PT's greatest drive

[Wolverine]

As we head back to Road America I'm reminded of the privilege I had in 2000 to witness firsthand at RA what had to be PT's greatest drive ever. He fell to last place (in a 25 car field) on the first lap when he had an electrical problem. What followed was one of the most incredible drives I have ever witnessed as PT stormed all the way through the field to win the race without the benefit of a yellow flag!! Even though he fell to last place at the beginning of the first lap, he had already passed 2 cars to move into 23rd place by the end of the first lap. The rest was an absolutely banzai drive, and an incredible feat when you consider the quality of the field that year. And no yellows!

See 2000 Road America results (http://www.champcartiming.com/Results/2000/RoadAmerica/Champ%20Car%20Box%20Score.PDF) .

[chop456]

I agree completely. Cool seeing him run out of gas and hop up on the car right in front of us on the victory lap, too.

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/race/image/ratracy82000.jpg

[Steve99]

That was a great drive. It was an electronics problem. They had him reset the system by holding down several buttons on the wheel. The system came back up and away he went.

Do they have Ctrl-Alt-Delete buttons on the wheel? :rofl:

[Axel]

He could have done the same this past weekend, In vancouver he was head and tail faster then everybody....

[JLMannin]

Yes, that was his best drive to date.

I was fortunate enough to have media credentials that year and I watch the first part of the race inside of turn 5 - I think that in addition to the electronics problem (or maybe a result of?) he went through some gravel, as gravel was coming out of his car for the first few laps. Near the end of the race, I went to the same location as the photographer was in chop456's post, as I have a very similar shot of PT with the arms pumped in the air. I was expecting doughnuts, but the car ran out of fuel on the cool-down lap, but he managed to make it to where the fans were.

I really feel that PT races for us, the fans. I know it sounds corny, but this is what I believe - I point to the victory doughnuts in Vancouver and the "I'm not driving one of those crapwagons!" quote as evidence of that fact.

[formulaben]

I fondly remember the 2000 Long Beach race. He started way at 17th (?), but the best was afterward how he did "The Archer." :D

[Old3Fan]

I fondly remember the 2000 Long Beach race. He started way at 17th (?), but the best was afterward how he did "The Archer." :D

I would have to go with Phoenix in 1995 I believe, which he did not win. He was up 3 laps on 2nd place Emmo Fittipaldi who was up 3 laps on Mario
Andretti. There was a wreck around lap 150 and all pulled in for service and on restart, PT hit the wall in turn #1. After the clean up and on the next restart, Emmo hit the wall at turn #3. Mario went on to win his final race after being 6 laps down to the leader PT. PT went on to Long Beach the next race to get his first win. I have never seen anyone pass so many cars in any race so easily. :gomer: