Chip Ganassi understandably was disappointed after the Indianapolis 500 last year. One of his drivers led the most laps in the race and the other had the fastest car, but when the checkered flag waved it was Team Penske's Gil de Ferran in front.

Ganassi knew they were close. A little more power for Tomas Scheckter. Smoother pit stops for Scott Dixon. Either one might have given the IndyCar team owner from Fox Chapel his second Indianapolis 500 win and first since 2000 when Juan Pablo Montoya drove to victory at the Brickyard.

Still, Ganassi helped steer Dixon to the series crown last year -- Ganassi's fifth as an owner -- and believes the team this season, with rookie Darren Manning rather than Scheckter, might be drinking from the celebratory milk jug in victory lane after the race Sunday.

Dixon, who yesterday signed a multiyear contract with Ganassi, and Manning will start in the fifth row on either side of rookie Mark Taylor. They each qualified with average speeds of slightly more than 219 mph, about 3 mph slower than pole-sitter Buddy Rice.

"We obviously weren't overly enamored with our qualifying effort," Ganassi said. "But I'm kind of hoping everybody looks at that and keys on that because I think we've shown all season that we're obviously better at racing than we are at qualifying this year with the package that we have."

Manning, who raced on the Championship Auto Racing Teams circuit last season, has improved from sixth to fifth to fourth in the first three races of the season while Dixon fared well in the past two events, second and fifth, after a dismal 18th-place run in the Miami opener.

Ganassi knows what to expect Sunday from Dixon, 23, but with Manning, 29, there is a bit of uncertainty.

"I think we're all a little bit surprised," Ganassi said of Manning's quick start. "The obvious comparison is with Scheckter a year ago but I think at this stage in his career he's probably not lending much to Scott, if any, but as time passes he will do that more. I think with Tomas, he was contributing a lot sooner but maybe the contribution wasn't as fulfilling. [Manning's] still in a pretty steep learning curve, but his first three races have been great."

Like last year, Ganassi's day won't end with the conclusion of the Indianapolis 500. He will fly to Concord, N.C., to keep an eye on how his NASCAR Nextel Cup Series team is performing in the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Sterling Marlin put one of Ganassi's cars in victory lane during a qualifying race for the series' all-star event Saturday night but was involved in a wreck in the main event. Marlin will be racing the same car he and teammate Jamie McMurray have used to win the fall races at Lowe's in 2001 and '02.

Still the King
Steve Kinser might be aging, but he certainly isn't slowing down. Known as the King of the Outlaws, Kinser is seeking his 19th World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series championship and slowed the charging contenders Tuesday night at Lernerville Speedway by winning his 14th career race at the Sarver dirttrack. The victory in the Commonwealth Clash ties him with Sammy Swindell, who finished second, for the most Outlaws victories at Lernerville.

Ed Lynch Jr., of Apollo, who beat the Outlaws at Lernerville in 2002, was the top finishing track regular, taking sixth. Tim Shaffer, of Aliquippa, who is one of the series' 15 touring drivers, was third.

Cycling into High Point
The second round of the 2004 AMA Chevrolet Motocross Championships rolls into High Point Raceway in Mount Morris, Greene County, beginning today. Ricky Carmichael, who is coming off knee surgery, is aiming to defend his title in the 250 class while James Stewart has dominated the 125 series but has never won at High Point.

Broc Hepler, 17, of Kittanning, is already a veteran at High Point and is seeking to upset Stewart in the 125 class.

Hepler wrapped up his first pro season in April, finishing second in points behind Stewart.

For more information, go to www.usmotocross.com.

Lugnuts
Motordrome Speedway plans to race at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow with all six divisions, including the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series late models. ... Dave Wade of Clinton became a repeat winner Saturday in the late model division at Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway. All five divisions will be racing Saturday. ... Saturday at Jennerstown Speedway, the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Northern Division will compete in the Lucas Oil 250.