Medlen, Connolly get first victories; Schumacher, Treble also get wins
August 15, 2004
BRAINERD, Minn. - Funny Car driver Eric Medlen and Pro Stock’s David Connolly each earned the first victory of their careers Sunday at the 23rd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway.
Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel) and Craig Treble (Pro Stock Bike) also earned the win in their respective categories at the $1.6 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series event.
Notes & Quotes from Watkins Glen
August 15, 2004
Race winner Tony Stewart explained some of his cramping in the Sirius at the Glen. In spite of what sound like severe cramps, he went on to lead the most laps and win the race, holding off road race specialist Ron Fellows for his second Watkins Glen victory.
Fernandez Nabs First IRL Win at Kentucky
August 15, 2004
Adrian Fernandez crossed the finish line 0.0581 of a second ahead of pole winner Buddy Rice to win the Belterra Casino Indy 300 at Kentucky Speedway. This is Adrian’s first win the IRL since joining the series for the second race of the season after bailing out of Champ Car. Dan Wheldon, Kosuke Matsuura, and Tony Kanaan completed the top-five.
Bourdais Beats Tracy in Denver
August 15, 2004
Sebastien Bourdais extended his points lead today by winning the Champ Car Grand Prix of Denver by seven second over Paul Tracy. Bourdais’ teammate Bruno Junqueira was all over the back of Tracy in the closing laps and he was fortunate to retain the second place finish.
Tony Stewart Overcomes Ills, Fellows for Glen Victory
August 15, 2004
Tony Stewart withstood stomach and leg cramping to lead 46 of the 90 laps in the Sirius at the Glen race Sunday. At one time early in the race, the team had Boris Said ready to substitute for Stewart. Ron Fellows, starting dead last after qualifying was cancelled Friday, moved into second place, but didn’t have the car to challenge Stewart after the final caution. The Hendrick Motorsport cars had troubles with Jimmie Johnson missing a shift and breaking his engine and Jeff Gordon losing the first three gears in his transmission late in the race.
Random Observations
August 15, 2004
Well, did the Hungarian GP turn out as expected? Yes and no. To those who thought the competition was prepared to press Ferrari, no it did not. To anyone who thought that Ferrari’s dominance would continue, yes it did.
Ferrari Dominate Hungary with 1-2 Finish
August 15, 2004
Michael Schumacher has now become the only driver to ever win 12 races in a single season. He won the Hungarian Grand Prix today with his Ferrari teammate Ruben Barrichello following him in second. As a result of today’s performance Ferrari have locked up their 6th consecutive Constructors Championship. On his was to victory today Schumacher won the pole, led every lap and set the fast lap of the race. Fernando Alonso completed the podium in third place, bringing his Renault home a full 44.5 seconds behind Schumacher.
Kalitta, Wilkerson, Anderson & Brown Top Qualifying at Brainerd
August 15, 2004
BRAINERD, Minn. - Greg Anderson put on a show for the hometown crowd Saturday, earning the 29th No. 1 qualifying position of his career during the 23rd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway.
Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Tim Wilkerson (Funny Car) and Antron Brown (Pro Stock Bike) also earned the No. 1 qualifying position in their respective categories at the $1.6 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series event.
Rice, Kanaan Qualify 1-2 at Kentucky
August 15, 2004
Indy Racing League IndyCar Series championship contenders Buddy Rice and Tony Kanaan will start Sunday’s Belterra Casino 300 from the front row of the 22-car field, the ninth time this season that Honda drivers have filled out the front row of an IRL starting grid. It also is the 10th pole of the season for Honda, five of them by Rahal Letterman Racing’s Rice, who now is one away from tying the IRL single-season record of six, set by Billy Boat in 1996.
Bourdais on Denver Pole
August 15, 2004
DENVER - After leading first-day qualifying for the Centrix Financial Grand Prix of Denver, Friday leader Sebastien Bourdais (#2 McDonald’s Ford-Cosworth/Lola/Bridgestone) said that he thought that there was still a second to be found on the 1.657-mile street track that winds around Denver’s Pepsi Center during Saturday’s final round of Champ Car qualifying.