Ganassi rookies' roller coaster

When CART rookie drivers Bruno Junqueira and Nicolas Minassian signed with team owner Chip Ganassi, they were looking forward to competing in one of racing's most diverse schedules in the CART series. But an added bonus was the opportunity to race at the biggest race in the world, the Indianapolis 500.

When Ganassi decided he stood a better chance of winning the race with proven drivers Tony Stewart from NASCAR Winston Cup and Jimmy Vasser from CART, the two rookies admitted tremendous disappointment that they were being asked to step aside.

That disappointment quickly turned to jubilation when Ganassi told the two drivers they would get to run at Indy after all. Tony Stewart had qualified safely into the field and will start on the inside of the third row in Sunday's 85th Indy 500. Jimmy Vasser will start on the outside of the fourth row.

With two extra cars at his disposal, Ganassi turned the rookies loose on the second day of qualifications and both made the most of the opportunity. Junqueira turned a four-lap average of 224.208 mph - faster than Vasser's speed the previous day. Because it was a second-day qualification attempt, Junqueira will start in the middle of the seventh row.

Minassian ran a four-lap average of 223.006 mph and will start on the inside of the eighth row.

The two drivers participated in Thursday's Carburetion Day - the final practice session for the Indianapolis 500, which gave them a chance to prepare for the world's biggest race.

"I think I have to learn how to race here," said Junqueira, the Formula 3000 champion from last year. "I don't have too much experience on racing ovals. I have one oval race under my belt. On the other hand, I have a lot of speed. If I can stay on the lead lap, I could have a good chance to win this race."

Junqueira believes the emotional roller coaster he experienced in his up-and-down Indy 500 experience was difficult, but it taught him patience.

"I tried not to be very sensitive because it could hurt me," Junqueira said. "I really wanted to do the race, but Chip decided not, then later changed his mind. I was very pleased how close I could get the style and be the fastest rookie and get a very good speed.

"It was a goal for me to race here, but what made my decision to race for Chip Ganassi wasn't necessarily to race here. He was not sure he was going to race here when I signed a contract with him. First, I came for Champ Cars. Then, I had an opportunity to race here."

Junqueira spent the first week of practice in the pit area observing Stewart and Vasser as they prepared for Pole Day. It also gave him a chance to study the IRL competition.

"I think this year will be more difficult than last year because the IRL teams have improved a lot," Junqueira said. "This year will be a really difficult race with four Target cars, so Chip will have double the number of cars that can win here this year."

Junqueira was a test driver for the Williams Formula 1 team and he may get a chance to race at Indianapolis someday in the United States Grand Prix. But for now, he has his sites focused on the Indianapolis 500 and following in the footsteps of Juan Pablo Montoya, who delivered the Indy 500 title to Target/Chip Ganassi Racing last year. Montoya now competes in Formula 1 for Williams-BMW.

"I was rooting for Juan last year, he's a nice guy and competed in Formula 3000 and I really was happy after he won the race," Junqueira said. "I'm not here to represent CART, I'm here to represent myself and Team Target. I only have four races in CART. What Montoya and I represent are Formula 3000. It's a very good series in Europe and this shows how good that series is and how tough it is to win this championship."

Minassian comes to the Indianapolis 500 hoping to give France its first winner since Rene Thomas in 1914. He is also a graduate of the Formula 3000 series and finished second to Junqueira in the championship last year.

Oval racing is also new to Minassian, but he says he is prepared for the turbulence and the wild ride that Indy can become.

"I think my strategy is to be consistent and go to the end of the race," Minassian said. "From where I'm starting, it's not going to be too easy. There is a lot of turbulence and a lot of drafting. It's not easy here because it is so narrow. I want to learn as much as possible. I also want to do good, as well. I don't want to cruise around. I just want to put myself back to the end of the race."

While the extra week of practice may have helped Junqueira gain experience that would have been important in the race, he liked the pressure of jumping into a car and putting it in the show with little preparation time.

"I thought it was fun to be like that," Minassian said. "We had to rush and didn't have a helmet or anything. I had to find a helmet. I had to find a HANS Device. It was rush, rush, rush. We did 15 laps and that was it. We went out and had a quick lap.

"I think it's great to be in the race. I'm racing for a team that was the winner. To be able to do this race, I never really imagined what it was like, but day after day, it just gets bigger. The last time I went running in the morning, people were putting racing flags on the flowerpots. I go shopping and the displays are all racing. It's crazy, but it's great."

It takes a lot to impress a Frenchman, but Minassian is highly impressed with the Indianapolis 500.

"I didn't think it was this big because in Europe there is not as much television and press coverage of this as there is in America," he said. "It is big, but I don't think it would be as big if I was an American guy. I wasn't brought up on this. But there are some famous Frenchman on the Borg-Warner Trophy. I'd like to be there, too."