Montoya takes top prize at awards

The Colombian won a series of awards, including the top prize for winning the championship.

Paul Tracy received the year's most improved driver award.

Members of the CART fraternity wore small white ribbons on their dinner jackets as a symbol of remembrance to Greg Moore, who was killed following a massive smash in Sunday's season finale at California's Fontana circuit.

CART went ahead with its prize-giving on Monday night, after Ric Moore, father of Greg who died in Sunday's race at the California Speedway, told CART officials that neither he, nor Greg, would want it to be cancelled.

The evening began with a tribute to Greg Moore and Gonzalo Rodriguez, and the prize giving itself was a very emotional affair - although charged with humour.

For champion Juan Montoya it wasn't a time to celebrate, but his rivals acknowledged his achievement.

Team-mate Jimmy Vasser set the tone of the eveing, and spoke for many of the drivers with some fun: 'Juan, little did we know of your potential as a rookie. Chip got paid to take you on -- much to the bewilderment of many! You're a great champion, and we both have a great race team. Four consecutive championships is unprecidented.

'We're all here to celebrate Juan's championship, and what a great championship it was this year. And we're here to celebrate this evening that way. Unfortunately we're also here in a different manner. I know the family of Gonzalo Rodriguez is here, and our hearts were very heavy there at Laguna. And they're very heavy now. Personally I have had a lot of tears over the last 24 hours, and an awful lot of laughs every time I think about Greg. It was always about a laugh, it was always: 'Let's go to Vegas,' this, or 'let's have a party' that, or 'let's get the guys together'. It was always a smile. He was never worried about where he qualified, just like yesterday - he didn't even qualify. But he was so excited about the race, with his busted up hand...It was just the way he was, he was always smiling, always cheered you up.

I didn't realise how much I loved Greg until today, until yesterday. He gave so much love all the time... I don't know why I'm talking about Greg so much of the time, but I really can't help it. My heart is very heavy, and it's difficult to lift it out of my stomach right now. I guess sometimes there are no answers. He loved what he was doing and he was a
great a guy. And he'd want us all to kick ass next year! '

Christian Fittipaldi added: 'Juan, you did a really awesome job out there, and drove like a real man. And at the end of the day that's what really counts. Congratulations! Again, Chip, I'll have to congratulate you and your team, although it's really getting boring now! I really hope it's the last time I'll have to congratulate you!'

Paul Tracy, third in the championship, said: 'I hope some day I can have a heart as big as Jimmy's, because what he said was very special, and he said everything for the drivers. It's been an up and down season, one that I'll never forget.

But I want to remember the good times. My first memory of Greg is when I had just started Indycar racing with the Penske team, and I was flicking through the sports pages of the paper in Canada, and there's this kid from the west coast , and the headline said: 'The next Paul Tracy'. He was a little taller than me, a little skinnier than me...kind of the way I wish I'd looked! But the same haircut, the same glasses, and breaking into the
racing scene and wanting to move up to Indycar levels. And I tell you that guy had more talent in his pinky finger than most of the guys in this room.

And he's really going to be missed by everybody. It's a hard day for everybody. Greg's last words to me before the start were: 'See you at the front.' I just want to say back to him, 'See you again some day.'

Dario Franchitti, who finished level on points with Montoya, but was beaten on victories: 'Third last year, second this year... We're getting there slowly! I just want to say to Juan (Montoya) and Chip (Ganassi), thanks for a great season, and well done. It doesn't get much closer than that! It really was fun. I'd like to thank Team Kool Green, you're like a family, thank you all for helping so much. I really can't say too much. I want to thank my friends that stood up here tonight, saying some wonderful things about my good friend Greg, who's not here. If he was here I think his words would be: 'Adrian, where's the party afterwards!'

Max Papis: 'Tonight is very special to me. I want to thank Chip (Ganassi) for not only making the dream of my friend Alex (Zanardi) come true, but also for Juan, achieving his goals. I'm also very happy and proud to see Jimmy (Vasser) here, because in this year of motor racing I have made some very special friends, and Jimmy is one of them. And you Dario...I even sprayed my hair green for you!

'It's a very strange situation with our moods. I'm a very happy person, but what happened yesterday, what happened in Laguna, and what happened with Jeff (Krosnoff), it is something that I never would have imagined would happen to me in my life. I want to share with you something that happened, and how I will remember Greg forever.

'Last year we were in my house in Milan Italy with Dario and Greg, and our parties were going on until 5'o clock in the morning. One night we were coming back and Greg was kind of, well not kind of, he was totally wasted! A little bit more than me and Dario anyway!A lot of what went on I can't say, but eventually we got back to the house, and met my father as he was going to work. It was 6:30, but we had had such a laugh. That is how I will remember my friend Greg. And I will take a drink for him tonight.'

New champion Juan Montoya rounded out the night saying: 'It's been a really long season for me. I really love being here in CART, I have great people to work with, we're just like a family. I want to thank Chip for everything. I just did the best I can. This trophy means a lot to me. I want to thank Dario for the competition we had all year long, some very good side-by-side racing. And I really enjoyed that. But really it's too much for me now. I don't even realise I won the championship, it's just too much.'