10-13-2003, 03:03 AM
Quote:really the only thing I miss is the CART threads.
MEXICO CITY (AP)— Paul Tracy knew he was in position to win the Mexico Grand Prix when he came out of his final pit stop just ahead of Sebastian Bourdais.
"I just had to keep it clean and smooth through the esses," said Tracy, who started from the pole, dominated the Mexico Grand Prix from start to finish Sunday and built his lead for the CART series championship with just two races to go.
Bourdais, who clinched rookie of the year honors, pressured Tracy through the final 32 laps after beating Newman-Hass teammate Bruno Junqueira out of their second pit stop on lap 38.
Tracy's Team Forsythe crew held his lead on the final pit stop: he entered just a half-second ahead of Bourdais and came out just ahead.
Tracy's 26th career victory tied him for third on CART's career list with Rick Mears, a three-time champion. Tracy can secure his own first title with a victory in either of the final two races.
He won in a car stripped of the logo of his major sponsor, Players, because of a new Canadian law against tobacco advertising. Instead, the names of hundreds of fans were painted on the cockpit and fuel tanks.
Mexico's Mario Dominguez, who won Sept. 28 in Miami, finished third in front of a roaring, near-capacity crowd. Fellow countryman Michel Jourdain Jr. fought back from a first-lap mishap to finish fourth.
Giddy at a podium finish, Dominguez gave his car a celebratory doughnut spin on the track as the crowd chanted "Mario! Mario!"
"Being able to finish third here is the best thing that has happened to me in my life," he said after the race.
Mexican television invited crowds to celebrate at a downtown monument, the Angel of Independence, better known for soccer celebrations.
Brazilian Bruno Junqueira finished seventh, gradually slipping back after running second for the first half of the race. With points for the victory and most laps led, Tracy has 226 points to 197 for Junqueira.
Bourdais said Junqueira had spent most of the morning in the medical center with an upset stomach.
For the second year in a row, the first turn on the 2.786-mile road course was almost the last for several drivers. Adrian Fernandez and Jourdain both cut across the grass: Fernandez to avoid a spinning Jimmy Vasser and Jourdain to miss Darren Manning.
"I don't know if somebody touched Jimmy or what happened," said Jourdain, whose finish put him just 14 points behind Junqueira for second place in the series championship.
Fernandez was forced off the pavement at the same corner on the fourth lap in an incident that left Geoff Boss out of the race for going off course.
In 2002, pole-sitter Junqueira hit the wrong gear and veered off course while Tracy bumped into Vasser and veered into a gravel trap.
Fernandez led for six laps because of a delayed final pit stop, but then dropped back to 10th before finally finishing eighth.
Otherwise, Sunday was the culmination of a disappointing weekend for Mexico's most popular driver, who missed last year's Mexico City race with an injury.
Fernandez seemed prepared for a shot at a hometown win after leading 88 laps of the Sept. 28 race in Miami, but struggled with the setup of his car and qualified 15th.
Tracy built an 8-second lead over Junqueira before the second pit stop, where Bourdais beat Junqueira out of the pits for second place.
The race tightened after a yellow flag was waved on the 40th lap. Former series champion Vasser spun, Alex Tagliani hit him and both went out. By the time the green flag waved on lap 44, 15 drivers were within 10 seconds of the leader.