Da Matta Moves to Head of Class

By MARTIN HENDERSON

May 26, 2000 12 AM PT

Though Juan Montoya has been faster in qualifying, the other rookie in the Class of 1999, Cristiano da Matta, has been getting the job done in races.

Montoya, the defending CART series champion, continues to attract attention, but after four races, it is da Matta who is among the points leaders.

With 25 points, da Matta is tied for fourth place with the driver he succeeded at PPI Motorsports of Rancho Santa Margarita, Max Papis. Da Matta is also 16 points ahead of Montoya, who has not qualified lower than third.

Da Matta and Montoya are using Toyota engines, yet it’s da Matta who is finishing races and has the hot streak. He matched his career best, fourth place, at the last two races, in his native Brazil and in Japan. The series continues Saturday, at the rescheduled Grand Prix in Nazareth, Pa., a one-mile oval where da Matta finished fourth a year ago and won two races in the Dayton Indy Lights Series.

“It’s for sure my favorite oval track,” said da Matta, 26. “I think [it] suits my kind of driving style. You have to be really patient because the [passing] opportunities are not that many.”

Restricted passing is bad news for da Matta. Because drivers retain their original qualifying position, da Matta will start 20th for Cal Wells’ team. The race was postponed April 9 due to a snow storm after qualifying. Montoya will be on the pole for the second time this season.

“We found a bunch of stuff that really worked for our car, and we were able to prove that in Brazil and in Japan,” said da Matta, who started 17th in Rio de Janeiro and 19th in Motegi City. “We were a little unlucky because in both races, we had problems in qualifying. Otherwise, I believe that I would have a top-eight, top-six car on the starting grid.”

If da Matta can start up front, he believes he can bring Toyota its first Champ Car victory.

But right now, he’s just happy that his points are meaningful.

“It’s a little too early for me to think about [the championship],” da Matta said. “But just being able to see myself sitting fourth on the championship table [makes] me feel good and adds a little bit more responsibility to my work.”

* As well as it has gone for da Matta, it has been the opposite for rookie teammate Oriol Servia. In the last two races, Servia crashed before completing the first lap.

“I’m sorry for the guys, because they have been working very hard for me,” Servia said, “and I have not been giving them the results they deserve.”

* Mark Page has joined the aerodynamics program at San Clemente-based Swift Engineering. A former missile and aeronautical project engineer at McDonnell Douglas, he had been with Dan Gurney’s Santa Ana-based All American Racers since 1997.

* The Swift/Dale Coyne Racing partnership, which didn’t exist 1 1/2 months ago when the Nazareth race was scheduled, will enter a car driven by Tarso Marques. Because Marques didn’t qualify for the Nazareth race, he will start last in the Ford-powered Swift chassis. In the car’s debut in Japan, and without any testing, Marques finished 17th.

SPEEDWAY

Charlie Venegas continued his domination of Orange County Speedway competition. Venegas won for the fifth time in seven main events, taking the scratch final at Saturday’s special Olympique of Speedway. Venegas extended his points lead to 20 points over second-place Brad Oxley.

There is no racing this weekend.

NHRA

Yorba Linda driver John Force’s pursuit of NHRA Funny Car history was put on hold after cold weather forced the postponement of last weekend’s Spring SuperNationals in Englishtown, Mass. Force needs one more victory to tie Bob Glidden for most career victories, 85.

Force’s next chance is Sunday at the Texas Motorplex in Dallas.

TRANS-AM

Stu Hayner of Yorba Linda, competing in the full Trans-Am Series season for the first time, finally showed what he can do when he finishes a race.

Hayner, in a Camaro, took fifth place Sunday at Mosport International Raceway in Bowmanville, Ontario.

“It’s a relief we have a finish, finally,” Hayner said of the 100-mile race. “One out of four is not a good average.”

In 1998, Hayner competed in six races and had three podium finishes--a first, second and third--in his first four races. This season hasn’t been nearly as fruitful. In his last outing, the Grand Prix of Long Beach, he completed only two laps before the drive train broke.

Hayner will race in the Grand American series the next two weeks. He will drive a Dodge Viper on Monday at the Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park, and compete at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on June 4.

Mike Davis of Huntington Beach finished 28th at Mosport.

NASCAR

Bill Sedgwick, starting eighth for Orange County team owner Tim Buckley, finished fifth Sunday at the Salinas 250, a NASCAR Winston West race at Laguna Seca.

If you have an item or idea for the motor racing report, you can fax us at (714)966-5663 or e-mail us at martin.henderson@latimes.com

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

ON TRACK

Orange County Speedway

Through May 21

Speedway motorcycles

1. Charlie Venegas, San Bernardino: 160

2. Brad Oxley, San Juan Capistrano: 140

3. Shawn McConnell, Brea: 104

4. Randy DiFrancesco, Bakersfield: 96

5. Bobby Schwartz, Costa Mesa: 94

6. Gary Hicks, Riverside: 85

7. Eddie Castro, Ojai: 75

8. Dukie Ermolenko, Cypress: 74

9. Ryan Fisher, Norco: 64

10. Chris Manchester, Reno: 63

Schedule

May 27--No racing.

June 3--Harley Blowout (speedway, sidecars, Harley races); 10--Jack Milne Cup (speedway, sidecars); 17--Father’s Day (speedway, sidecars, peewee 50s, Jr. speedway); 24--Championship 25-lap Classic (speedway).

July 8--Fan Appreciation Night w/Razzo (speedway, sidecars, peewee 50s, Jr. speedway); 14--Friday sidecar, quad, midget championship; 15--Fair Derby (speedway); 16--Youth Motorized Olympics (Jr. speedway series), Vintage Dirt Track races.

Aug. 5--Demolition Derby (speedway, sidecars); 12--Kids Night (speedway, sidecars, peewee 50s, Jr. speedway); 19--Harley-Davidson Night (speedway, sidecars, Harley races and show); 26--Dan Nay Night (championship speedway, peewee 50s, Jr. speedway).

Sept. 9--Freestyle Motorcycle Jumping (speedway); 16--Skirt Night (speedway, sidecars, peewee 50s, Jr. speedway); 23--North vs. South (speedway, sidecars), 30--Sidecar State Championship (speedway, sidecars).

Oct. 7--Farewell (speedway, sidecars); 14--Coors Light U.S. National Championship (speedway).

Irwindale Speedway

Through May 21

Super Late Model

1. Greg Voigt, Goleta: 280

2. Dan Holtz, Bakersfield: 202

3. David Brandon, Palmdale: 198

4. Ben Walker, North Hills: 196

5. Tim Woods, Chino: 188

6. Rod Johnson, Saugus: 180

7. A.J. DiMarzo, Saugus: 164

8. Charles Utts, Camarillo: 140

8. James Bruncati, Glendora: 140

10. Brian Kelley, Arleta: 134

Super Stock

1. T.K. Karvasek, North Hills: 246

2. Jeff Green, Long Beach: 240

3. Greg Benner, Whittier: 188

4. Mike Price, San Pedro: 178

4. Yagel Berkovitz, Burbank: 178

6. Don Rogers, Simi Valley: 156

7. Kevin Wood, Saugus: 154

7. Tom Siebuhr, Canyon Country: 154

9. John Wilkes, Northridge: 142

10. Steve Gilmore, Granada Hills: 136

Late Model

1. James Weston, Goleta: 288

2. Tony Green, Oak Hills : 278

3. Todd Burns, Riverside: 264

4. David Hessing, Canyon Country: 250

5. Guy Goldstein, Cathedral City: 228

6. Richard Hooper, Palmdale: 226

8. Steve Nickolai, Simi Valley: 216

7. Deryk Ward, Palm Springs: 212

9. Mike Haney, Alta Loma: 160

9. Dan DiGiammarino, Highland: 160

Grand American

1. Dean Kuhn, Oceanside: 136

2. Rip Michels, Mission Hills: 134

3. Robert Rice, Hawthorne: 130

4. John Watkinson, Canyon Country: 114

5. Tom Topping, Los Angeles: 110

6. Steve Luecht, Chula Vista: 107

7. Henry Ford Jr., Alta Loma: 94

8. David Andrews, Frazier Park: 90

9. Jimmy White, Covina: 88

10. Roger Carufel Jr., Saugus: 86

Schedule

May 27-- NASCAR Super Late Model Twin 50’s, Super Stock, Mini Stock cars, Figure 8s.

June 3--NASCAR Late Model Twin 40s, Super Stock, Grand American Modifieds, Formula Mazda, Figure 8s; 10--NASCAR Super Late Models, Grand American Modifieds, Spec Trucks, Legends Cars; 17--NASCAR Late Models, Super Stocks, Speed Trucks, Mini Stocks, Figure 8s, American Race Trucks; 24--NASCAR Home Depot Winston West 250, Super Late Models.

July 1--NASCAR Late Models, Grand American Modifieds, Super Stocks, Legends Cars, Figure 8s, and Fireworks Show; 8--NASCAR Super Late Models, Grand American Modifieds, Spec Trucks, T.Q. Midgets, MSRA Pro 4 Modifieds; 15--NASCAR Late Model Twin 40s, Super Stocks, Mini Stocks, Legends Cars, Mini Stock cars, Figure 8s; 22--NASCAR Super Late Models, Grand American Modifieds, Speed Trucks, MSRA Pro 4 Modifieds; 29--NASCAR Home Depot Southwest Series, Late Models, Super Stocks.

August 5--NASCAR Super Late Models Twin 50s, Grand American Modifieds, American Race Trucks, Mini Stocks; 12--NASCAR Late Models, Super Stocks, Mini Stocks, Spec Trucks, Legends Cars, Figure 8s; 19--NASCAR Home Depot Winston West 250, Late Models; 26--NASCAR Super Late Models, Super Stocks, Grand American Modifieds, T.Q. Midgets, American Race Trucks.

Sept. 2--NASCAR Super Late Models Twin 50’s, Super Stocks, Speed Trucks, Mini Stocks; 9--NASCAR Super Late Models, Late Models, Grand American Modifieds, Legends Cars; 16--NASCAR Late Models, Super Stocks, MSRA Pro 4 Modifieds, Mini Stock cars, Figure 8s, American Race Trucks; 23--USAC Midgets, Sprint Cars, CAM 360, T.Q. Midgets; 30--NASCAR Super Late Models 100, Grand American Modifieds, Mini Stocks, Legends Cars.

Oct. 7--NASCAR Food4Less Southwest Series, Super Stocks, Legends Cars; 14--USAC SILVER CROWN CARS, Sprint Cars, Grand American Modifieds; 21--NASCAR Late Models 75, ARCA Trucks, Super Stocks 50, T.Q. Midgets, Mini Stocks 25, Supermodified; 28--NASCAR Super Late Models 100, USF3 VW FORMULA 3, Speed Trucks, Legends Cars.

Nov. 3--American Race Truck practice, qualifying; 4--American Race Trucks National Finals, Speed Trucks, MSRA Pro 4 Modifieds, Mini Stock cars, Legends Cars; 11--NASCAR Home Depot Winston West 300 season finale, Spec Trucks 100; 18--Speed Trucks 100, MSRA Pro 4 Modifieds, T.Q. Midgets, Legends Cars; 23--60th Annual Home Depot Turkey Night Grand Prix for USAC Midgets, and T.Q. Midgets.

Perris Auto Speedway

Through May 21

SCRA Sprint Cars

1. Richard Griffin, Silver City, N.M.: 803

2. Rip Williams, Yorba Linda: 600

3. Ricky Gaunt, Torrance: 580

4. Steve Ostling, Corona: 535

5. Tony Jones, Corona: 533

6. Jeremy Sherman, Phoenix: 528

6. Mike English, Norwalk: 528

8. Mike Kirby, Lomita: 463

9. Troy Rutherford, Ojai: 460