Team Player's drivers Carpentier and Tagliani have much at stake at CART
season-ender in Mexico City
Mexico City, Mexico, November 14, 2002 - The 2002 CART FedEx Championship winds up where it all began - in Mexico - with the running of the Grand Prix Telmex-Gigante this Sunday, and Team Player's drivers Patrick Carpentier and Alex Tagliani both have some added incentives heading into the 73-lap road-course event.
Carpentier, who has been on the podium in the last two races and three of the last four, has 145 points in the drivers' standings, three points back of Brazilian Bruno Junqueira in the battle for second place, which carries a $500,000 bonus. Tagliani, who has recorded at least one point in 13 of the last 14 race weekends, is in eighth place overall with 108 points, which is within 14 points of climbing into the top 5.
"The half-million dollar bonus for finishing second would be fantastic, mainly because it would be such a tribute to the entire crew at Team Player's," said Carpentier. "They've all worked so hard to give me a competitive car for every race. That's an extra incentive to do everything I can to help the team get this second-place finish."
Provided Junqueira does not collect an additional point for winning the pole and/or the most race laps led, Carpentier has his destiny in his own hands, since he could earn second place with the 20 points that he would obtain for a race win. His two race victories this season have been on road courses - Cleveland and Mid-Ohio. Next to this year's CART champion Cristiano da Matta, Carpentier has the most points - 105 - on a road course.