Carpentier wins Champcar shootout

CANADIAN Patrick Carpentier has scored his breakthrough Champcar victory after a titanic battle in the closing stages of the 500-mile classic at Michigan International Speedway yesterday.

The race came down to a 10-lap sprint to the chequered flag, in which the Reynard-Ford Cosworth driver edged out Dario Franchitti (Reynard-Honda) and Michel Jourdain Jr (Lola-Ford) for the win.

Carpentier win came from 21st on the grid, a record achievement on a superspeedway, and he was a lap down at one stage. It was also the first win for the Forsythe team since the death of Greg Moore in 1999.

"It's been a long time coming and I guess this is a good one to start with because I don't see how it can get much more exciting," said the 29-year old Canadian, who led the final three laps and officially beat Franchitti by just 0.243 of a second.

"I was afraid to look beside me coming down to the finish because I knew it was so close. But what a day. To come back from one lap down and win this thing is incredible." Franchitti's achievement was almost as memorable, coming from 25th and last place to almost snatch the win. He is now just three points behind championship leader Kenny Brack.

"It's about time Pat won one of these things - he deserves it," said Franchitti. "We gave it a helluva run and it was a good show for the fans." Jourdain scored his best-ever finish and lost second in a photo finish.

The race featured no less than official 60 lead changes, but it all boiled down to that final 10 laps after Brack and teammate Max Papis - who both qualified on the front row - came together and eliminated themselves from contention.

Byan Herta (Reynard-Ford) led the pack around on the lap 240 restart and led for three laps, Franchitti flashed in front for laps 243 and 244 before Jourdain drafted past and took the top spot for lap 245. Franchitti was back in front on Lap 246 and surrendered to Jourdain on lap 247 before Carpentier charged to the point on lap 248.

Even though Carpentier never officially lost the lead again, Franchitti and Jourdain got ahead of him at various times during the final three circuits.

Shortly after taking the white flag, Carpentier was about to be shuffled back when his teammate, Alex Tagliani, dove under Franchitti and Jourdain. Their momentum slowed, Carpentier shot to the outside and into the clear going through turn one to establish a crucial break.

Cristiano da Matta wound up fourth in a Lola-Toyota with Herta fifth in what appears to be the final visit by CART to the two-mile Michigan International Speedway after a 22-year association.

* One of Australia's Formula One hopefuls, Sydney teenager Ryan Briscoe, hastaken the lead in the Italian Formula Renault Championship.

The 19-year-old from Drummoyne, already identified by new F1 entrant Toyotaas a potential Grand Prix driver, shot to the top of the points table inthe junior series at Varano in Parma at the weekend.

Briscoe went into the sixth round of the championship in third place butfinished three places ahead of his Portuguese teammate Cesar Campanico, whohe had trailed by one point, and the former series leader, experiencedBrazilian Fabio Carbone, crashed - but had been behind the Australiananyway.

The rising Sydney star crossed the finish line second - 1.6 seconds behindthe winner, Italian Mirko Venturi.

Briscoe's next challenge is his Formula Three debut at the F3 Masters inZandvoort, Holland, on August 5.

RACE RESULTS
1 Patrick Carpentier (Reynard-Ford Cosworth) 2hr54:55.757
2 D Franchitti (Reynard-Honda) +0.243
3 M Jourdain Jr (Lola-Ford Cosworth) +0.243
4 C da Matta (Lola-Toyota) +0.445
5 B Herta (Reynard-Ford Cosworth) +0.516
6 A Tagliani (Reynard-Ford Cosworth) +1 lap
7 P Tracy (Reynard-Honda) +1 lap
8 H Castroneves (Reynard-Honda) +1 lap
9 B Junqueira (Lola-Toyota) +1 lap
10 S Dixon (Reynard-Toyota) +2 lapsDRIVERS' CHAMPIONSHIP
1 K Brack (SWE) 84 points
2 Franchitti (SCO) 81
3 Castroneves (BRA) 75
4 M Andretti (USA) 73
5 Da Matta (BRA) 67
6 G De Ferran (BRA) 58
7 Dixon (NZ) 57
8 Tracy (CAN) 52
9 J Vasser (USA) 50
10 C Fittipaldi (BRA) 49MANUFACTURERS' CHAMPIONSHIP
1 Honda 174
2 Toyota 154
3 Ford-Cosworth 151Next round: Target Grand Prix, Chicago Motor Speedway, USA - July 29