The Race

Tony Kanaan secured his first Champ Car pole, in doing so also winning his crew's wristwatches in a bet. Never having led a single lap before in his 21 CART races, Tony is seen here as he prepares to take the field into the start of the race.

13:07 Fujicolor A200 SS1/500 CF9.5

At the start third-place qualifier Bryan Herta blasted down the left hand side to secure the racing line and the lead into the first corner. But he wasn't the fastest and Tony set about getting back on top.

13:08 Fujicolor A200 SS1/750 CF9.5

By the third lap Tony and Dario Franchitti have got back by to reestablish their original order, and Bryan is being hounded by the train of Max Papis, Juan Montoya and Adrian Fernandez (in his new Swift).

13:11 Fujicolor A200 SS1/1500 CF5.6

Having recovered his position at the front, Tony Kanaan leads the race for the next 40 laps, including maintaining it through the first pit stops on lap 24.

13:14 Fujicolor A200 SS1/1500 CF5.6

Meanwhile, rookie Juan Montoya, this year's replacement at Target/Chip Ganassi Racing for Alex Zanardi, has passed Mad Max and is making his own moves on Herta.

13:15 Fujicolor A200 SS1/1500 CF6.7

Robby Gordon in his own team's Toyota-powered Reynard takes the first of several excursions of the track as he locks up his brakes coming into the turn.

13:22 Fujicolor A200 SS1/1500 CF5.6

 

Coming into turn 9 on lap 22, Montoya seizes his chance to pass Herta: he out-drags him on the back straight and comes past on the outside...

13:31 Fujicolor A200 SS1/1500 CF6.7

...managing to steal the racing line through the turn. Squeezed out, Herta locks his brakes as he has to concede the corner.

At the restart on lap 31 after a yellow, he also slipped past Franchitti and set about pressuring Kanaan for the lead.

13:31 Fujicolor A200 SS1/1000 CF5.6

Montoya: "I really started pushing, pushing trying to show him the nose, and he started making a couple of mistakes."

"I made a mistake," said Kanaan, ending his race in a tyre barrier on lap 46. "The track was breaking up and I just ran off line a little bit and lost it."

13:52 Fujicolor A200 SS1/1500 CF5.6

Dario had a final chance to pass Juan at the last of five restarts on lap 80. But Montoya again proved too quick and pulled away to a 2.8 second lead.

"I gave it everything. We didn't have the car today which was unfortunate," said a disappointed Franchitti afterwards.

14:50 Fujicolor A200 SS1/500 CF9.5

As Juan brings the number four car home, Chip Ganassi is on his radio saying, "You're the best, you're the man."

In the post-race interviews, Chip is still full of praise: "This guy has a lot of talent. That's why we hired him."

14:53 Fujicolor A200 SS1/1500 CF5.6