The 2001 Miller Lite 200 was a Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) motor race held on August 12, 2001, at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, USA. It was the 13th round of the 2001 CART FedEx Championship Series season. Team Penske dominated the event, with Gil de Ferran taking pole position and Hélio Castroneves finishing ahead of de Ferran in the race itself. Patrick Carpentier finished 3rd.
Castroneves had earned his third win of the season and the last of his CART career by taking advantage of a faster pitstop during the first half of the race and staying ahead the rest of the way. Castroneves was now within one point of championship leader Kenny Bräck, who collided with his teammate in the race and ended up three laps down in 20th place. de Ferran was also continuing a streak of high points-paying positions, and his podium at the race put him third overall. Carpentier scored his third consecutive podium and continued a run of good results for Forsythe Racing.
The race hinged on pitstops and fuel strategy, as many drivers gambled on off-schedule stops to try to make up positions on a track that was notoriously difficult to pass on. Nevertheless, it was Team Penske's conventional strategy that allowed both drivers to finish 1–2.
Qualifying August 11, 2001 - Qualifying Speeds Rank Driver Time Leader Speed (mph) Team1 Gil de Ferran1:05.442—124.214Team Penske2 Hélio Castroneves1:05.877 +0.435123.394Team Penske3 Patrick Carpentier1:05.905 +0.463123.341Forsythe Racing4 Jimmy Vasser1:05.931 +0.489123.293Patrick Racing5 Dario Franchitti1:06.012 +0.570123.141Team Green6 Alex Tagliani1:06.093 +0.651122.990Forsythe Racing7 Tony Kanaan1:06.196 +0.754122.799Mo Nunn Racing8 Paul Tracy1:06.361 +0.919122.494Team Green9 Christian Fittipaldi1:06.364 +0.922122.488Newman-Haas Racing10 Bruno Junqueira (R)1:06.395 +0.953122.431Chip Ganassi Racing11 Cristiano da Matta1:06.469 +1.027122.295Newman-Haas Racing12 Scott Dixon (R)1:06.480 +1.038122.274PacWest Racing13 Kenny Bräck1:06.494 +1.052122.249Team Rahal14 Bryan Herta1:06.510 +1.068122.219Forsythe Racing15 Roberto Moreno1:06.550 +1.108122.146Patrick Racing16 Adrian Fernández1:06.649 +1.207121.964Fernandez Racing17 Memo Gidley1:06.776 +1.334121.732Chip Ganassi Racing18 Michael Andretti1:06.806 +1.364121.678Team Motorola19 Max Papis1:06.939 +1.497121.436Team Rahal20 Alex Zanardi1:07.068 +1.626 121.202Mo Nunn Racing21 Maurício Gugelmin1:07.105 +1.664121.134PacWest Racing22 Tora Takagi (R)1:07.168 +1.726121.022Walker Motorsport23 Shinji Nakano1:07.235 +1.793120.901Fernandez Racing24 Max Wilson (R)1:07.508 +2.066120.412Arciero Racing25 Michel Jourdain Jr.1:07.678 +2.236120.110Bettenhausen Racing26 Oriol Servià1:08.364 +2.922120.110Sigma Autosport
Race Pos No Driver Team Laps Time/retired Grid Points13 Hélio CastronevesTeam Penske831:44:54.93122121 Gil de FerranTeam Penske83 +1.568117332 Patrick CarpentierForsythe Racing83 +2.548314426 Paul TracyTeam Green83 +5.326812555 Tony KanaanMo Nunn Racing83 +6.155710620 Roberto MorenoPatrick Racing83 +6.703158733 Alex TaglianiForsythe Racing83 +7.53766811 Christian FittipaldiNewman-Haas Racing83 +11.32295922 Oriol ServiàSigma Autosport83 +14.561264106 Cristiano da MattaNewman-Haas Racing83 +15.2471131112 Memo GidleyChip Ganassi Racing83 +15.9381721218 Scott Dixon (R)PacWest Racing83 +16.336121134 Bruno Junqueira (R)Chip Ganassi Racing83 +17.00110—1417 Maurício GugelminPacWest Racing83 +21.84321—1525 Max Wilson (R)Arciero Racing83 +23.73924—1627 Dario FranchittiTeam Green83 +49.6695—1716 Michel Jourdain Jr.Bettenhausen Racing82 +1 Lap25—1852 Shinji NakanoFernandez Racing82 +1 Lap23—1966 Alex ZanardiMo Nunn Racing80 +3 Laps20—208 Kenny BräckTeam Rahal80 +3 Laps13—215 Tora Takagi (R)Walker Motorsport72Off course22—2251 Adrian FernándezFernandez Racing50Contact16—2340 Jimmy VasserPatrick Racing34Contact4—247 Max PapisTeam Rahal30Contact19—2577 Bryan HertaForsythe Racing14Engine14—2639 Michael AndrettiTeam Motorola5Engine18— Notes – Includes one bonus point for leading the most laps. – Includes one bonus point for being the fastest qualifier.
Race statistics Lead changes: 3 among 3 drivers
Lap Leaders Laps Leader1–28 Gil de Ferran29-54 Helio Castroneves55-65 Oriol Servià66-83 Helio Castroneves
Total laps led Leader Laps Helio Castroneves 44 Gil de Ferran 28 Oriol Servià 11
Cautions: 3 for 11 laps Laps Reason31-34 Papis and Bräck collide51-56 Fernández crashes at Turn 474-76 Takagi stalls
Standings after the race
Drivers' standings Pos+/-DriverPoints1 Kenny Bräck1042 Hélio Castroneves1033 2 Gil de Ferran894 1 Dario Franchitti815 1 Michael Andretti73
Constructors' standings Pos +/– Constructor Points 1 Reynard 228 2 Lola 191
Manufacturer's Standings Pos +/- Manufacturer Points 1 Honda 212 2 Ford-Cosworth 185 3 Toyota 174 4 Phoenix 0
References