Newsroom
TITLE DECIDER SET FOR GOLD COAST FOLLOWING OVERNIGHT DRAMA
Monday, 25 September 2006
The Lexmark Indy 300 on the Gold Coast could decide the 2006 Champ Car World Series champion next month, after US driver A.J Allmendinger stayed in the hunt with a win at Elkhart Lake in Wisconsin overnight.
Allmendinger’s win, to stay in touch with series leader Sebastien Bourdais, was overshadowed by one of the biggest crashes in Champ Car’s recent history involving Englishwoman Katherine Legge.
The 26-year-old, who only recently visited Australia to promote the Lexmark Indy 300, endured a high speed crash at 180 miles per hour with only five laps to run – an accident that caused a 42-minute delay in the race.
Legge (PKV Racing) was uninjured in the crash, walking out of the Champ Car Medical Centre to the cheers of the waiting fans and went on to conduct a live television interview.
“I am a bit shaken, but I’m okay,” said Legge. “All my bits are intact, so that just goes to show how strong Champ cars are.
“It was a big impact, but hopefully everything will be fine for the next race at Surfers Paradise.
“I don’t think you are really aware of what is going on when you have a situation like I had. All of a sudden the car just sped up and hit the wall. Then I see the ground and there is dirt coming into the cockpit…and I see the fence…honestly you are thinking what is going to happen next.
“I think I saw parts breaking off all around me. And I think I saw the engine split away because the thing I was thinking about the most was that the car was going to catch fire. Then when the engine went away, I thought, okay that’s good.
“To be honest I think I had my eyes closed for lots of it, but it is a bit scary.”
Allmendinger (Forsythe Championship Racing) eventually won the 51-lap race on Road America’s 4.048 mile road course from Newman/Haas Racing team mates Bruno Junqueira in second and Bourdais in third.
The US pilot overcame a pair of large deficits where he trailed Bourdais by more than 10 seconds, then used a fast fuel stop to get in position for the pass that would give him the lead.
Allmendinger passed Bourdais with six laps to go, taking advantage of the fact that the champion was on cold tyres after his final pit stop.
“Obviously, Sebastien and Bruno showed all weekend in the dry that they probably had the cars to beat,” said Allmendinger. “It took a little bit of luck with the pit stops, the yellows to come by.
“If we can just go out there and try to win the last two races, at least try to beat him (Bourdais) for the most wins during the season, you never know what’s going to happen.
“If we come up short in the championship, finish second, it’s still been a fantastic year no matter what, because after four races this year when I was like 80 points back and jobless. I didn't think I was actually going to be in contention for the championship.”
Bourdais still maintains a cushion of 58 points in the series standings over Allmendinger, and will have to wait to see if he can notch his third successive Champ Car title at the Lexmark Indy 300 from October 19 to 22.
Under the current points system, Bourdais can secure the Vanderbilt Cup on the Gold Coast if he can finish in ninth place or better.
“Right now we’re not really thinking about the championship because from here on, as long as we start the race, even if it goes bad, it’s still pretty much wrapped up,” said Bourdais.
The Team Australia duo of Alex Tagliani and Queensland’s Will Power had a rather forgettable outing, finishing 11th and 13th respectively.
Fortunately for Power, his result has kept him in the lead in the Roshfrans Rookie of the Year race by seven points over Englishman Dan Clarke (CTE Racing – HVM).
Power sits in seventh position overall, but within nine points of fourth place. Tagliani is in 12th position but also within striking distance of fourth, 26 points behind.
The next round of the Champ Car World Series is the Lexmark Indy 300 on the Gold Coast to be held from October 19 to 22. Tickets are on sale through Ticketek on phone 1300 303 103, via the event website at www.indy.com.au or at any Ticketek agency.
Round 12 – Elkhart Lake - Race Results
1 – A.J. Allmendinger (Forsythe Championship Racing) 51 laps Active
2 - Bruno Junqueira (Newman Haas Racing) 51 laps Active
3 – Sebastien Bourdais (Newman Haas Racing) 51 laps Active
4 – Oriol Servia (PKV Racing) 51 laps Active
5 – Justin Wilson (RuSPORT) 51 laps Active
6 - Dan Clarke (CTE Racing – HVM) 51 laps Active
7 – Charles Zwolsman (Mi-Jack Conquest Racing) 51 laps Active
8 – Andrew Ranger (Mi-Jack Conquest Racing) 51 laps Active
9 – Jan Heylen (Dale Coyne Racing) 51 laps Active
10 - Paul Tracy (Forsythe Championship Racing) 51 laps Active
11 – Alex Tagliani (Team Australia) 51 laps Active
12 - Mario Dominguez (Rocketsports Racing) 51 laps Active
13 - Will Power (Team Australia) 50 laps Active
14 - Nelson Philippe (CTE Racing – HVM) 50 laps Active
15 - Juan Caceres (Dale Coyne Racing) 50 laps Active
16 - Katherine Legge (PKV Racing) 45 laps Contact
17 – Tonis Kasemets (Rocketsports Racing) 14 laps Mechanical
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Allmendinger’s win, to stay in touch with series leader Sebastien Bourdais, was overshadowed by one of the biggest crashes in Champ Car’s recent history involving Englishwoman Katherine Legge.
The 26-year-old, who only recently visited Australia to promote the Lexmark Indy 300, endured a high speed crash at 180 miles per hour with only five laps to run – an accident that caused a 42-minute delay in the race.
Legge (PKV Racing) was uninjured in the crash, walking out of the Champ Car Medical Centre to the cheers of the waiting fans and went on to conduct a live television interview.
“I am a bit shaken, but I’m okay,” said Legge. “All my bits are intact, so that just goes to show how strong Champ cars are.
“It was a big impact, but hopefully everything will be fine for the next race at Surfers Paradise.
“I don’t think you are really aware of what is going on when you have a situation like I had. All of a sudden the car just sped up and hit the wall. Then I see the ground and there is dirt coming into the cockpit…and I see the fence…honestly you are thinking what is going to happen next.
“I think I saw parts breaking off all around me. And I think I saw the engine split away because the thing I was thinking about the most was that the car was going to catch fire. Then when the engine went away, I thought, okay that’s good.
“To be honest I think I had my eyes closed for lots of it, but it is a bit scary.”
Allmendinger (Forsythe Championship Racing) eventually won the 51-lap race on Road America’s 4.048 mile road course from Newman/Haas Racing team mates Bruno Junqueira in second and Bourdais in third.
The US pilot overcame a pair of large deficits where he trailed Bourdais by more than 10 seconds, then used a fast fuel stop to get in position for the pass that would give him the lead.
Allmendinger passed Bourdais with six laps to go, taking advantage of the fact that the champion was on cold tyres after his final pit stop.
“Obviously, Sebastien and Bruno showed all weekend in the dry that they probably had the cars to beat,” said Allmendinger. “It took a little bit of luck with the pit stops, the yellows to come by.
“If we can just go out there and try to win the last two races, at least try to beat him (Bourdais) for the most wins during the season, you never know what’s going to happen.
“If we come up short in the championship, finish second, it’s still been a fantastic year no matter what, because after four races this year when I was like 80 points back and jobless. I didn't think I was actually going to be in contention for the championship.”
Bourdais still maintains a cushion of 58 points in the series standings over Allmendinger, and will have to wait to see if he can notch his third successive Champ Car title at the Lexmark Indy 300 from October 19 to 22.
Under the current points system, Bourdais can secure the Vanderbilt Cup on the Gold Coast if he can finish in ninth place or better.
“Right now we’re not really thinking about the championship because from here on, as long as we start the race, even if it goes bad, it’s still pretty much wrapped up,” said Bourdais.
The Team Australia duo of Alex Tagliani and Queensland’s Will Power had a rather forgettable outing, finishing 11th and 13th respectively.
Fortunately for Power, his result has kept him in the lead in the Roshfrans Rookie of the Year race by seven points over Englishman Dan Clarke (CTE Racing – HVM).
Power sits in seventh position overall, but within nine points of fourth place. Tagliani is in 12th position but also within striking distance of fourth, 26 points behind.
The next round of the Champ Car World Series is the Lexmark Indy 300 on the Gold Coast to be held from October 19 to 22. Tickets are on sale through Ticketek on phone 1300 303 103, via the event website at www.indy.com.au or at any Ticketek agency.
Round 12 – Elkhart Lake - Race Results
1 – A.J. Allmendinger (Forsythe Championship Racing) 51 laps Active
2 - Bruno Junqueira (Newman Haas Racing) 51 laps Active
3 – Sebastien Bourdais (Newman Haas Racing) 51 laps Active
4 – Oriol Servia (PKV Racing) 51 laps Active
5 – Justin Wilson (RuSPORT) 51 laps Active
6 - Dan Clarke (CTE Racing – HVM) 51 laps Active
7 – Charles Zwolsman (Mi-Jack Conquest Racing) 51 laps Active
8 – Andrew Ranger (Mi-Jack Conquest Racing) 51 laps Active
9 – Jan Heylen (Dale Coyne Racing) 51 laps Active
10 - Paul Tracy (Forsythe Championship Racing) 51 laps Active
11 – Alex Tagliani (Team Australia) 51 laps Active
12 - Mario Dominguez (Rocketsports Racing) 51 laps Active
13 - Will Power (Team Australia) 50 laps Active
14 - Nelson Philippe (CTE Racing – HVM) 50 laps Active
15 - Juan Caceres (Dale Coyne Racing) 50 laps Active
16 - Katherine Legge (PKV Racing) 45 laps Contact
17 – Tonis Kasemets (Rocketsports Racing) 14 laps Mechanical
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