CHAMPCAR/CART: Nazareth Qualifying Report

Nazareth, PA (April 25, 1998) - The Players Team Forsythe cars will both start on the front row for tomorrow's Bosch Grand Prix at Nazareth Speedway. Patrick Carpentier will start from pole position with teammate Greg Moore along side. This is the second consecutive race where teammates have both started on the front row.

Carpentier was the last to qualify, beating his teammate's time by two tenths of a second. Carpentier's time of 18.419 was set on his first qualifying lap. Last in the qualifying line, his crew radioed him telling him to "slow down and wave to the crowd" on his second lap.

Bobby Rahal set provisional pole and a new track record with his time of 18.819 with twelve drivers still to qualify. Rahal's time was bettered three drivers later when Christian Fittipaldi lowered the track record to 18.658. Fittipaldi ended up sixth fastest, Rahal ninth.

Greg Moore lowered Fittipaldi's record to 18.628 at a speed of 182.822 mph.

Hometown favorite Michael Andretti was in line behind Moore but couldn't better the Canadian's time. Andretti's time of 18.636 was good enough for the outside of the front row.

Waiting in line to qualify after Andretti were De Ferran, Vasser, Zanardi, Tracy and Gugelmin. No one had enough to budge Moore from the pole until the last driver, Carpentier went out.

Andre Ribiero, driving the current Penske chassis, could do no better than a lap at 171.161 mph, the slowest speed posted in qualifying. Both Penske drivers had trouble getting the current car up to speed on the .946-mile track on Friday. Al Unser Jr. drove last year's car today, qualifying 18th with a lap at 178.444 mph. Ribiero's lack of speed was blamed on his crash on friday. "It was myself. It wasn't even close to what the car had to give." Ribeiro said.

Carpentier wins $10,000 for the pole with a possibility of winning a roll-over bonus of $165,000 if he can win the race.

In one last practice session for qualified cars, de Ferran posted the fastest speed with a lap of 19.393 and 175.610 mph. Castro-Neves was second followed by Al Unser Jr..

The Champ cars have a half hour warm up session at 9:00 a.m.. The 12th Annual Bosch Spark Plug Grand Prix starts at 12:30 p.m., with the Indy Lights race following at 3:00 p.m.