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Moraes Sweeps Infineon Raceway Andretti Gains Precious Ground in Championship Points Battle By 14 year old Travis Braun Mario Moraes took Infineon Raceway by storm on the 23rd and 24th of October by clinching both Formula TR victories.

Published: Nov 12, 2004, 3:43 PM

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Moraes Sweeps Infineon Raceway
Andretti Gains Precious Ground in Championship Points Battle

By 14 year old Travis Braun

Mario Moraes took Infineon Raceway by storm on the 23rd and 24th of October by clinching both Formula TR victories. Adrian Carrio lost valuable points to Marco Andretti after two disappointing finishes.

Saturday's event got underway with most teams choosing dry tires for the damp conditions. Pole sitter Mario Moraes dropped back to third position after Robert Bunker and Marco Andretti slipped by going into turn one. Andretti snuck his way past Bunker at the end of lap one and began pulling out. At the halfway point engine troubles handicapped Andretti's Knudsen Racing machine, giving the lead back to Moraes with Carrio second. On the last lap a mistake in turn 10 sent Carrio hurling into the tire barrier. This left Moraes to take the victory over Bunker and Adam Davis in third.

"I saw everyone fighting on the start and I didn't want to risk anything," Davis said of his eleventh to third performance. "The car wasn't totally there but I managed to keep it together."

"The start went well because I got a nose over Moraes and held him off for a while," Bunker smiled after the race. "I'm happy for Speed Secrets and I'm happy to finally be on the podium."

"On the start I fell to third but I kept my cool," Moraes explained. "As the laps went by the track got better and better. At the half way point I just tried to maintain a comfortable speed."

Sunday's event began with pole sitter Emile Tabb of World Speed Motorsports leading the pack into turn one. Adrian Carrio and Mario Moraes managed to slip by Tabb before turn six. Moraes then managed to nip Carrio in turn 11 on the first lap. With 10 minutes to go gearbox problems forced Carrio out of the race and brought out a caution. With only minutes left, the race finished under yellow with Moraes first, Andretti second, and Tabb in third.

"I was just trying not to be too aggressive," Tabb said. "It was a clean race and everybody drove great."

"The car didn't come in until mid-way through the race which was a little too late," Andretti commented.

      "The car was very good," Moraes smiled.  "I was confident but I had
to be patient.  I kept a constant speed and a good distance from second."

Marco Andretti will have a commanding lead in the points battle going into the final rounds of the Formula TR series at Las Vegas, Nevada on the 6th and 7th of November.

-www.tracc5.com/travis_braun.htm

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