Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Da Matta eyes CART title, $1 mil. bonus

Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2002 | 9:17 a.m.

Brian Hilderbrand covers motor sports for the Las Vegas Sun. His motor sports notebook appears Friday. He can be reached at bh@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4089.

Cristiano da Matta has a million reasons to win Sunday's CART Grand Prix Americas on the streets of Miami.

Da Matta, the series points leader with six wins, can clinch the CART championship and a $1 million bonus if he finishes 10 points ahead of fellow Brazilian Bruno Junqueira in the race. Da Matta holds a 58-point lead over Junqueira with four races remaining; there are a combined 68 points available at the final three races of the season.

While da Matta can wrap up the CART championship this weekend, two other drivers mathematically are alive in the title hunt: Dario Franchitti trails da Matta by 65 points and Patrick Carpentier of Las Vegas is 76 points behind.

Da Matta, who drives for Newman/Haas Racing, knows what's at stake this weekend. But the 29-year-old said he isn't approaching the race any differently than the previous 15.

"We are going to Miami to score as many points as we can," da Matta said. "It's the same mind set as we have had at all of the races we have gone to this year but obviously more is on the line at this point in the season.

"To run well in my home race would be great but to clinch the championship there would be even better. But we plan to take it one race at a time."

The Grand Prix Americas will be CART's first street race in Miami since 1995. Although he lives about a block from the 1.379-mile circuit, da Matta admitted he does not know what to expect this weekend.

"There is always a little bit of surprise when you go to an event for the first time but I expect it will be a good race," da Matta said. "Qualifying will be very important in Miami; the guys who are fast off of the truck and qualifying well will have an advantage."

"It was very exciting for me," Fisher said. "Only being three laps long, though ... I didn't get to show off any talent or ability. To get used to an animal such as that (car), it's going to take more than three laps. But to turn right and left, to be in an F1 car, is exhilarating."

Fisher said the technology of the F1 car versus her IRL ride was staggering.

"The steering wheel, there's more buttons on there than I think there (are) in any airplane," Fisher said. "There are buttons even on the side of your leg -- they're everywhere."

Race traffic will not be allowed to enter The Bullring from Las Vegas Boulevard on Saturday due to the air show at Nellis Air Base. All race traffic must exit Interstate 15 at Speedway Boulevard and follow the signs to The Bullring.