CART FEDEX CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: GRAND PRIX OF CHICAGO

June 30, 2002

Dario Franchitti

DARIO FRANCHITTI: Yeah, the training thing has been ongoing. It was one of those days ... you've got to do it. It's one of those things, everybody is doing it, all of the drivers, you have to keep pace. And the thing about it, you have to do it more than any of the other guys. There's guys like Tony Kanaan ... so everybody is pushing to that level. These cars are very difficult to drive and on a day like today, makes it extra difficult. As far as the pit stops, what can I say. I'm not happy. We've had some problems -- and we've had some problems a couple of times this year, but today was just unacceptable. To lose all of ten places on the first three -- to lose places, just to make mistakes the first two stops is definitely not good enough. We've got to stop that because making mistakes like that -- the car was fantastic today. I've got to credit the guys; the first time my car turned a wheel was yesterday morning, so it looked from that point of view my guys have done a great job. We just need to get the stops sorted out because the car , the guys have done heck of a job to that car, it's quick, and a waste today, unfortunately.

DARIO FRANCHITTI: It's definitely difficult to pass. Passing was very difficult today unfortunately. I certainly couldn't pass anybody. But that is a problem. I don't know the answer to that. I'm sure a guy like Chris Pook in charge is smart enough to fix the problem. From what I've seen, he's a guy that means business, there's no doubt about it, which is a great thing to see. It's a shame. It's very tight and there's no passing.

DARIO FRANCHITTI: The pit stops have always been important. There's still a lot of stuff that goes on because -- the shorter your pits stops are going to be. A lot can go on. I think in the races we've had on the road courses -- I think whatever we do, there's always going to be little doubts or whatever. But one thing I'll say, it's difficult to overtake or whatever because we are so closely matched. One thing, from a driver's point of view, we have this year when we have gone out on road courses, particular -- through the checkered flag flat-out and that's the way it should be.

DARIO FRANCHITTI: Yeah. (Laughs). Paul was being pretty aggressive there. Paul was very aggressive today. There was definitely -- I'm trying to think what happened -- they touched. I'd like to see a replay of it. Definitely, those two guys, they have got a love/hate relationship, they really do. (Laughs). Today was a classic example of that.

DARIO FRANCHITTI: That could be. The track was very slick and they were very close.

DARIO FRANCHITTI: He's turning around the corner. I think Paul was trying to make the corner , same as everybody else. I don't know, you'd have to ask Paul. It's one of those things. Passing is so difficult when you're trying to make a pass and you don't have a slot open. I don't know if it was his fault, but I'd need to watch the video.

DARIO FRANCHITTI: Thanks. (Laughter).

DARIO FRANCHITTI: Yeah, I was having difficulty and getting longer and longer, on the brakes, so I had to take off the brakes, to straighten it up and -- and for a minute, I was having visions of Milwaukee there for a minute.

DARIO FRANCHITTI: This is just my take on it off the top of my head, is the fact that before, you have a full load of fuel, 35 gallons or whatever, 40 gallons going into car. But now they are starting to short fuel and stuff in order to gain track position. So sometimes certain pit stops the longest thing you are waiting on is changing tires. Before you had the luxury, you could take ten seconds, but now the more you rush, more mistakes can be made.

DARIO FRANCHITTI: I think I was here five years ago -- inaudible. (Laughter.) I would imagine if it comes back, you could run side by side -- pretty exciting. Difficult racing things. It's probably -- and different ways, that's the good thing about what we are seeing in CART they are not scared to try things. So I think we can definitely try some different things and find something that works.

DARIO FRANCHITTI: I tell you what, you'll see some guys falling over today, I'll tell you that. It's a difficult track and it's a track where -- sure, it was hot. You are almost looking for more -- I think the worst part of this is the guys go so far and you can't rest from the heat; at least there's air still in the car.

DARIO FRANCHITTI: Not really. I couldn't get close enough to make a move. That's unfortunately the way it was today, for me, anyway. Some people were able to get close. Jourdain (ph) was close to Cristiano at times.

DARIO FRANCHITTI: This will be the first street course. This is going to be something new again and we're going to have to get everything right. We're going to have to work at it.

DARIO FRANCHITTI: The championship is not over. We're not even halfway through the season yet. There's a lot of racing to go. If we can improve our performance and start winning some races, then we are looking good. Cristiano is very strong and he's done a good job, his whole team, but we are going to be trying to beat him. His car has been consistent and quick. There's a lot of guys, that any week the championship could change. The one thing is we have to stop Cristiano winning.

DARIO FRANCHITTI: I think the tracks we are racing on, we'll see more passing for sure, when we go to these different tracks. Today was a particular -- I see it as a victim of all of the teams being so good if that makes sense. Long ago, Bridgestone -- it used to be years ago, it would be tires going off and every week you could make a move on someone. People would set the cars up wrong and guys were really struggling in races -- anymore, these cars, they don't make too many mistakes in setups and stuff. That's why it it's so difficult to pass. Everybody is getting out to the track and doing their jobs very, very well.

DARIO FRANCHITTI: Toronto, Cleveland, Vancouver, Germany, U.K., after that, I don't know where we're going.

DARIO FRANCHITTI: I think Bridgestone made a great job. That's one of the problems they do such a great job with the tires, you can run it from the first lap to the last lap, it's the same. So the tires are not going to move.