IRL: Third In points: Tony Kanaan

PERSONAL:

Driver:
Tony Kanaan

Car:
No. 11 Team 7-Eleven Dallara/Honda/Firestone

Hometown:
Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

Residence:
Miami

Marital Status:
Engaged (Daniele)

2003 SEASON:

Points:
425 (14 behind leader Helio Castroneves)

Place:
Third

Races:
14

Wins:
1 (Phoenix)

Top fives:
8 (tied for second)

Top 10s:
11 (tied for first)

MBNA Poles:
3 (second)

Laps Led:
285 (sixth)

Laps Completed:
2,686 out of 2,856 (second)

Running at the finish:
11 (tied for fourth)

Earnings:
$1,469,085 (third)

Races in points lead:
9

CAREER:

IndyCar Series championships: 0@

IndyCar Series wins:
1

IndyCar Series laps led:
308

IndyCar Series starts:
15

IndyCar Series earnings:
$1,636,756

Indianapolis 500 victories:
0

Other championships:
Indy Lights (1997); Italian Formula Alfa-Boxer (1994); Karting (1986-1990)

For information on Kanaan's experience at California Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway, please log onto www.indycarseries.com.

NOTES:
*In addition to IndyCar Series win at Phoenix, Kanaan won a CART event at Michigan in 1999.
*In June at Texas, Kanaan finished second to Al Unser Jr. by .0810 of a second, the 10th-closest finish in IndyCar Series history.

QUOTE:

TONY KANAAN: "I've certainly competed for championships before, but this is the biggest championship I've ever competed for. This is the top. This is everything I've ever dreamed of, but I truly don't feel any pressure. The more that you grow and the more that you race, you use the pressure as an advantage -- as a focus to go quicker. It's a positive. Pressure can be very negative. Under pressure, people sometimes make mistakes. It is not possible to describe how much I want this championship. There are no words. I really want it for myself, and I really want it for Team 7-Eleven. I had two goals that I had for this year: One was to win Indianapolis and the other was the championship. Indy is over, so this is my last shot this year. But, I just can't describe it."

INDYCAR SERIES POINT STANDINGS:
1. Helio Castroneves 439
2. Scott Dixon 427
3. Tony Kanaan 425
4. Gil de Ferran 422
5. Sam Hornish Jr. 398

-irl-