Montoya wins at Long Beach

The 23-year old former F3000 World Champion took the chequered flag at Long Beach yesterday, just 2.805 seconds ahead of Scotland's Dario Franchitti and Brian Herta.

Montoya took the lead when pole-sitter Tony Kanaan crashed out on the 45th lap, and then led the remaining 40 laps of the race. His win means that his rookie season is topped only by Nigel Mansell, who won the first CART race he ever competed in, at Australia in 1993.

Montoya, who took the seat at the Target/Chip Ganassi team that Alex Zanardi vacated to race in F1, dominated the race on the 1.824-mile street course set beside the Pacific Ocean, and his team were clearly pleased with his first CART victory.

'When I look at Juan, I knew he had the talent for the kind of drive he had today,' said Ganassi. 'What I didn't know was he had the mental toughness. You don't see that from someone his age very often. He was really focused.'

Alex Zanardi won this round in 1997 and 1998, making it the third year in a row that the same car has won the Long Beach Grand Prix.

Results from Long Beach

1. (5) Juan Montoya, Honda Reynard, 85

2. (2) Dario Franchitti, Honda Reynard, 85

3. (3) Bryan Herta, Honda Ford, 85

4. (6) Adrian Fernandez, Ford Swift, 85

5. (11) Christian Fittipaldi, Ford Swift, 85

6. (7) Gil de Ferran, Honda Reynard, 85

7. (13) Michael Andretti, Ford Swift, 85

8. (8) Greg Moore, Mercedes Reynard, 85

9. (4) Max Papis, Ford Reynard, 85

10. (9) Jimmy Vasser, Honda Reynard, 85

11. (24) Richie Hearn, Toyota Swift, 85

12. (15) PJ Jones, Ford Swift, 84

13. (12) Mark Blundell, Mercedes Reynard, 84

14. (14) Mauricio Gugelmin, Mercedes Reynard, 84

15. (20) Scott Pruett, Toyota Reynard, 84

16. (21) Robby Gordon, Toyota Reynard, 84

17. (17) Patrick Carpentier, Mercedes Reynard, 84

18. (23) Michel Jourdain Jr., Ford Lola, 82, fuel

19. (18) Helio Castro-Neves, Mercedes Lola, 76

20. (16) Cristiano da Matta, Toyota Reynard, 75, contact

21. (10) Paul Tracy, Honda Reynard, 48, supsension

22. (1) Tony Kanaan, Honda Reynard, 45, contact

23. (22) Alex Barron, Toyota Eagle, 34, brakes

24. (27) Luiz Garcia Jr., Ford Reynard, 28, off course

25. (19) Tarso Marques, Mercedes Penske, 24, contact

26. (26) Shigeaki Hattori, Mercedes Reynard, 21, contact

27. (25) Gualter Salles, Ford Lola, 17, wing

Winner's ave speed: 87.915 mph


Series points leaders:

Greg Moore 39

Adrian Fernandez 33

Gil de Ferran 33

Michael Andretti 32

Dario Franchitti 30

Christian Fittipaldi 28

Juan Montoya 23

Jimmy Vasser 16

Bryan Herta 15

Max Papis 14