page_title: 2000 Rio 200
section_title: Race
hierarchical_section_title: 2000 Rio 200 / Race
caption_attribution_description: Adrián Fernández at the Le Mans 24 Hours 2011 Drivers' Parade
context_page_description: The 2000 Rio 200 was a Championship Auto Racing Teams auto race held at the trapezoid-shaped Autódromo de Jacarepaguá, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on April 30, 2000. It was the third race of the 2000 CART season, the fifth running of the event, and the first round of the year to be held outside of the United States. The 108-lap race was won by Patrick Racing driver Adrián Fernández after he started from sixteenth. Jimmy Vasser of Chip Ganassi Racing finished second and Team Green's Paul Tracy was third.
  Tagliani set the fastest overall lap time in qualifying to start the race from the pole position. He led for a total of 76 laps, more than any other driver. However, Tagliani did not win the event because he lost traction in his car on the 100th lap and spun in the second corner which promoted Fernández to the lead. The race ended under caution and no overtaking was permitted after Tagliani spun for a second time at the end of lap 105. This enabled Fernández to win, his first of the season, and the sixth of his career. There were five cautions and eight lead changes among five different drivers during the course of the event.
context_section_description: Weather conditions at the start of the race were dry and sunny. The air temperature throughout the race was between 85–88 °F (29–31 °C) and the track temperature ranged from 112–121 °F (44–49 °C). Two-time Formula One World Champion Emerson Fittipaldi commanded the drivers to start their engines. The race began at 1:37 p.m. BRT (UTC+03:00). Immediately, the first caution of the race was shown because Tagliani moved too far away from Montoya as all other cars went across the start/finish line. Concurrently, Servià lost control of his car leaving turn four, and hit the inside tire barrier at the start of the main straightaway, retiring instantly. Green flag racing got under way on the fifth lap with Tagliani leading Montoya and Tracy. 17 laps later, Bräck steered left to pass Tracy for third position at turn three. However, he could not retain the position as Tracy retook the place at the next corner, but Bräck made his original manoeuvre stick on the main straightaway. Fontana was deemed by race control to have overtaken Fernández before the start/finish line on the lap five start. He was given a black flag on lap 17 which ordered him to serve a drive-through penalty. On the 23rd lap, Castroneves retired in the pit lane because of a gearbox problem that rendered him unable to downshift.
  Montoya retired with a broken shifter cable on lap 30. Green flag pit stops for fuel and tires began on lap 33, when Tagliani and Bräck entered pit road, handing the lead to Tracy. Vasser assumed the lead when Tracy made his pit stop four laps later. Franchitti damaged his car when he slid backwards into the pit wall, and sustained light damage to the right-front wing endplate. Fernández led on laps 38 and 39 before he entered pit road for his first stop. After the pit stops, Tagliani retook the lead. On lap 55, Herta stalled at the bottom of the track between the first and second turns, prompting the second caution. Herta retired when he could not restart his car. All of the cars on the lead lap except for Tagliani made pit stops under caution. Racing was due to continue on lap 60, but the yellow flags were again needed when Garcia delayed the field, enabling Tagliani to get too far away from all other drivers. The race recommenced on the next lap with Tagliani holding first position. On lap 63, ninth-placed Papis cut a tire from contact with another car. He went a lap down during a pit stop for a replacement wheel. Kanaan retired with a mechanical problem six laps later. Andretti took the lead when Tagliani made his pit stop on the 75th lap.
  Brack took the lead when Andretti entered pit road two laps later. At Andretti's pit stop, crew members Todd Tice and John Littlefield were moving way from the side of his car when Andretti had been instructed to leave his pit stall. This meant the fuelling vent hose Tice attempted to detach was pulled from his grip, and he jumped after it, only to become entangled in Andretti's right-rear wheel. His right ankle and leg were broken. Tice was evaluated on the scene by CART physician Terry Trammell, and was flown to Indianapolis on 1 May for further surgery. Littlefield was not seriously injured as he only sustained bruising to his left leg. Andretti was penalized for the incident; he incurred a drive-through penalty which he took on the 81st lap. Ten laps later, Bräck's lead of 9.144 seconds was reduced to nothing when the third caution came out for Jourdain who stalled at the bottom of turn two. Jourdain had assistance from course officials in restarting his car. During the caution, several drivers, including Bräck, made pit stops for tires and fuel. Tagliani chose not to make a pit stop, and he led the field back up to speed at the restart on lap 98.
  Two laps later, the fourth caution was given. Tagliani lost traction in his car in turn one and spun at the next corner. Franchitti and Andretti scrambled for space to avoid a collision with Tagliani's car only for them to make contact with each other. Although all three drivers, flat-spotted their tires, they elected not to enter the pit lane for new t
caption: Adrián Fernández (pictured in 2011) took the sixth victory of his career after Tagliani spun on the 100th lap.
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