CART: Zanardi Looks to Extend Mid-Ohio Streak
9 August 1998
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Target/Chip Ganassi Racing driver and defending series champion Alex Zanardi leads the pack with 190 points. Zanardi is also looking for a hat trick at the Miller Lite 200 after winning tin 96 and 97. Teammate Jimmy Vasser sits in second with 122 points followed by Greg Moore, after his victory at the U.S. 500 with 18 points. Michael Andretti and Adrian Fernandez round out the top five with 92 and 90 points, respectively.
Jimmy Vasser's runner-up finish at Michigan marked his 11th consecutive finish of eighth or better, dating back to seventh at Japan. He has cored PPG Cup points in 49 of his last 56 starts, dating back to 1995 at Milwaukee. Jimmy has been consistent at Mid-Ohio, also, finishing second in 1996 and fifth in 1997. However, it will take more than consistency to catch Alex Zanardi.
"We're still going after the championship, but it's going to take some bad luck on Alex's part, and I don't want to wish that on him right now, but at this point, that's what it will take to catch him," said Vasser.
The bottom half of the PPG Cup top ten is locked in a close battle. Scott Pruett is sixth with 76 points and Team Rahal driver and Mid-Ohio track record holder Bryan Herta is seventh with 67 points. Team KOOL/Green driver Dario Franchitti has scored 44 of his 66 points on road courses and sits in eighth. Gel de Ferran and local favorite Bobby Rahal round out the top ten with 63 and 61 points, respectively.
In the PPG Cup points system, victory earns a driver 20 points while fastest qualifying and most laps led are each worth one point. Second place is worth 16 points, third is worth 14 points and fourth is worth 12 points. Points decrease by two until the seventh finishing position. At this juncture, they decrease by one points until the 12th finishing spot. No points are awarded past 12th place.
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