The Brazilian may well have turned in the top performance of any driver in North America this year. source: motorsport.com INDIANAPOLIS - Newly-crowned CART champion Cristiano da Matta of Newman/Haas Racing has been lauded as the most dominant driver in the Champ Car series in 2002, but a closer look at his accomplishments shows that the Brazilian may well have turned in the top performance of any driver in North America this year. In a series where drivers must show mastery of the most diverse series of racetracks in the world, da Matta won races on ovals and permanent road courses as well as temporary street circuits en route to the championship, claiming seven wins and seven poles along the way. His four consecutive race wins tied an all-time series record and his 11 podium finishes were the second-most ever earned in a season. He not only put himself among the sport's greats with his dominant season, he earned the respect of some of racing's legendary figures including CART and Formula 1 World Champion Mario Andretti. "The CART field is Triple A. There are no backmarkers in our field so with the season Cristiano has had he has been an absolute standout," Andretti said. "He excelled in a series where the equipment and talent is exceptional. He is a very modest champion, which says a lot. He has time for everyone whether you are a sponsor, media or a fan. Because of that, he is a great ambassador for not only CART but also for the sport of racing worldwide. Not only has he won seven races but he has also been a constant force to be reckoned with throughout the entire season whether it was in a race, qualifying session or each practice session."
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