Forsythe Championship Racing and the Champ Car World Series completed today its third race in as many weekends at the 2007 Grand Prix of Houston at JAGflo Speedway at Reliant Park. After a disappointing qualifying session, the Forsythe duo of Oriol Servia and Mario Dominguez had a strong showing which ironically was affected by a near miss between the two teammates in the pit lane, forcing them to settle with the fourth and sixth positions.
Servia, who joined the Forsythe Team only a week ago replacing the injured Paul Tracy, continued with his strong performance in the #3 INDECK car. During his first stint the Spaniard concentrated on saving fuel and keeping in touch with the leaders, this strategy paid off by allowing him to load less fuel that his competitors and having a quicker pit stop, after the pit stop shuffle he found himself in the second position following the leader by only 1 second. Servia was able to comfortably hold the second position and was looking to repeat his Long Beach podium finish until his second pit stop where he had to delay his launch in order to avoid a collision with teammate Dominguez who was coming into his pit stall at the same time. The time lost in the pits cost Servia two positions on the track dropping him to the fourth position.
For Mario Dominguez the Houston race has special meaning as last year he came within a few laps from winning from his first career pole position start until an off track excursion dropped him to third. Dominguez started today from the ninth position and also immediately managed to save fuel but at the same time turn in very competitive laps. He used his expert knowledge of this bumpy temporary street circuit to pick up positions on the track and was headed for a top five finish until a near miss with Servia in the pits caused him to come in at an awkward angle into his pit stall loosing valuable time. The Mexican driver had to settle for a sixth place finish.
Oriol Servia
#3 Indeck
Cosworth/Bridgestone/DP01
Finished 4th
Sixth in Championship with 51 points
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