Series leaders suffer in shunt

Pre-race points leader Paul Tracy, his nearest rival Jimmy Vasser, round one winner Max Papis, pre-season favourite Dario Franchitti and dark horse Adrian Fernandez all had their chances of gaining ground in the points destroyed in the multi-car shunt at Portland's notorious Festival Curves.

Kenny Brack started the collision, assisting Franchitti into a spin in front of the field and causing a destructive chain-reaction accident through the order. Both continued, although the Scot lost a lap after being black-flagged for failing to follow the correct procedure while regaining the track down an escape road. Vasser and Papis were out on the spot while Tracy and Fernandez dropped to the tail of the field, the Canadian later dropping out with suspension problems.

"I'm very disappointed," said Papis. "I was doing my own race but people banged in front of me and I hit Adrian. I tried as be as safe as I could but there was nothing I could do."

"I just got caught in the middle of some stuff and didn't really have anywhere to go," added Vasser, whose Ganassi Lola briefly became airbourne in the chaos. "It's unfortunate..."

The biggest loser was Tracy, whose season has taken a definite downturn since he took the points lead through a series of early podiums and victory at Long Beach.

"I didn't see what caused it all but when I got there the whole track was blocked," he explained. "It was just a big mess."