40°41′21.46″N 82°38′10.94″W/40.6892944°N 82.6363722°W/ 40.6892944; -82.6363722

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
RankDriverTimeLeaderSpeed (mph)Team
1Brazil Gil de Ferran1:05.442124.214Team Penske
2Brazil Hélio Castroneves1:05.877+0.435123.394Team Penske
3Canada Patrick Carpentier1:05.905+0.463123.341Forsythe Racing
4United States Jimmy Vasser1:05.931+0.489123.293Patrick Racing
5Scotland Dario Franchitti1:06.012+0.570123.141Team Green
6Canada Alex Tagliani1:06.093+0.651122.990Forsythe Racing
7Brazil Tony Kanaan1:06.196+0.754122.799Mo Nunn Racing
8Canada Paul Tracy1:06.361+0.919122.494Team Green
9Brazil Christian Fittipaldi1:06.364+0.922122.488Newman-Haas Racing
10Brazil Bruno Junqueira (R)1:06.395+0.953122.431Chip Ganassi Racing
11Brazil Cristiano da Matta1:06.469+1.027122.295Newman-Haas Racing
12New Zealand Scott Dixon (R)1:06.480+1.038122.274PacWest Racing
13Sweden Kenny Bräck1:06.494+1.052122.249Team Rahal
14United States Bryan Herta1:06.510+1.068122.219Forsythe Racing
15Brazil Roberto Moreno1:06.550+1.108122.146Patrick Racing
16Mexico Adrian Fernández1:06.649+1.207121.964Fernandez Racing
17United States Memo Gidley1:06.776+1.334121.732Chip Ganassi Racing
18United States Michael Andretti1:06.806+1.364121.678Team Motorola
19Italy Max Papis1:06.939+1.497121.436Team Rahal
20Italy Alex Zanardi1:07.068+1.626121.202Mo Nunn Racing
21Brazil Maurício Gugelmin1:07.105+1.664121.134PacWest Racing
22Japan Tora Takagi (R)1:07.168+1.726121.022Walker Motorsport
23Japan Shinji Nakano1:07.235+1.793120.901Fernandez Racing
24Brazil Max Wilson (R)1:07.508+2.066120.412Arciero Racing
25Mexico Michel Jourdain Jr.1:07.678+2.236120.110Bettenhausen Racing
26Spain Oriol Servià1:08.364+2.922120.110Sigma Autosport
Source:

Race

PosNoDriverTeamLapsTime/retiredGridPoints
13Brazil Hélio CastronevesTeam Penske831:44:54.9312211
21Brazil Gil de FerranTeam Penske83+1.5681172
332Canada Patrick CarpentierForsythe Racing83+2.548314
426Canada Paul TracyTeam Green83+5.326812
555Brazil Tony KanaanMo Nunn Racing83+6.155710
620Brazil Roberto MorenoPatrick Racing83+6.703158
733Canada Alex TaglianiForsythe Racing83+7.53766
811Brazil Christian FittipaldiNewman-Haas Racing83+11.32295
922Spain Oriol ServiàSigma Autosport83+14.561264
106Brazil Cristiano da MattaNewman-Haas Racing83+15.247113
1112United States Memo GidleyChip Ganassi Racing83+15.938172
1218New Zealand Scott Dixon (R)PacWest Racing83+16.336121
134Brazil Bruno Junqueira (R)Chip Ganassi Racing83+17.00110
1417Brazil Maurício GugelminPacWest Racing83+21.84321
1525Brazil Max Wilson (R)Arciero Racing83+23.73924
1627Scotland Dario FranchittiTeam Green83+49.6695
1716Mexico Michel Jourdain Jr.Bettenhausen Racing82+1 Lap25
1852Japan Shinji NakanoFernandez Racing82+1 Lap23
1966Italy Alex ZanardiMo Nunn Racing80+3 Laps20
208Sweden Kenny BräckTeam Rahal80+3 Laps13
215Japan Tora Takagi (R)Walker Motorsport72Off course22
2251Mexico Adrian FernándezFernandez Racing50Contact16
2340United States Jimmy VasserPatrick Racing34Contact4
247Italy Max PapisTeam Rahal30Contact19
2577United States Bryan HertaForsythe Racing14Engine14
2639United States Michael AndrettiTeam Motorola5Engine18
Source:

Notes

  • 1– Includes one bonus point for leading the most laps.
  • 2– Includes one bonus point for being the fastest qualifier.

Race statistics

  • Lead changes: 3 among 3 drivers
Lap Leaders
Lap Leaders Laps Leader 1–28 Gil de Ferran 29-54 Helio Castroneves 55-65 Oriol Servià 66-83 Helio CastronevesTotal laps led Leader Laps Helio Castroneves 44 Gil de Ferran 28 Oriol Servià 11Cautions: 3 for 11 laps Laps Reason 31-34 Papis and Bräck collide 51-56 Fernández crashes at Turn 4 74-76 Takagi stalls
LapsLeader
1–28Gil de Ferran
29-54Helio Castroneves
55-65Oriol Servià
66-83Helio Castroneves
Total laps led
LeaderLaps
Helio Castroneves44
Gil de Ferran28
Oriol Servià11
Cautions: 3 for 11 laps
LapsReason
31-34Papis and Bräck collide
51-56Fernández crashes at Turn 4
74-76Takagi stalls

Standings after the race

Pos+/-DriverPoints
Drivers' standings Pos +/- Driver Points 1 Sweden Kenny Bräck 104 2 Brazil Hélio Castroneves 103 3 2 Brazil Gil de Ferran 89 4 1 Scotland Dario Franchitti 81 5 1 United States Michael Andretti 73Constructors' standings Pos +/– Constructor Points 1 United Kingdom Reynard 228 2 United Kingdom Lola 191Manufacturer's Standings Pos +/- Manufacturer Points 1 Japan Honda 212 2 United Kingdom Ford-Cosworth 185 3 Japan Toyota 174 4 United Kingdom Phoenix 0
1Sweden Kenny Bräck104
2Brazil Hélio Castroneves103
32Brazil Gil de Ferran89
41Scotland Dario Franchitti81
51United States Michael Andretti73
Pos+/–ConstructorPoints
1United Kingdom Reynard228
2United Kingdom Lola191
Pos+/-ManufacturerPoints
1Japan Honda212
2United Kingdom Ford-Cosworth185
3Japan Toyota174
4United Kingdom Phoenix0
Previous race: 2001 Target Grand PrixCART FedEx Championship Series 2001 seasonNext race: 2001 Motorola 220
Previous race: 2000 Miller Lite 200Miller Lite 200Next race: 2002 CART Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio