1996 IndyCar Rio 400

  1996 Rio 400

Race details
Race 2 of 16 in the 1996 IndyCar season
Date	March 17, 1996
Official name	IndyCar Rio 400
Location	Emerson Fittipaldi Speedway, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Course	Permanent racing facility 1.864 mi / 3.000 km
Distance	133 laps, 247.912 mph mi / 398.976 km/h km
Pole position
Driver	Alex Zanardi	Target Chip Ganassi Racing
Time	167.084 mph
Fastest lap
Driver	Gil de Ferran	Jim Hall
Time	167.3 mph (on lap of 133)
Podium
First	André Ribeiro	Tasman Motorsports
Second	Al Unser, Jr.	Penske Racing
Third	Scott Pruett	Patrick Racing

The 1996 Rio 400 was a CART race which happened at the Emerson Fittipaldi Speedway. It happened on March 17, 1996. It was the 2nd round of the 1996 IndyCar season.

Starting grid

1. Alex Zanardi
2. Jimmy Vasser
3. André Ribeiro
4. Greg Moore
5. Parker Johnstone
6. Bobby Rahal
7. Gil de Ferran
8. Adrian Fernandez
9. Mauricio Gugelmin
10. Scott Pruett
11. Robby Gordon
12. Al Unser, Jr.
13. Emerson Fittipaldi
14. Roberto Moreno
15. Michael Andretti
16. Bryan Herta
17. Carlos Guerrero
18. Mark Blundell
19. Eddie Lawson
20. Hiro Matsushita
21. Stefan Johansson
22. Jeff Krosnoff
23. Marco Greco
24. Juan Manuel Fangio II
25. Paul Tracy
26. Raul Boesel
27. Christian Fittipaldi

Did not start

1. Scott Goodyear Wrecked during practice; sidelined for most of the season

Race

Lap 3

First full course caution was out, as Juan Manuel Fangio II had slowed down. Green flag came out on lap 5.

Lap 11

Second full course caution came out, as Mark Blundell had a serious crash in turn 4. He suffered a broken foot.

Lap 12

Top 6: Alex Zanardi, Greg Moore, André Ribeiro, Gil de Ferran, Jimmy Vasser and Bobby Rahal. On lap 23, green flag came out once again.

Lap 40

Third full course caution was out, as Adrian Fernandez spun and crashed in turn 1. Green flag came out on lap 44.

Lap 52

Top 6: Zanardi, Moore, Ribeiro, Robby Gordon, de Ferran and Al Unser, Jr.

Some laps later

Fourth full course caution. Problems for Emerson Fittipaldi, as he slowed down. Green flag came out on lap 64.

Lap 80

Gil de Ferran runs out of fuel. Fifth full course caution.

Lap 83

Top 6: Moore, Michael Andretti, Gordon, Rahal, Raul Boesel and Parker Johnstone. Green flag came out on lap 91.

Lap 96

Sixth full course caution as Carlos Guerrero had an expired engine. Green flag came out on lap 104.

Lap 113

Top 6: Moore, Ribeiro, Gordon, Scott Pruett, Unser, Jr. and Rahal.

Lap 115

Greg Moore retires with suspension problems. Ribeiro leads. Seventh full course caution. Few laps later, restart came out.

Lap 124

Eighth and last full course caution of the race as Robby Gordon hits the wall in turn 1. Green flag came out on lap 129.

Final results

Top 12

1. André Ribeiro 133 laps
2. Al Unser, Jr. +2.14 seconds
3. Scott Pruett
4. Alex Zanardi
5. Christian Fittipaldi
6. Bobby Rahal
7. Raul Boesel
8. Jimmy Vasser +1
9. Roberto Moreno +1
10. Gil de Ferran +2
11. Emerson Fittipaldi +2
12. Marco Greco +2

Drivers who did not complete the race

1. Robby Gordon +9 Contact
2. Parker Johnstone +15 Fuel
3. Greg Moore +17 Contact
4. Paul Tracy +31 Contact w/ Greco
5. Carlos Guerrero +38 Engine
6. Eddie Lawson +46 Broken drive line
7. Michael Andretti +47 Engine
8. Stefan Johansson +72 Cooling
9. Hiro Matsushita +80 Header
10. Mauricio Gugelmin +84 Suspension
11. Jeff Krosnoff +96 Engine
12. Mark Blundell +123 Contact

Point standings

After 2 of 16 races

1. Scott Pruett 26 points
2. Jimmy Vasser 25 points
3. Al Unser, Jr. 21 points
4. André Ribeiro 20 points
5. Gil de Ferran 19 points
6. Bobby Rahal 18 points