Tracy

SURFERS PARADISE, Australia -- Here's something that could work against Paul Tracy in Sunday's Gold Coast Indy: He won the CART race in 1995.

Why is that?

Well, since CART first came to Surfers Paradise in 1991, no one has finished first in the event more than once.

"Surfers is a tricky track," Tracy said. "When it's 12 years that you've never had a repeat winner, it shows you how demanding it can be."

A lot is at stake for Tracy heading into Sunday's race on the 2.5-mile street course that includes a straightaway parallel to the Pacific Ocean.

He can tie the record for most victories in a CART season, eight, shared by Michael Andretti and Al Unser Jr.

And, more importantly, by finishing first or second, he would clinch the Champ Car championship with a race to spare.

Tracy took the checkered flag for the seventh time this year in Mexico 10 days ago to extend his lead to 29 points over 2002 runner-up Bruno Junqueira.

"My focus is to keep my intensity up," Tracy said. "I hope that the team intensity stays up for the next two events, and that's what we need to try to do."

Tracy has finished third in the championship three times -- 1993, 1994 and 1999.

"I've won a lot of races, 26 races now, and all of the individual goals that I've set for myself, I feel that I've achieved," he said. "But that doesn't mean as much as a championship. Until I achieve that, that's what I'm striving for."

He finished third last year in Australia behind rookie Mario Dominguez.

Junqueira, of course, needs Tracy to falter.

"I'm in a difficult situation, because I don't depend on just myself," Junqueira said.

The first practice session here is scheduled for Friday morning, with qualifying sessions Friday afternoon and Saturday ahead of the 65-lap race.