GOLD COAST (Australia), Oct 28: Brazilian Cristiano da Matta won Sunday’s Australian Indy 300 race while compatriot Gil de Ferran clinched his second successive CART series title by finishing fourth.

De Ferran, 33, went into the penultimate race of the 21-event series with a 26-point lead in the standings over Sweden’s Kenny Brack.

He became only the fourth driver to achieve successive series championships.

Brack finished fifth after failing to overhaul de Ferran in the closing laps.

American Michael Andretti was second ahead of Alex Tagliani of Canada in the 65-lap race over the 4.5-km Surfers Paradise temporary street circuit in Queensland state.

Polesitter Roberto Moreno, 42, a three times winner of the Australian Indy 300, led early in the race but faded with engine problems.

Helio Castroneves of Brazil, who was third in the standings before the race, also failed to pick up any points.

Da Matta led for the final 14 laps while Canadian Paul Tracy dropped from fourth to 14th in the final lap, crossing the line with smoke pouring out of his Honda Reynard.

Andretti joined Castroneves in third place on 141 points with one race remaining in California next week.

Brack is on 163 points, trailing de Ferran by 28 points with only 22 available in the final event.

Da Matta, 28, who scored his second victory of the season, said it had been a difficult race but he had enjoyed a slice of luck.

Leading results:

1. Cristiano da Matta (Brazil) Toyota/Lola one hour 51 minutes 47.260 seconds (average speed 156.928 kph);

2. Michael Andretti (U.S.) Honda/Reynard 5.786 seconds behind;

3. Alex Tagliani (Canada) Ford/Reynard 7.526;

4. Gil de Ferran (Brazil) Honda/Reynard 20.936;

5. Kenny Brack (Sweden) Ford/Lola 22.574;

6. Jimmy Vasser (U.S.) Toyota/Reynard 24.706;

7. Michel Jourdain (Mexico) Ford/Lola 39.492;

8. Christian Fittipaldi (Brazil) Toyota/Lola 40.467;

9. Max Papis (Italy) Ford/Lola 42.565; 10. Memo Gidley (U.S.) Toyota/Lola 42.888.—Reuters