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Twice as Good; Sam Hornish Jr. fended off CART's best to repeat as IRL champ.(News)
Byline: CURT CAVIN
Many people predicted Sam Hornish Jr. would be a one-hit wonder in the Indy Racing League once Team Penske arrived with two-time CART champion Gil de Ferran and Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves. Of course, that wasn't what happened. Hornish, the IRL's runaway champion in 2001, not only absorbed the pressure applied by the powerful newcomers, he beat them when everything mattered.
Hornish, 23, took his second straight league championship by winning the last two races of the season for the second straight year. The win at Chicago was by the closest margin in open-wheel history (0.0024 second). The latter, at Texas, came with Castroneves just inches back in a breathtaking finish.
Hornish became the first IRL driver to win a second championship and the youngest occupant of two title trophies in Indy car history.
``Anyone who does not know how good Sam is has not paid attention,'' Castroneves said.
In handily the best of seven IRL seasons, Hornish, of Defiance, Ohio, had to fight hard for the title. Yes, he won a series-high five of 15 races (more than Castroneves and de Ferran combined), but he edged Castroneves at season's end by only 20 points.
The championship was in the balance as late as the last lap at Texas, and had Castroneves won the finale with Hornish fourth, Castroneves would have been the champ. Hornish's winning margin at Texas was a mere 0.0096 second with fourth-place Scott Sharp just a wink back. De Ferran lost his chance to win another title when he suffered a concussion in a crash at Chicago and had to sit out the Texas race.
- Max Papis to Replace Two-Time Champion De Ferran In Season Finale at Texas...
- Press release article from: PR Newswire September 10, 2002 700+ words
...two Marlboro Team Penske entries at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, September...time Marlboro Team Penske driver Gil de Ferran will sit out the event due to injuries...Marlboro Team Penske and Roger at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend. I look...
- De Ferran realized success in U.S., not F1.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
- Newspaper article from: Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service Sturbin, John June 3, 2003 700+ words
...Sturbin FORT WORTH, Texas _ With an Indianapolis...his credit, Gil de Ferran is running out of...at Team Penske as de Ferran and countryman Helio Castroneves roll into Texas Motor Speedway for...Saturday. Teammates de Ferran and Castroneves finished...
- De Ferran strong in return to IRL.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
- Newspaper article from: Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service Latham, Krista July 24, 2003 700+ words
...important decisions," de Ferran said. The two busted...that same season. But de Ferran, 35, is a different...the Bombardier 500 in Texas. Not bad for a driver...much I would recover," de Ferran said. "But as the days...
- SPLIT PERSONALITY? The laid-back Gil de Ferran is a hard, aggressive...
- Magazine article from: AutoWeek Cavin, Curt March 31, 2003 700+ words
...race at Chicagoland ended that goal. De Ferran suffered a concussion and a hairline...to miss the season-ending race at Texas the next week. Sam Hornish Jr...to learn the public's version of de Ferran was somewhat different from the version...
- Pole is only first step for de Ferran.(St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
- Newspaper article from: Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service Coats, Bill August 24, 2002 700+ words
...of a second; on June 8 at Texas Motor Speedway, Jeff Ward...said veteran driver Gil de Ferran of Brazil. "Even on the short...flag." For that reason, de Ferran, 34, said he could afford...starting up front," said de Ferran, who guided his No. 6 Marlboro...
- Pole is only first step for de Ferran.
- Newspaper article from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service) August 24, 2002 700+ words
...of a second; on June 8 at Texas Motor Speedway, Jeff Ward...said veteran driver Gil de Ferran of Brazil. "Even on the short...flag." For that reason, de Ferran, 34, said he could afford...starting up front," said de Ferran, who guided his No. 6 Marlboro...
- Concussion sidelines de Ferran.(The Dallas Morning News)
- Newspaper article from: Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service Blount, Terry September 9, 2002 700+ words
FORT WORTH, Texas _ Gil de Ferran's chances of winning a third consecutive Indy-car...would not be allowed to compete in the Chevy 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday. De Ferran suffered a concussion and a hairline fracture of his...
- Concussion sidelines de Ferran.
- Newspaper article from: The Dallas Morning News (via Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service) September 9, 2002 700+ words
Byline: Terry Blount FORT WORTH, Texas _ Gil de Ferran's chances of winning a third consecutive...be allowed to compete in the Chevy 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday. De Ferran suffered a concussion and a hairline fracture...
Source: HighBeam Research, Twice as Good; Sam Hornish Jr. fended off CART's best to repeat as...