PORTLAND, Oregon, 23 June 2003 — Canada’s Paul Tracy captured pole position here on Saturday for Championship Auto Racing Teams G.I. Joe’s 200, but only after arousing the ire of rival drivers for blocking tactics.
Tracy lapped the 1.969-mile road course layout in 58.793 seconds, reaching 120.565 mph (192.904 k/hr) in his Lola-powered Cosworth, to bump Mexico’s Michel Jourdain from the pole in a rain-shortened qualifying session.
Tracy was blocking rivals in time trials on Friday and Saturday, preventing them from completing a peak lap after having put himself ahead of the pack for the 15th pole of his career and his second of the season.
“This pole is a message to all the naysayers in the paddock,” Tracy said.
Among those upset at Tracy was Brazil’s Bruno Junqueira, who stands second to Jourdain in the season points race after seven of 19 races.
