Da Matta tops Saturday practice timesheets
Cristiano da Matta topped a Champ Car time sheet for the first time ever when he posted fastest time in Saturday morning's practice session on Cleveland's Burke Lakefront Airport track
Da Matta's time of 58.129s was a full 0.122s quicker than he managed in yesterday's (Friday) qualifying session. The Brazilian set the time despite having to swap from his race car to the T-car after suffering electrical problems in his PPI Reynard-Toyota, then swapping back in the closing minutes of the session.
Second fastest was another Brazilian, Marlboro Team Penske's Gil de Ferran, the only driver to have won two Fed-Ex Series races this season.
Michael Andretti broke the South American domination with third, but behind him Mauricio Gugelmin (PacWest) in a confidence-boosting fourth and defending champ Juan Pablo Montoya (Chip Ganassi Racing) made it four drivers from 'south of the border' in the top five on the abrasive concrete of the Cleveland runways.
Dario Franchitti is on provisional pole after yesterday's first qualifying, but today's pair of half-hour timed sessions will determine the final grid. With temperatures in Ohio set to be perfect for fast lapping, times are expected to tumble.
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