Junqueira loyal to CART circuit

[¡As-de-mim!]

Denver Post
Denver champion stays put
By Mike Chambers
Denver Post Sports Writer

Thursday, July 24, 2003 - Bruno Junqueira, the defending Grand Prix of Denver champion, remembers his childhood well. Until this year, he was reminded of it everywhere he raced.

Junqueira, 26, is from the same Brazilian town as Indy Racing League drivers Helio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan and Felipe Giaffone, along with Formula One rookie Cristiano da Matta, last year's CART champion.

"We all ran go-karts together since we were 10," Junqueira said Wednesday, during his first visit to the Mile High City since winning the inaugural Grand Prix of Denver. "Everybody made it."

But Junqueira is the only one left in CART, which has seen most of its best drivers defect to the IRL.

Castroneves switched to the IRL in 2002, joining Giaffone, who began his elite-level career in the oval-only series after racing in CART's developmental system. Kanaan joined the IRL at the beginning of this season while da Matta moved to F1.

"It's bad," Junqueira said of the mass exodus of CART drivers to the IRL, which included recent transfers Scott Dixon and Kenny Brack. "But on the other hand, it opened a chance for new drivers, and some very good new drivers came to this series this year.

"So it's like any other sport. Every year you have new names, new good athletes. That's what happened. This is the year that CART has had its new athletes come in."

Junqueira said he had an opportunity to switch to the IRL and continue his relationship with Chip Ganassi Racing, one of the sport's best teams. But Junqueira wasn't ready to give up making right turns, particularly after being asked to replace da Matta for Newman-Haas Racing.

"All my life, until I arrived to America, I raced road courses," Junqueira said. "I think that's where I do my best."

Junqueira's goal is to be the best in a demanding series that offers three types of racing - permanent road courses, temporary street circuits and ovals. He finished second in CART last season and currently stands there after 10 of 18 races.

"I have no doubt about it, CART is the most difficult series in North America, maybe the world," Junqueira said. "It's a true racer- and-team series."

Canadian Paul Tracy, who is similarly passionate about racing on a variety of courses, leads the CART standings going into Sunday's Molson Indy Vancouver, the last street race until the Aug. 31 Denver race around the Pepsi Center grounds.

Tracy, who lost the 2002 Indianapolis 500 in a controversial finish, swore to never compete in an IRL race again. Junqueira won't make the same promise, but says his heart steered him back to CART after Ganassi pleaded with him to switch to the IRL.

"Ganassi is a very good team, maybe one of the best in America, and they're doing very good in the IRL," Junqueira said. "I knew I'd have a very good opportunity in that series, but after finishing second last year in the championship, I really wanted to accomplish a little bit more in CART, and race with my heart."

Junqueira's heart tells him CART will survive, but he also realizes the circuit has a niche when he looks at attendance figures.

Estimated three-day attendance at last year's Grand Prix of Denver was more than 100,000, race general manager John Frew said. Last month's two-day IRL event at Pikes Peak International Raceway in Fountain drew about 30,000.

"As long as the fans come to watch the races and enjoy them, (CART) is going to be around," Junqueira said.

[Liz]

We have a good interview on the site www.rfmsports.com that was done today with him.

"Had his chance to defect" indeed -- he was leaned on very very heavily by Ganassi and his boys! But he resisted and he is going to live to be happy he did. Without any broken bones or concussions.

[Dov]

Bruno may be a whiner, but he's our whiner!

[Tailwind]

Good for Bruno. That raised my respect for him a little.

[Jay]

I respect him...he's entertainment during otherwise boring interviews and press conferences .

[paulzinho]

Fantastic to read that, as long as there's guys like him and PT around Cart will be stronger. Nice to see loyalty still exists!