The 2001 Target Grand Prix, known informally as the 2001 Grand Prix of Chicago, was a Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) motor race held on July 29, 2001, at Chicago Motor Speedway in Cicero, Illinois, USA. It was the 12th round of the 2001 CART FedEx Championship Series season. Kenny Bräck won his third race of the season and of his CART career for Team Rahal ahead of Patrick Carpentier and Gil de Ferran.
Bräck's quick pace allowed him to make up ground in the second half of the race and ultimately win the race itself, further distancing himself from second place Hélio Castroneves in the drivers' standings. Carpentier and Forsythe Racing were in the middle of a powerful surge in form, with teammates earning podiums at Cleveland and Toronto and Carpentier taking his first career win just a week earlier at the Michigan 500. de Ferran was also beginning an improvement in form and consistency that would make him a championship contender at the end of the season.
The race saw much clean on-track action and multiple lead changes, something that was not common for open-wheel cars on oval tracks. Only three cars retired from the race, and only one was a result of contact with the barriers.
Qualifying July 28, 2001 - Qualifying Speeds Rank Driver Time Leader Speed (mph) Team1 Tony Kanaan23.145—160.052Mo Nunn Racing2 Hélio Castroneves23.148 +0.003160.031Team Penske3 Adrian Fernández23.203 +0.058159.652Fernandez Racing4 Memo Gidley23.221 +0.076159.528Chip Ganassi Racing5 Alex Zanardi23.315 +0.170158.885Mo Nunn Racing6 Jimmy Vasser23.317 +0.172158.871Patrick Racing7 Roberto Moreno23.327 +0.182158.803Patrick Racing8 Kenny Bräck23.340 +0.195158.715Team Rahal9 Patrick Carpentier23.371 +0.226158.504Forsythe Racing10 Dario Franchitti23.395 +0.250158.342Team Green11 Bruno Junqueira (R)23.409 +0.264158.247Chip Ganassi Racing12 Gil de Ferran23.458 +0.313157.916Team Penske13 Maurício Gugelmin23.459 +0.314157.910PacWest Racing14 Alex Tagliani23.471 +0.326157.829Forsythe Racing15 Bryan Herta23.498 +0.353157.647Forsythe Racing16 Shinji Nakano23.501 +0.356157.627Fernandez Racing17 Michael Andretti23.513 +0.368157.547Team Motorola18 Tora Takagi (R)23.539 +0.394157.373Walker Motorsport19 Scott Dixon (R)23.568 +0.423157.179PacWest Racing20 Cristiano da Matta23.592 +0.447157.019Newman-Haas Racing21 Oriol Servià23.678 +0.533156.449Sigma Autosport22 Paul Tracy23.742 +0.597156.027Team Green23 Michel Jourdain Jr.23.805 +0.660155.614Bettenhausen Racing24 Christian Fittipaldi23.957 +0.812154.627Newman-Haas Racing25 Max Papis23.984 +0.839154.453Team Rahal
Race Pos No Driver Team Laps Time/retired Grid Points18 Kenny BräckTeam Rahal2251:45:12.835820232 Patrick CarpentierForsythe Racing225 +4.48091631 Gil de FerranTeam Penske225 +5.1901214418 Scott Dixon (R)PacWest Racing225 +5.5631912512 Memo GidleyChip Ganassi Racing225 +9.651410633 Alex TaglianiForsythe Racing225 +13.03714873 Hélio CastronevesTeam Penske225 +13.59727855 Tony KanaanMo Nunn Racing225 +14.55816966 Alex ZanardiMo Nunn Racing225 +17.157541051 Adrian FernándezFernandez Racing225 +20.91433115 Tora Takagi (R)Walker Motorsport225 +21.1991821226 Paul TracyTeam Green225 +22.098221137 Max PapisTeam Rahal225 +39.48325—1440 Jimmy VasserPatrick Racing224 +1 Lap6—1527 Dario FranchittiTeam Green224 +1 Lap10—1652 Shinji NakanoFernandez Racing224 +1 Lap16—174 Bruno Junqueira (R)Chip Ganassi Racing223 +2 Laps11—1822 Oriol ServiàSigma Autosport223 +2 Laps21—196 Cristiano da MattaNewman-Haas Racing223 +2 Laps20—2020 Roberto MorenoPatrick Racing223 +2 Laps7—2177 Bryan HertaForsythe Racing222 +3 Laps15—2217 Maurício GugelminPacWest Racing220 +5 Laps13—2316 Michel Jourdain Jr.Bettenhausen Racing189Contact23—2439 Michael AndrettiTeam Motorola187Engine17—2511 Christian FittipaldiNewman-Haas Racing102Engine24— Notes – Includes one bonus point for leading the most laps. – Includes one bonus point for being the fastest qualifier.
Race statistics Lead changes: 14 among 9 drivers
Lap Leaders Laps Leader1–47 Tony Kanaan48-79 Helio Castroneves80-81 Tony Kanaan82 Jimmy Vasser83 Roberto Moreno84-89 Scott Dixon90-121 Helio Castroneves122-161 Kenny Bräck162-165 Helio Castroneves166-167 Tony Kanaan168 Adrian Fernández169-187 Dario Franchitti188-196 Memo Gidley197-206 Scott Dixon207-225 Kenny Bräck
Total laps led Leader Laps Helio Castroneves 68 Kenny Bräck 59 Tony Kanaan 51 Dario Franchitti 19 Scott Dixon 16 Memo Gidley 9 Jimmy Vasser 1 Roberto Moreno 1 Adrian Fernández 1
Cautions: 2 for 20 laps Laps Reason112-121 Jourdain Jr. spins in Turn 1200-211 Gugelmin spins in Turn 1
Standings after the race
Drivers' standings Pos+/-DriverPoints1 Kenny Bräck1042 1 Hélio Castroneves823 1 Dario Franchitti814 Michael Andretti735 1 Gil de Ferran72
Constructors' standings Pos +/– Constructor Points 1 Reynard 207 2 Lola 186
Manufacturer's Standings Pos +/- Manufacturer Points 1 Honda 190 2 1 Ford-Cosworth 171 3 1 Toyota 166 4 Phoenix 0
References