RGeeProductions
05-25-2008, 09:49 PM
Scott Dixon won the 92nd Indianapolis 500 - but Vitor Meira and Ed Carpenter almost became giant team killers here at Indianapolis Motor Speedway Sunday afternoon.
Dixon set the pace early in the 200-lap classic, leading seven times for a driver-high 115 laps. The No. 9 Dallara-Honda driver led 54 of the first 100 laps, frequently with Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammate and 2005 "500" winner Dan Wheldon running second.
The victory is Dixon's IRL/CART career 13th, the first as a native New Zealander and the 19th for a 500 polesitter. The 2003 IRL champion last won March 29th season opener at Homestead Miami Speedway.
The victory is also the third for car owner Chip Ganassi. The Pittsburgh, Pa. native last saw Juan Montoya win for him in 2000 and the former 500 driver first teamed with Pat Patrick and pilot Emerson Fittipaldi in 1989.
"At no point did I think we had this in the bank and was almost waiting for something to go wrong," said Dixon, "especially with 20 or 40 laps to go when you have sleepers like Meira come out, and he was super fast."
The 92nd running started, as some predicted as a battle among the eight well-heeled Ganassi, Andretti Green Racing and Marlboro Team Penske drivers. AGR co-owner Michael Andretti, of Nazareth, Pa., saw Tony Kanaan and son Marco running among the early top 10 with fast rooke Hideki Mutoh and Danica Patrick just outside. Roger Penske meanwhile kept Helio Castroneves for part of the top 10 while helping Ryan Briscoe survive a pit adjustment miscue that put him a lap down.
Meira, aboard Panther Racing's sole entry, was running in the top 10. Carpenter, in what some consider to be a second-tier but improving Vision Racing team, was also in the top 10 with A.J. Foyt Racing's Darren Manning.
Kanaan was the first to break the Wheldon/Dixon hold by passing the latter on lap 93 and ousting the former the next lap. Kanaan, however, became the seventh straight 100 lap leader not to win when Marco Andretti and Dixon passed him on the inside backstretch on lap 106. The pass put Kanaan on a high line that sent him into the third turn outer wall, collecting Sarah Fisher on his way.
"Marco's a good teammate but I give up," said Kanaan to ABC Sports. "I got put out while leading and being put out by your teammate's not good. I feel sorry for Sarah - she's worked so hard."
Kanaan was referring to Fisher's sponsorship struggles. The first woman owner-driver had qualified 22nd May 18 - after original sponsor ResQ energy drink defaulted on its payment. Fisher scraped together replacement support from Direct Supply, downtown college IUPUI and several fans.
Danica Patrick and Milko Duno also had their woes. Patrick had been running as high as fifth before Briscoe ran into her right rear wheel while both were exiting the pits on lap 171. Patrick stopped her damaged car after a 180-degree spin and angerly walked towards Briscoe's pit before a security agent diverted her to sponsor Motorola's pavillion.
Duno advanced from 27th starting spot to finish 19th, 14 laps behind Dixon. She spun her Citgo No. 23 on lap 169 for the race's eighth and final caution.
Carpenter's first taste of leading an Indy car race came when Dixon pitted on lap 156. His glory lasted until Dixon and Meira blew by him on the next lap's restart.
"We were battling back with a top five car," said Carpenter. "I screwed up my last restart - I had the rev limiter panel in the yellow, which meant I was down on horsepower."
Meira split Dixon and Wheldon and ousted the leader on lap 160. Dixon got the drop on the Brazilian during the last round of pit sops on lap 171. Meira kept pressing the last laps but Dixon pulled a 1.7498 victory margin.
The eight cautions slowed 69 of the race's laps. The yellow flags included accidents by Graham Rahal, of New Albany, Ohio, on lap 37 and E. Granby, Con.'s Jeff Simmons on lap 112.
Meira and Carpenter are to resume pursuing their first Indy Car Series victory on the Milwaukee Mile June 1.
FINISH (Running Unless Otherwise Noted): SCOTT DIXON, AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND; Vitor Meira, Marco Andretti, Helio Castroneves, Ed Carpenter, Ryan Hunter-Reay (R), Hideki Mutoh, (R), Buddy Rice, Darren manning, Townsend Bell, Oriol Servia (R), Dan Wheldon, Will Power (R), Davey Hamilton, Enrique Bernoldi (R), John Andretti, Buddy Lazier, Mario Moraes (R), Milka Duno, Bruno Junqueira, A.J. Foyt IV; (DNF) Danica Patrick and Ryan Briscoe (lap 171 - collision), Tomas Scheckter (lap 156 - halfshaft), Alex Lloyd (R) (lap 151 - crash), E.J. Viso (R) (lap 139 - ), Justin Wilson (R) (lap 132 - crash), Jeff Simmons (lap 112 - ), Tony Kanaan and Sara Fisher (lap 105 - collision), Jaime Camara (R) (lap 79 - crash), Marty Roth (lap 59 - crash), Graham Rahal (R) (lap 36 - crash).
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1.) Scott Dixon, 9, 226.366 mph; 2.) Dan Wheldon, 10, 226.110;
3.) Ryan Briscoe, 6, 226.080; 4.) Helio Castroneves, 3, 225.733;
5.) Danica Patrick, 7, 225.197; 6.) Tony Kanaan, 11, 224.794;
7.) Marco Andretti, 26, 224.417; 8.) Vitor Meira, 4T, 224.346;
9.) Hideki Mutoh (R) 27, 223.897; 10.) Ed Carpenter, 20, 223.855;
11.) Tomas Scheckter, 12, 223.496; 12.) Townsend Bell (R) 99, 222.539;
13.) Graham Rahal (R) 06, 222.531; 14.) Darren Manning, 14, 222.430;
15.) Bruno Junqueira, 18, 222.330; 16.) Justin Wilson (R) 02, 222.267;
17.) Buddy Rice, 15, 222.101; 18.) Davey Hamilton, 22, 222.017;
19.) Alex Lloyd (R) 16, 221.788; 20.) Ryan Hunter-Reay (R) 17T, 221.579;
21.) John Andretti, 24, 221.550; 22.) Sarah Fisher, 67, 221.246;
23.) Will Power (R) 8, 221.136; 24.) Jeff Simmons, 41, 221.103;
25.) Oriol Servia (R) 5, 220.767; 26.) EJ Viso (R), 33, 220.356;
27.) Milka Duno, 23, 220.305; 28.) Mario Moraes (R) 19, 219.716;
29.) Enrique Bernoldi (R) 36, 219.422; 30.) Jaime Camara (R) 34, 219.345;
31.) AJ Foyt IV, 2, 219.184; 32.) Buddy Lazier, 91, 219.015;
33.) Marty Roth, 25, 218.965.
Next Race: June 1 Milwaukee (Wis.) Mile.
Walter Elliot
Dixon set the pace early in the 200-lap classic, leading seven times for a driver-high 115 laps. The No. 9 Dallara-Honda driver led 54 of the first 100 laps, frequently with Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammate and 2005 "500" winner Dan Wheldon running second.
The victory is Dixon's IRL/CART career 13th, the first as a native New Zealander and the 19th for a 500 polesitter. The 2003 IRL champion last won March 29th season opener at Homestead Miami Speedway.
The victory is also the third for car owner Chip Ganassi. The Pittsburgh, Pa. native last saw Juan Montoya win for him in 2000 and the former 500 driver first teamed with Pat Patrick and pilot Emerson Fittipaldi in 1989.
"At no point did I think we had this in the bank and was almost waiting for something to go wrong," said Dixon, "especially with 20 or 40 laps to go when you have sleepers like Meira come out, and he was super fast."
The 92nd running started, as some predicted as a battle among the eight well-heeled Ganassi, Andretti Green Racing and Marlboro Team Penske drivers. AGR co-owner Michael Andretti, of Nazareth, Pa., saw Tony Kanaan and son Marco running among the early top 10 with fast rooke Hideki Mutoh and Danica Patrick just outside. Roger Penske meanwhile kept Helio Castroneves for part of the top 10 while helping Ryan Briscoe survive a pit adjustment miscue that put him a lap down.
Meira, aboard Panther Racing's sole entry, was running in the top 10. Carpenter, in what some consider to be a second-tier but improving Vision Racing team, was also in the top 10 with A.J. Foyt Racing's Darren Manning.
Kanaan was the first to break the Wheldon/Dixon hold by passing the latter on lap 93 and ousting the former the next lap. Kanaan, however, became the seventh straight 100 lap leader not to win when Marco Andretti and Dixon passed him on the inside backstretch on lap 106. The pass put Kanaan on a high line that sent him into the third turn outer wall, collecting Sarah Fisher on his way.
"Marco's a good teammate but I give up," said Kanaan to ABC Sports. "I got put out while leading and being put out by your teammate's not good. I feel sorry for Sarah - she's worked so hard."
Kanaan was referring to Fisher's sponsorship struggles. The first woman owner-driver had qualified 22nd May 18 - after original sponsor ResQ energy drink defaulted on its payment. Fisher scraped together replacement support from Direct Supply, downtown college IUPUI and several fans.
Danica Patrick and Milko Duno also had their woes. Patrick had been running as high as fifth before Briscoe ran into her right rear wheel while both were exiting the pits on lap 171. Patrick stopped her damaged car after a 180-degree spin and angerly walked towards Briscoe's pit before a security agent diverted her to sponsor Motorola's pavillion.
Duno advanced from 27th starting spot to finish 19th, 14 laps behind Dixon. She spun her Citgo No. 23 on lap 169 for the race's eighth and final caution.
Carpenter's first taste of leading an Indy car race came when Dixon pitted on lap 156. His glory lasted until Dixon and Meira blew by him on the next lap's restart.
"We were battling back with a top five car," said Carpenter. "I screwed up my last restart - I had the rev limiter panel in the yellow, which meant I was down on horsepower."
Meira split Dixon and Wheldon and ousted the leader on lap 160. Dixon got the drop on the Brazilian during the last round of pit sops on lap 171. Meira kept pressing the last laps but Dixon pulled a 1.7498 victory margin.
The eight cautions slowed 69 of the race's laps. The yellow flags included accidents by Graham Rahal, of New Albany, Ohio, on lap 37 and E. Granby, Con.'s Jeff Simmons on lap 112.
Meira and Carpenter are to resume pursuing their first Indy Car Series victory on the Milwaukee Mile June 1.
FINISH (Running Unless Otherwise Noted): SCOTT DIXON, AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND; Vitor Meira, Marco Andretti, Helio Castroneves, Ed Carpenter, Ryan Hunter-Reay (R), Hideki Mutoh, (R), Buddy Rice, Darren manning, Townsend Bell, Oriol Servia (R), Dan Wheldon, Will Power (R), Davey Hamilton, Enrique Bernoldi (R), John Andretti, Buddy Lazier, Mario Moraes (R), Milka Duno, Bruno Junqueira, A.J. Foyt IV; (DNF) Danica Patrick and Ryan Briscoe (lap 171 - collision), Tomas Scheckter (lap 156 - halfshaft), Alex Lloyd (R) (lap 151 - crash), E.J. Viso (R) (lap 139 - ), Justin Wilson (R) (lap 132 - crash), Jeff Simmons (lap 112 - ), Tony Kanaan and Sara Fisher (lap 105 - collision), Jaime Camara (R) (lap 79 - crash), Marty Roth (lap 59 - crash), Graham Rahal (R) (lap 36 - crash).
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1.) Scott Dixon, 9, 226.366 mph; 2.) Dan Wheldon, 10, 226.110;
3.) Ryan Briscoe, 6, 226.080; 4.) Helio Castroneves, 3, 225.733;
5.) Danica Patrick, 7, 225.197; 6.) Tony Kanaan, 11, 224.794;
7.) Marco Andretti, 26, 224.417; 8.) Vitor Meira, 4T, 224.346;
9.) Hideki Mutoh (R) 27, 223.897; 10.) Ed Carpenter, 20, 223.855;
11.) Tomas Scheckter, 12, 223.496; 12.) Townsend Bell (R) 99, 222.539;
13.) Graham Rahal (R) 06, 222.531; 14.) Darren Manning, 14, 222.430;
15.) Bruno Junqueira, 18, 222.330; 16.) Justin Wilson (R) 02, 222.267;
17.) Buddy Rice, 15, 222.101; 18.) Davey Hamilton, 22, 222.017;
19.) Alex Lloyd (R) 16, 221.788; 20.) Ryan Hunter-Reay (R) 17T, 221.579;
21.) John Andretti, 24, 221.550; 22.) Sarah Fisher, 67, 221.246;
23.) Will Power (R) 8, 221.136; 24.) Jeff Simmons, 41, 221.103;
25.) Oriol Servia (R) 5, 220.767; 26.) EJ Viso (R), 33, 220.356;
27.) Milka Duno, 23, 220.305; 28.) Mario Moraes (R) 19, 219.716;
29.) Enrique Bernoldi (R) 36, 219.422; 30.) Jaime Camara (R) 34, 219.345;
31.) AJ Foyt IV, 2, 219.184; 32.) Buddy Lazier, 91, 219.015;
33.) Marty Roth, 25, 218.965.
Next Race: June 1 Milwaukee (Wis.) Mile.
Walter Elliot