Content area
Full Text
For graphic see microfilm or bound file
After a driver's first victory, the racing adage goes, each successive one comes all the easier.
"I hope it's true," Dario Franchitti said Sunday after becoming CART's newest first-time winner.
Really, though, it's difficult to imagine a victory much easier than the one Franchitti enjoyed in the Texaco / Havoline 200 at Road America.
The 25-year-old Scotsman simply motored away while his toughest challengers scrambled to keep up, suffered blown engines or as has become a common occurrence lately crashed spectacularly.
"I was just driving and enjoying it and enjoying the feeling being in front," Franchitti said. "It's nice when you have a cushion and you can then just concentrate on driving smoothly and you don't have to worry about anybody behind you.
"It's a nice way to go racing. It wasn't too exciting for the people on TV, but that's the way you win races."
When Franchitti finally won, his Reynard-Honda was more than 7 seconds ahead of Alex Zanardi's and a full 43 in front of Christian Fittipaldi's Swift-Ford.
Rookie Tony Kanaan matched his career best with a fourth-place finish and Adrian Fernandez moved to third in the standings with a finish of fifth.
The outcome proved...