Close racing fun for drivers at 230 mph

Mike Harris

Sunday, Oct. 31, 1999 | 1:04 a.m.

FONTANA, Calif. - While watching the Champ Cars circle the two-mile California Speedway oval at speeds topping 230 mph, you might expect that the drivers are holding their breath most of the time.

Actually, they're enjoying themselves.

"It's a lot of fun," said sensational rookie Juan Montoya, who goes into Sunday's season-ending Marlboro 500 trailing Dario Franchitti by just nine points in the duel for the CART FedEx Series championship.

"At Michigan, it's easier to run side-by-side, but this kind of race is good because you have to work a lot on the car. It's a nice game."

Max Papis came within half a lap of winning the race in July at Michigan Speedway - a virtual carbon copy of its sister track in Fontana - before running out of fuel.

"These races are never boring," Papis said. "There's a lot of overtaking and you have to be ready for it all the time."

Papis, who has yet to win a race in his four seasons in CART, was asked if his showing at Michigan makes him feel like a favorite here.

"For me, in my heart, I'm always the favorite," the one-time sports car star said. "Michigan is just the proof that we can do a good job."

Although the spotlight this week is mostly on the championship battle between leader Franchitti and Montoya, Papis would love to steal some of the thunder in the season's only other 500-mile event.

"Our success at Michigan really doesn't give us any kind of distinct advantage," said Papis, completing his first season with Team Rahal and coming off a career-best second-place finish two weeks ago on the temporary street circuit in Surfers Paradise, Australia.

"The only thing I haven't been able to accomplish this season that was a goal of mine coming in was to win a race," said Papis, who replaced new boss Bobby Rahal in the cockpit following Rahal's retirement as a driver.

"I know a lot of people have told me that I won Michigan, but I am not looking for moral victories. I want my name on paper as having won a race."

Practice began Friday and Papis' Reynard-Ford was second only to Englishman Mark Blundell's Reynard-Mercedes. Blundell turned a fast lap of 235.292 mph, while Papis hit 234.747, both in the first of two sessions.

Montoya, who leads everyone this season with seven victories in 19 starts, was third overall at 233.539 in the morning and led the slower afternoon session - marked by gusty winds - at 230.707 in his backup Reynard-Honda.

Franchitti, who didn't take the series lead from Montoya until winning in Australia, was 11th overall at 232.269 mph.

"It was a good day," Montoya said. "We were just trying to find a nice race car, but it's very difficult to find out how fast you are until qualifying because everybody drafts each other in practice.

"I'm not too worried about speed, though," said Montoya, who went into today's qualifying with a series-high seven poles. "My main goal is trying to beat Dario."

Franchitti, like Montoya, looking for his first series title, said, "We're just trying to get our work done and be ready to race on Sunday. We'll be ready."

Blundell was pleased with his fast lap, but readily admitted he had some help.

"It's hard not to get at least a little tow out there in practice," Blundell said. "But I don't think we had too much help, so I'm pretty pleased. We should be in good shape for qualifying."

Rookie Naoki Hattori of Japan was airlifted to a nearby hospital for precautionary tests after crashing during the morning practice. Dr. Steve Olvey, director of medical affairs for CART, said Hattori was awake and alert and had no apparent injuries.