Race notes: LV’s Tracy gets provisional pole for Aussie CART race

Friday, Oct. 15, 1999 | 10:26 a.m.

Las Vegan Paul Tracy helped sidetrack Juan Montoya and Dario Franchitti's bid for the series points title by leading today after the first round of qualifying for Sunday's Gold Coast Indy race at Surfers Paradise, Australia.

Tracy, trying to win his second consecutive race on the CART series, led Michael Andretti by nearly half a second on the 2.795-mile course. Tracy powered his away around the street circuit in 1:32.7 seconds for an average speed of 1:33.544 mph.

Colombian rookie Montoya was third, as he tries to hold off the Scottish Franchitti and win the points title. Bryan Herta was fourth in qualifying and Franchitti fifth.

* Jay Sauter has a mathematical chance, at best, to capture the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship but his late season surge could have a big impact on who does win the title race.

Sauter, who scored his first victory of the year a week ago in Louisville, Ky., captured his second consecutive pole position Thursday at Texas Motor Speedway, narrowly missing the track record he established when the tour visited the 1.5-mile speedway in June. The Wisconsin driver, who drives a Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, will line up at the head of Friday's 36-truck field following his lap of 179.152 mph.