Great start for Paul in blue machine
source: Player's Team
St. Petersburg, Florida - Paul Tracy launched his Team Player's career
in spectacular fashion on Sunday, assuming the lead on lap 35 and masterfully
cruising to a 12.136-second victory in the Champ Car World Series'
season-opening race on the streets of St. Petersburg. It was the 20th career
victory for Tracy, the most by any driver currently in the series.
Tracy's teammate and fellow Canadian, Patrick Carpentier, was running in second
place on lap 48 of the 105-lap event, but he hit a bump and veered off into the
tire barrier, damaging the front wing of his car in the process. Carpentier got
a new wing, returned in 14th position, two laps down, and steadily made up
ground for an eighth-place finish. Mexico's Michel Jourdain Jr. took second
place, while Brazilian Bruno Junqueira completed the podium. Canadian Alex
Tagliani was forced to retire with a
damaged suspension.
Tracy, signed by Team Player's last November, is in his 13th season as a Champ
Car driver, and his experience was much in evidence during today's race, as he
produced Team Player's 14th career Champ Car win. Starting on the front row,
alongside pole-sitter Sebastien Bourdais, the promising French rookie, Tracy
patiently bided his time through lap 30, when Bourdais made his first pit stop
with the lead. Bourdais would eventually fall back due to a punctured tire, and
both Tracy and Carpentier eventually got around leader Tiago Monteiro to run
1-2, until mid-race.