Atlantic

Montreal qualifying report

MONTREAL (AP) -- Patrick Carpentier of Joliette, Que. collected his fourth Player's Ltd./Toyota Atlantic Championship pole Saturday, in front of his home-town crowd at the picturesque Circuit Gilles- Villeneuve. He covered the 2.74-mile ...

Edited: May 8, 2001, 12:19 PM

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MONTREAL (AP) -- Patrick Carpentier of Joliette, Que. collected his fourth Player's Ltd./Toyota Atlantic Championship pole Saturday, in front of his home-town crowd at the picturesque Circuit Gilles- Villeneuve. He covered the 2.74-mile (4.41-kilometre) road course in one minute, 38.257 seconds at an average speed of 100.40 miles per hour (161.56 kilometres an hour).

Two-time defending series champion David Empringham of Toronto was second-fastest during Friday's qualifying session (1:38.590) and Richie Hearn of Newhall, Calif. was third (1:38.973).

All three encountered problems during the sole qualifying session for the race, held in conjunction with North America's only Formula One race, the Grand Prix Molson du Canada. Carpentier's car ran out of fuel during the final laps of the qualifying session and Empringham struggled with a tire problem. Hearn is racing in another team's back-up car after crashing during a test day prior to the Milwaukee Mile race last week. He also sustained a bone fracture in his right hand, so is driving with a brace on the hand.

"(Montreal) is home and I've had a lot of work to do this week. I've worked night and day. We've had meetings with some sponsors and things to finalize. So I am very happy the car was ready before we arrived here," Carpentier said. "We don't have very much time over here, so we were fortunate to have a good car coming here. I have a lot of support from my team and (team-owner) Peggy (Hass)."

"I hope we ran out of gas (at the end of the session). If not, we'll have to change the engine and the other one is not as good. I think that's what happened, because three laps before, I went through the computer and the oil pressure and everything was okay."

"I think we had the car to get a (qualifying championship) point here," Empringham said. "We had a problem. I think there is a bad tire on the car. We'll try to get it fixed overnight. The car was really good (in the morning) session. This session it was struggling turning right but the car was fine turning left. It's not like the suspension is wrong-- It came in with the right tire pressure. We'll just see."

"We're doing the best we can. My hand is pretty sore. It'll be sore for the race. It's going to be a long race for me. The car itself is pretty old. It's a four-year-old car. I'm pretty happy with third, considering the circumstances. Overall, I'm not very happy but anything can happen in the race. I'll just have to hang in there and hope that the six more races (this season) will be a little better for me," Hearn said.

MONTREAL (AP) -- Starting grid for Saturday's 27-lap Player's Ltd./Toyota Atlantic Championship race on the 2.74-mile (4.41- kilometre) Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, with driver, hometown, make of car and pole qualifying speed:

1. Patrick Carpentier, Joliette, Que., Ralt RT-41, 100.40 mph (161.56 km/h); 2. David Empringham, Toronto, Ralt RT-41; 3. Richie Hearn, Newhall, Calif., Ralt RT-40; 4. Felipe Giaffone, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Ralt RT-41; 5. Chris Smith, Palos Verdes Estates, Calif., Ralt RT-41; 6. Zeca Giaffone, Sao Paulo, Ralt RT-41; 7. Case Montgomery, Salinas, Calif., Ralt RT-40; 8. Shigeaki Hattori, Okayama, Japan, Ralt RT-40; 9. Stan Wattles, Stuart, Fla., Ralt RT-41; 10. Clint Mears, Bakersfield, Calif., Ralt RT-41; 11. Jim Guthrie, Albuquerque, N.M., Ralt RT-41; 12. Paolo Dal Cin, Downsview, Ont., Ralt Rt-41; 13. Lee Bentham, Richmond Hill, Ont., Ralt RT-41; 14. Colin Trueman, Amlin, Ohio, Ralt RT-41; 15. Steve Cameron, Sonoma, Calif., Reynard 92H; 16. Eric Lang, New York, Ralt RT-40; 17. Joe Sposato, Arcadia, Calif., Swift DB-4; 18. Serge Szortyka, Sinking Springs, Pa., Ralt RT-40; 19. Michael David, Corona, Calif., Swift DB-4; 20. Robert Sollenskog, Antioch, Ill., Ralt RT-40; 21. Peter Baron, Lake Forest, Ill., Swift DB-4; 22. Michael Clifford, North Vancouver, B.C., Reynard 92H; 23. Bob Ferstl, Houston, Tex., Swift DB-4; 24. Mike Sauce, Arlington, Tex., Reynard 92H; 25. Tony Nabico, Toronto, Swift DB-4; nt Bernie Schuchmann, Montreal, Swift DB-4, no time nt Martin Roy, Montreal, Raven RVN-93, no time

Arley Dealey Media Officer, Player's Ltd./Toyota Atlantic Championship

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