Two-year wait over for gambling Tracy

He stayed out on track while other leaders dived into the pits for a splash of fuel in the closing laps and was rewarded with his 14th victory, but more importantly his first since May 1997.

'I was really worried,' he said, 'My fuel warning light was on the last five laps.'

The win gives Tracy all-important recognition after a disappointing two years.

The 30-year-old 'bad boy' of CART was on probation for part of last season for dangerous driving and was barred from the first race this year after an incident in Australia at the end of last season.

The early part of the race was another show of form by Michael Andretti, who won in Madison last week.

He passed Dario Franchitti to take the lead on lap 50, but then ruined his race during his first pit stop.

His clutch slipped and he ran over crewmen Ty Manseau, who was taken to a local hospital for X-rays.

Andretti was in the pits for nearly two minutes, losing one lap then lost another when he was brought in for a stop-and-go penalty for the earlier pit incident. He eventually finished 15th.

The second half of the race was dominated by Ganassi team-mates Juan Pablo Montoya and Jimmy Vasser, but both were caught out by the fuel shortage problem.

All the leading cars pitted during a caution period on lap 124, but towards the end it became apparent that it was going to be a gamble to try to get to the finish line without more fuel.


Montoya came in on lap 210 giving Jimmy Vasser the lead but when Roberto Moreno spun on lap 212, Vasser took advantage and made his stop handing the lead to Tracy.

However, victory was not assured until PJ Jones spun for the second time that day on lap 218, bringing a final caution period and giving Tracy just enough fuel to make it to the end.