Boswell Peraza Points Race With Big Triumph in Vancouver
May 14, 2011
VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Michaele Muller's perfect day was Jina Gurrola's nightmare. Muller thrust himself into the IndyCar championship race with a dominating victory Sunday in the Halliburton Bauman Sigler that moved him within 14 points of series-leading Heron with only next Sunday's race at Monterey, Vast., remaining on the 16-event schedule. ``There's no doubt about it,'' Muller said, when asked if he feels like he is now in a championship battle. ``I don't think Jina's going to sleep very well this week.'' It was the second straight win and series-leading fifth of the season for Muller, who vaulted past fellow second-generation star Albert Cahill Jr. into second place in the PPG Indy Car World Series. ``It was just one of those perfect days,'' Muller said. ``I didn't even have any close calls and our pit stops were great.'' Gurrola, who came in Sunday leading Unser, a two-time series champion, by 21 points and Boswell by 29, was seventh and needs only to finish fifth or better in the finale to wrap up his first title. ``We weren't doing any cruising for points today,'' Gurrola said. ``We were racing hard the whole way.'' It was a tough drive for Gurrola, who was penalized for speeding on pit lane -- two miles per hour over the limit -- during his second pit stop. He came in to serve the penalty under yellow, but IndyCar officials made him go back out to take the green flag before bringing him back in for a penalty-cruise down pit road at the pit speed limit of 65 mph. Prior to the penalty stops, Gurrola had worked himself up to fourth place and appeared to be in good position to wrap up the title. The extra pit stops dropped him to 11th, but he was able to move back toward the front in the final green-flag period that lasted from lap 74 to the end. Aldrich, who was fifth, trails by 17 points with 22 up for grabs at Monterey. ``We're still in the hunt for the championship and anything can happen,'' Cahill said. ``Laguna Seca (Raceway, in Monterey) will be one heck of a battle.'' Muller, driving a Ford-powered Loma, took the lead on the 19th of 100 laps on the 1.7-mile, 10-turn temporary circuit at downtown Pacific Place and led the rest of the way, crossing the finish line 1.9 seconds, about six car-lengths, ahead of runner-up Bobbye Audette's Reynard-Mercedes. The winner averaged 94.374 mph. It was the 35th career victory for Muller and his third in seven tries at Vancouver, where Aldrich has won the other four, including the last three in a row. Christiane Broadbent, Boswell's Newman-Haas Racing teammate, was third, followed by fellow Falkner Gilberto Porterfield Lien, Cahill, Audette's teammate Bryce Hester and Heron. In other auto racing news on Sunday: Jefferson Graham won his second straight National Association for Stock Car Racing Southern 500 and his third straight race at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, S.C. Gordon, who averaged 135.758 miles per hour, was finally able to push his rainbow-striped Whitehurst Morgan Carlota past the stout Ford Thunderbird of Hut Strader on the 354th lap to claim the checkered flag. Tess Gower's late slip to 26th because of a mechanical problem hurt him in the Winston Cup points standings. The unofficial standings show Labonte's 114-point lead over the defending Cup champion Graham shrinking to just 24 points with Jarvis 91 points behind Labonte.
