VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 27 (UPI) -- A day after various problems placed him toward the back of the field, Brazil's Cristiano da Matta set a qualifying record Saturday to win the pole for the CART Molson Indy Vancouver.
Da Matta, who has dominated the first half of the season, averaged 106.260 miles per hour in his backup Toyota/Lola and covered the 1.781-mile temporary street course at Concord Pacific Place in 60.339 seconds for his third straight pole and fifth of the season.
Scotland's Dario Franchitti set the previous qualifying mark of 106.144 mph in 2000.
Provisional pole-sitter Paul Tracy of Canda, the 2000 champion, lost one spot and will start second Sunday after averaging 105.973 mph in a Honda/Lola. Tracy used just the final 15 minutes of track time and was virtually solo on the street circuit in the closing minutes.
Franchitti, Tracy's Team KOOL Green teammate, moved up a spot to third. He also won at Vancouver from the pole in 1998.
Da Matta has five wins to go with his five poles this season and is running away with the CART championship. With the point earned Saturday, he has 121, putting him 51 ahead of countryman Bruno Junqueira, who qualified 12th.
New Zealand's Scott Dixon was fourth and Michael Andretti qualified fifth in his 300th Champ Car start. Andretti has recorded three of his 42 career wins in Vancouver -- 1991, 1992 and 1996. He also finished second in 1998 and third in 1994 and last year.
