had to dive onto pit lane
for service under green flag conditions.
Junqueira made his final stop on lap 48 also under green
flag conditions and dropped back to tenth. When a full-course
caution slowed the race again, the majority of the field used
the opportunity to come to pit road for a final splash of
fuel to reach the end of the race.
While they came to pit lane, Junqueira stayed out and moved
back up to the fourth position, sitting behind Simon Pagenaud
(#15 Aussie Vineyards Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone), Belgian
Jan Heylen (#34 Grafiprint Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone) and
Tristan Gommendy (#22 Pay By Touch-MegaSpirea Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone).
The three drivers in front all had to pit for fuel while
Junqueira was worked hard to conserve fuel and make it to
checkered flag. In the end, the three-time championship runner-up
battled valiantly with Bourdais and his Newman/Haas/Lanigan
Racing teammate Graham Rahal (#2 Medi|Zone Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone)
letting the French champion slip by but holding off the American
rookie.
By holding onto second, Junqueira forced the 18-year-old
Rahal to settle for his fourth podium finish of the year.
Dutch star Robert Doornbos also lost some ground in the title
chase with his seventh place finish today.
With the double podium, Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing took the
early lead in the Phanos Champ Car European Cup team competition
earning 70 points over the course of the weekend. Team Australia,
winners of the Champ Car Canadian Triple Crown, are second
with 60.5 points.
QUOTES FROM THE TOP THREE FINISHERS
Sebastien Bourdais: "It was a great weekend once again.
It wasn't exactly the target to go after the win but we would
obviously go for it if we could. The McDonald’s team
did a fantastic job”
Bruno Junqueira: “I am very happy for get a podium
for Dale Coyne Racing. I just kept my head down and concentrated
on saving fuel after that. I drove as hard as I could at the
finish"
Graham Rahal : “The end of the race was very exciting
for me. The Medi|Zone team had to work awfully hard because
I got a horrible start and lost another spot, so I was trying
to make up time the rest of the race. It was a bit of hard
dicing but I managed to pull a little gap on them and I managed
to cruise to the finish which was nice."
OLD FRIENDS BACK IN CHAMP CAR PADDOCK
Old friends were reunited at Zolder today as five-time Champ
Car World Series race winner Kenny Brack caught up with his
former team boss, Bobby Rahal.
Now living just down the road in Brussels, the Swedish star
is now retired from active competition. Rahal was in Zolder
this weekend to see his son Graham score his fourth podium
of the season for Newman Haas Lanigan Racing.
"Now that Kenny is based back over here in Europe, we
don't get the chance to see each other that often," Rahal
said.
"He won a lot of races for us - we had some good times
together. It's always good to catch up."
Brack won four races for Rahal's team in 2000 and 2001 -
taking the chequered flag in Japan, Milwaukee, Chicago and
Germany.
"It's great to be back at a Champ Car race - catching
up with a lot of old friends," Brack said.
"I have been living in Brussels for the past two years
so the chance to come to Zolder this weekend was ideal”
Results
Pos Driver Country Time
1 Sebastien Bourdais France 71 laps
2 Bruno Junqueira Brazil - 13.655 sec
3 Graham Rahal USA - 14.457 sec
4 Will Power Australia - 15.147 sec
5 Justin Wilson England - 15.972 sec
6 Oriol Servia Spain - 17.150 sec
7 Robert Doornbos Netherlands - 18.368 sec
8 Neel Jani Switzerland - 19.073 sec
9 Alex Tagliani Canada - 23.833 sec
10 Paul Tracy Canada - 24.500 sec
11 Katherine Legge England - 28.843 sec
12 Simon Pagenaud France - 33.187 sec
13 Jan Heylen Belgium - 72.098 sec
14 Alex Figge USA - 1 lap
15 Ryan Dalziel Scotland - 4 laps
16 Tristan Gommendy France DNF
17 Mario Dominguez England DNF
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