The finish came in his 11th career start. In the CART Series, it's the 1st for the #44 and the 5th from a crash. Across all the series in the SCRL, it's the 7th for the #44 and 273rd from a crash.
Entering the first ever season of the SCRL's newest series, Tsutomu was one of twelve drivers making their debut in the series but he was able to get a ride despite no past SCRL experience. In his first ever start at Phoenix, Tsutomu finished 19th, a 18th at Atlanta before coming back to finish a career best 8th in the second round at Atlanta. A 31st at Indy would be followed by a 29th and 21st in the twin Trenton races, back-to-back 26th place finishes at Michigan, 22nd at Watkins Glen before finishing 11th in the last round at Trenton.
Long time SCRL veteran Jay Jefferson would score the first pole of his CART career with a time of 50.564 seconds, while Tsutomu would struggle around the two an a half mile track, posting a time of 51.190, only 0.626 behind Jay's time. Starting last by posting the slowest time in qualifying was the #4 entry of Joe Jefferson, who posted a time of 51.301, 0.737 seconds behind Jay's pole winning time.
On race day, Joe stay in the final spot would last only two turns before he knocked the #26 entry of Chad Myers, who would trail for the first lap, but the next time around it was the #68 Jordache Jeans entry of Christian Russel who would trail for the second lap and was in that spot when the race's first caution came out when Trenton last-place finisher the #24 Charlotte Hornets entry and the #64 entry of Ray Dent Jr. would be collected on a spin on the frontstretech. Ozkan would trail during the caution and would remain in last when the race went back green, remaining in the final spot until Lap 9 when he knocked Tsutomu to the final spot for the first time. Tsutomu would remain in last for two laps before knocking the first Michigan last-place finisher the #42 Ikea entry of Danyal Gitirokh into last on Lap 11, and would be trailing the field for two laps before knocking Tsutomu to last on Lap 13.
While racing toward Turn 2, Tsutomu went too hard into the turn, sliding up the track and into Russel's car, sending both cars into the outside wall, sending Russel for a flip and actually into the fence before landing on his roof and down the track. Russel would get the track workers to flip his car over and actually drove it back to the pits, become scored one more lap while Tsutomu's car would both be towed back to the pits and then into the garage, with Tsutomu would be scored in the final spot.
Finishing in 31st was the #55 Members Only entry of Ray Dent, who suffered a broken header while running in 14th, as Dent would pull behind the wall and into the garage just one lap before the field went back to racing.
The remaining Bottom Five would finish on the same lap as the race leaders; 30th was the #64 entry of Ray Dent Jr. and 29th was the #13 Interstate Batteries entry of Dexter Black.
SCRLASTCAR STATISTICS
*This was the first time the #44 had finished last in the CART Series as well at Ontario.
*This was the first time the #44 had finished last in the CART Series as well at Ontario.
THE BOTTOM FIVE
33) #44-Georgio Tsutomu / 13 laps / crash
32) #68-Christian Russel / 14 laps / crash
31) #55-Ray Dent / 17 laps / header
30) #64-Ray Dent Jr. / 20 laps / running
29) #13-Dexter Black / 20 laps / running
33) #44-Georgio Tsutomu / 13 laps / crash
32) #68-Christian Russel / 14 laps / crash
31) #55-Ray Dent / 17 laps / header
30) #64-Ray Dent Jr. / 20 laps / running
29) #13-Dexter Black / 20 laps / running
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