Faulty gearbox dashes Vasser's hopes for big payday

Jimmy Vasser's attempt at a $365,000 payday ended quicker than he could shift from low to high gear -- literally.

The Las Vegas resident was in position to claim the $255,000 rollover Marlboro Pole Award if he could have won Sunday's CART FedEx Championship Series Grand Prix of Cleveland.

After capturing the pole for the race with a track-record run, a faulty gearbox dropped Vasser from the race lead after only 11 laps. Despite having difficulty shifting, Vasser finished seventh.

Vasser's Target/Chip Ganassi Racing Team was forced to change engines when Vasser's gearbox broke in Sunday morning's warmup. His crew missed an electrical connection and Vasser was forced to use the clutch instead of shifting with an electronic button on the steering wheel.

"It was like the olden days where I had to lift up the throttle to shift, and that's a big handicap," Vasser said.

Compounding Vasser's problems Sunday was a problem during an early pit stop when a faulty fuel nozzle cost Vasser valuable time.

"It was just one of those days where everything that could go wrong did go wrong," Vasser said. "I felt like I was driving with one arm tied behind my back."

The day was not a total loss for Vasser, who remained third in the series driver points standings, 63 points behind race winner and series leader -- and Target/Chip Ganassi teammate -- Alex Zanardi.

The Grand Prix of Cleveland also was eventful for the other two Southern Nevada residents competing in the CART FedEx Series.

Paul Tracy, already on probation for reckless driving earlier this season, was black-flagged and given a 10-second penalty for an "unjustifiable risk" after colliding with Al Unser Jr. while leaving the pits early in the race.

"From what I saw Al (Unser) came through the grass and chopped in front of me on the pit lane," Tracy said of the lap-27 incident. "I was driving a straight line. I don't think it was my fault. It's disappointing because I think we showed the KOOL car was good and we had a shot at finishing on the podium, but the 10-second penalty cost us a lap."

CART chief steward Wally Dallenbach Sr. said the 10-second penalty on Tracy was sufficient and there will be no further action against the Las Vegas resident, who put his Team KOOL Green Reynard/Honda into the turn-eight wall four laps from the checkered flag and finished 19th.

Henderson resident Richie Hearn experienced engine problems midway through the 100-lap race and finished 18th in his Budweiser/Ralphs Swift/Ford Cosworth.

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