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PUTTIN’ A FORK IN THE SEASON AT…CHICAGOLAND SPEEDWAY…
WHILE THE…NO RACIN’…MAINSTREAM MEDIA…WAS…NO DOUBT FOCUSED ON THE 7TH ROW OF THE FIELD…SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY WERE…STARTING…"4 ABREAST"…(DANICA & SARAH)…THE RACERS… WERE FOCUSED ON THE FRONT TWO ROWS…WHICH INCLUDED CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENDERS HORNISH … WHELDON…DIXON & CASTRO NEVES…SEPARATED BY A MERE 21 POINTS IN THE FINAL BATTLE FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP…AND…200 LAPS LATER…IT WAS…RR-AZ ALUM…SAM HORNISH…HEADIN’ OUT OF CHI-TOWN…WITH HIS 3RD SERIES TITLE… WHILE…CAR OWNER…ROGER PENSKE…WAS ADDING HIS 1ST I.R.L. TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP…TO…HIS…COLLECTION…
IN A TYPICALLY…SPECTACULAR…DEMONSTRATION OF…FAST…MAKE THAT…VERY FAST…AND CLOSE RACING…DANNY WHELDON…MANAGED TO TAKE THE WIN…AHEAD OF…TEAMMATE…SCOTT DIXON…IN 2ND… WITH…SAM HORNISH…JUST WHERE HE NEEDED TO FINISH TO CLINCH THE TITLE…IN 3RD…WITH THE OTHER 2ND ROW STARTER…HELIO CASTRO-NEVES…4TH…
THIS RACE RAN VIRTUALLY…CAUTION FREE…AND SHOWCASED…"SIDE BY EACH"…AND…"NOSE TO TAIL"…RACING…FOR THE ENTIRE 200 LAPS…AT OVER 200 MPH…AND IF THERE IS A BETTER MAJOR LEAGUE RACING PRODUCT IN THE BUSINESS…AND THAT OBVIOUSLY INCLUDES …NASCAR…THEN WE HAVE YET TO SEE IT…
IF YOU SAW THIS RACE…AND DISAGREE…THEN YOU ARE PROBABLY NOT A RACER…BECAUSE THIS WAS…RACING…AT IT’S FINEST…
HERES THE…I.R.L…SEASON ENDING CHICAGO FINISH…AND THE …FINAL POINT STANDINGS…
CHICAGO 300 FINISH
1. (3) DAN WHELDON, DALLARA-HONDA, 200, RUNNING $125,800
2. (2) SCOTT DIXON, DALLARA-HONDA, 200, RUNNING $94,850
3. (1) SAM HORNISH JR., DALLARA-HONDA, 200, RUNNING $88,750
4. (4) HELIO CASTRONEVES, DALLARA-HONDA, 200, RUNNING $63,000
5. (12) ED CARPENTER, DALLARA-HONDA, 199, RUNNING $61,300
6. (6) VITOR MEIRA, DALLARA-HONDA, 199, RUNNING $50,200
7. (13) TONY KANAAN, DALLARA-HONDA, 199, RUNNING $48,700
8. (10) JEFF SIMMONS, DALLARA-HONDA, 199, RUNNING $47,400
9. (5) SCOTT SHARP, DALLARA-HONDA, 199, RUNNING $47,400
10. (7) TOMAS SCHECKTER, DALLARA-HONDA, 199, RUNNING $45,900
11. (8) KOSUKE MATSUURA, DALLARA-HONDA, 199, RUNNING $44,400
12. (15) DANICA PATRICK, DALLARA-HONDA, 199, RUNNING $43,100
13. (9) BUDDY RICE, DALLARA-HONDA, 199, RUNNING $41,800
14. (11) A.J. FOYT IV, DALLARA-HONDA, 198, RUNNING $42,200
15. (18) BRYAN HERTA, DALLARA-HONDA, 198, RUNNING $38,900
16. (16) SARAH FISHER, DALLARA-HONDA, 198, RUNNING $37,500
17. (17) JEFF BUCKNUM, DALLARA-HONDA, 198, RUNNING $36,100
18. (14) MARCO ANDRETTI, DALLARA-HONDA, 198, RUNNING $36,100
19. (19) MARTY ROTH, DALLARA-HONDA, 160, IN GARAGE $34,600
WINNER'S AVERAGE SPEED: 194.828 MPH
CAUTIONS: 2 CAUTION FLAGS FOR 12 LAPS
LEAD CHANGES: 21 LEAD CHANGES AMONG 4 DRIVERS
POINT STANDINGS:
HORNISH 475…TAKES TITLE…BECAUSE OF MORE…WINS
WHELDON 475
CASTRONEVES 473
DIXON 460
MEIRA 411
AUGUST 28, 2006 - SEARS POINT RACEWAY
RACE # 13 OF…14…
THE I.R.L…TOOK TO A ROAD COURSE…IN THE PENULTIMATE EVENT OF THE 2006 SEASON…ON SUNDAY AND THE LEFTY-RIGHTY STUFF…WAS BORING…AT BEST…TO EVERYONE THAT IS…UNLESS YOUR NAME WAS…ANDRETTI…
YEP…AFTER…SURPRISING ALMOST EVERYONE…WITH A...NEAR WIN…IN THE INDY 500…19 YEAR OLD…3RD GENERATION DRIVER…MARCO ANDRETTI…OPENED THE NEXT CHAPTER OF THE …ANDRETTI…RACING HISTORY BOOK…BY WINNING HIS 1ST…INDY CAR RACE…ON THE SONOMA ROAD COURSE…ON SUNDAY…
THE YOUNGSTER…WON THE RACE BY…DRIVING SMOOTH…AND CONSERVING FUEL…IN THE VICTORY WHICH ALSO CLINCHED THE … ROOKIE OF THE YEAR…TITLE…FOR HIM…WITH ONE RACE REMAINING …IN THE SEASON…
THIS KID IS GONNA’ BE EVERY BIT AS GOOD AS THE OL’ MAN…AND POSSIBLY…GRANDPA’…
ANDRETTI’S TEAMMATE…MR. ASHLEY JUDD…A.K.A…DARIO FRANCHITTI …TOOK THE BRIDESMAID SPOT…WHILE…VITOR MEIRA…COMPLETED THE PODIUM…
THAT BEING SAID…HERE’S THE…SEARS POINT…I.R.L. RECAP…AS THE SERIES…HEADS TO…CHI TOWN…IN TWO WEEKS…TO PUT A FORK IN THE 2006 SEASON…AND…DECLARE THE 2006 CHAMP…AND IT COULD BE ANY ONE OF…4 DRIVERS…(CASTRO-NEVES…HORNISH…WELDON…OR DIXON)
BE SURE AND CHECK OUT THE CHICAGOLAND FINALE…IT’S GONNA’ BE A…GOOD ONE…
|
Pos. |
Driver/Car |
No |
C/E/T |
S |
Qual |
Laps |
XL |
LL |
Status |
Earnings |
Pts |
|
1 |
Marco Andretti |
26 |
D/H/F |
2 |
107.417 |
80 |
1 |
30 |
Running |
$131,400 |
50 |
|
2 |
Dario Franchitti |
27 |
D/H/F |
5 |
107.130 |
80 |
0 |
0 |
Running |
$99,050 |
40 |
|
3 |
Vitor Meira |
4 |
D/H/F |
8 |
105.746 |
80 |
0 |
0 |
Running |
$84,050 |
35 |
|
4 |
Scott DixonR |
9 |
P/H/F |
1 |
107.484 |
80 |
2 |
40 |
Running |
$75,500 |
35 |
|
5 |
Helio Castroneves |
3 |
D/H/F |
3 |
107.236 |
80 |
0 |
0 |
Running |
$59,400 |
30 |
|
6 |
Dan Wheldon |
10 |
P/H/F |
6 |
106.708 |
80 |
1 |
10 |
Running |
$53,900 |
28 |
|
7 |
Jeff Simmons |
17 |
P/H/F |
14 |
104.068 |
80 |
0 |
0 |
Running |
$50,400 |
26 |
|
8 |
Danica Patrick |
16 |
P/H/F |
11 |
104.772 |
80 |
0 |
0 |
Running |
$49,000 |
24 |
|
9 |
Sam Hornish Jr. |
6 |
D/H/F |
10 |
105.352 |
80 |
0 |
0 |
Running |
$49,000 |
22 |
|
10 |
Bryan Herta |
7 |
D/H/F |
9 |
105.678 |
80 |
0 |
0 |
Running |
$47,400 |
20 |
|
11 |
Tony Kanaan |
11 |
D/H/F |
4 |
107.209 |
80 |
0 |
0 |
Running |
$45,800 |
19 |
|
12 |
Ed Carpenter |
20 |
D/H/F |
16 |
103.065 |
79 |
0 |
0 |
Running |
$46,400 |
18 |
|
13 |
Kosuke Matsuura |
55 |
D/H/F |
13 |
104.490 |
79 |
0 |
0 |
Running |
$43,000 |
17 |
|
14 |
Scott Sharp |
8 |
P/H/F |
17 |
101.397 |
79 |
0 |
0 |
Running |
$41,300 |
16 |
|
15 |
Buddy Rice |
15 |
P/H/F |
12 |
104.529 |
75 |
0 |
0 |
Running |
$39,900 |
15 |
|
16 |
Ryan Briscoe |
5 |
D/H/F |
7 |
105.800 |
67 |
0 |
0 |
Handling |
$38,500 |
14 |
|
17 |
Tomas Scheckter |
2 |
D/H/F |
18 |
0.000 |
44 |
0 |
0 |
Running |
$37,000 |
13 |
|
18 |
Jeff Bucknum |
14 |
D/H/F |
15 |
103.376 |
9 |
0 |
0 |
Handling |
$37,000 |
12 |
POINTS WITH ONE RACE REMAINING (CHICAGO)…50 POINTS FOR A WIN
|
Rank |
Driver |
Points |
Behind |
|
1 |
Helio Castroneves |
441 |
Leader |
|
2 |
Sam Hornish Jr. |
440 |
-1 |
|
3 |
Dan Wheldon |
422 |
-19 |
|
4 |
Scott Dixon |
420 |
-21 |
|
5 |
Vitor Meira |
383 |
-58 |
AUGUST 14, 2006 - KENTUCKY SPEEDWAY
RACE # 12 OF…14…
SAM HORNISH...RE-EMERGED AS THE POINT LEADER AFTER WINNING THE KENTUCKY 300…ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON…IN A NOW TYPICAL…I.R.L. RACE WHICH FEATURED 23 LEAD CHANGES AMONG 8 DRIVERS…IN THE 200 LAP RACE…
HORNISH…BEGAN THE RACE ALONG SIDE HIS…POLE SITTIN’…TEAMMATE …HELIO CASTRO-NEVES…WENT A LAP DOWN…DURING A PIT STOP "GLITCH’…RECOVERED…GOT BACK ON THE LEAD LAP…AND THEN PREVAILED WHEN IT COUNTED…TO PICK UP HIS 4TH WIN OF THE SEASON
HORNISH…TOOK THE LEAD FOR THE FINAL TIME…JUST 4 LAPS FROM THE END…WHEN HE PASSED…SCOTT DIXON…FOR THE TOP SPOT…
THAT BEING SAID…HERE’S THE…KENTUCKY…I.R.L. RECAP…AS THE SERIES…HEADS TO THE…INFINEON RACEWAY ROAD COURSE…FOR THE PENULTIMATE EVENT OF THE 2006 SEASON…IN TWO WEEKS…ON AUGUST 27TH…
INDY 300 - KENTUCKY
1. (2) SAM HORNISH JR., DALLARA-HONDA, 200, RUNNING $115,800
2. (5) SCOTT DIXON, DALLARA-HONDA, 200, RUNNING $94,850
3. (1) HELIO CASTRONEVES, DALLARA-HONDA, 200, RUNNING $88,750
4. (3) DAN WHELDON, DALLARA-HONDA, 200, RUNNING $63,000
5. (4) TONY KANAAN, DALLARA-HONDA, 200, RUNNING $57,300
6. (9) VITOR MEIRA, DALLARA-HONDA, 200, RUNNING $52,200
7. (17) TOMAS SCHECKTER, DALLARA-HONDA, 200, RUNNING $50,700
8. (11) DANICA PATRICK, DALLARA-HONDA, 200, RUNNING $47,400
9. (6) DARIO FRANCHITTI, DALLARA-HONDA, 200, RUNNING $47,400
10. (13) BRYAN HERTA, DALLARA-HONDA, 200, RUNNING $55,900
11. (8) ED CARPENTER, DALLARA-HONDA, 199, RUNNING $44,400
12. (12) SARAH FISHER, DALLARA-HONDA, 199, RUNNING $43,100
13. (16) JEFF BUCKNUM, DALLARA-HONDA, 199, RUNNING $41,800
14. (15) JEFF SIMMONS, DALLARA-HONDA, 199, RUNNING $40,200
15. (14) BUDDY RICE, DALLARA-HONDA, 198, RUNNING $38,900
16. (10) SCOTT SHARP, DALLARA-HONDA, 198, RUNNING $37,500
17. (18) MARCO ANDRETTI, DALLARA-HONDA, 197, RUNNING $38,100
18. (19) MARTY ROTH, DALLARA-HONDA, 196, RUNNING $36,100
19. (7) KOSUKE MATSUURA, DALLARA-HONDA, 118, ACCIDENT $34,600
POINT STANDINGS:
HORNISH 418
CASTRONEVES 411
WHELDON 394
DIXON 385
MEIRA 348
JULY
31, 2006 - ON THE 25 LANE WIDE…MICHIGAN SPEEDWAY
RACE # 11 OF…14…
AFTER A RAIN DELAY…AND JUST AS THE I.R.L. RACE…IN MICHIGAN…WAS PREPARING TO GET THE…GREEN FLAG…PHOENIX CHANNEL 15…WENT TO AN INFOMERCIAL AND IF YOU WANTED TO CATCH THE RACE…YOU HAD TO TUNE INTO…ESPN…AT…9:00 P.M…LAST NIGHT TO CATCH IT…AND…WE DID…
ANYHOW…PENSKE DRIVER…HELIO CASTRONEVES…MADE IT TO VICTORY LANE FOR THE 11TH TIME IN HIS…I.R.L. CAREER…AND THE 4TH TIME THIS SEASON…AS HE…WON THE POLE GAVE AWAY THE LEAD BY THE 4TH LAP…BUT REBOUNDED TO THE FRONT…AND THEN DROVE OFF TO THE WIN…AVERAGING AN ASTOUNDING…193.9 MPH…OVER THE RACES 400 MILES…AND THAT’S…QUICK…
IN ADDITION TO WINNING…THE MICHIGAN RACE…CASTRO-NEVES WIN… COUPLED WITH TEAMMATE…SAM HORNISH’S…EARLY RETIREMENT FROM THE RACE DUE TO "OVERHEATING" AND…SCOTT DIXON’S… RUNNING OUT OF FUEL…PRIOR TO THE 1ST PIT STOP CASTRONEVES HAS VAULTED TO THE TOP OF THE POINT STANDINGS…AHEAD OF FORMER LEADER HORNISH WHO NOW SITS IN 2ND…8 MARKERS BEHIND…WITH JUST THREE RACES REMAINING…TO DETERMINE THE CHAMPION…
THE OTHER "NEWS" OUT OF THE MICHIGAN RACE WAS…JUST ANNOUNCED…A.G.R. (ANDRETTI-GREEN) DRIVER…DANICA PATRICK…
LABORING THROUGH A…P.M.S. MOMENT…AS SHE TOSSED A…"HISSY FIT"…AFTER THE RACE…DUE TO HER POOR 17TH PLACE FINISH IN A FIELD OF 19 CARS…
WE COULD UNDERSTAND HER…DISMAY…HAD SHE BEEN IN THE HUNT FOR THE WIN...BUT WHEN HER CAR…BROKE SHE WAS MORE THAN A LAP AND A HALF DOWN…AND CONTINUING TO…FADE…
THE SERIES…PARKS ‘EM FOR A…FORTNIGHT…BEFORE SHOWING UP IN KENTUCKY…ON AUGUST 13TH…
JULY 24, 2006 - THE "EAT CHEESE OR
DIE 225"…AT THE…"MILWAUKEE MILE"
RACE # 10 OF…14…
THE I.R.L.-ER’S…HEADED TO THE OLDEST TRACK IN THE COUNTRY…WITH THE U.S.A.C. SILVER CROWN…AND MIDGETS…IN TOW…AND…IF THAT WASN’T ENOUGH…RR-AZ ALUM JEFF SIMMONS…HELPED "CREATE" A SPECIAL…I.R.L. LAGER BEER…WITH THE ABLE ASSISTANCE OF THE MILLER BREWERY BREWMASTERS…AND WE JUST THOUGHT YOU’D LIKE TO KNOW…THAT THE…I.R.L. IS STILL A "BEER" SERIES…AND NOT A…CHAMP CAR… "WINE & CHEESE" SERIES…AND THAT’S WHY THEY RACE ON…OVALS…
ANYHOW…"BIG NOSE" TONY KANAAN…WAS ABLE TO…KEEP IT TOGETHER…AND…MORE IMPORTANTLY…OUT FRONT…WHILE HIS… ANDRETTI-GREEN TEAMMATES…WHO HAD BEEN IN THE HUNT MOST OF THE DAY…FADED INTO THE PACK…LEAVING…KANAAN…TO DO BATTLE ALL BY HIMSELF…WITH ARCH-ENEMY…TEAM PENSKE…AND FOR A CHANGE AND FOR THE 1ST TIME THIS SEASON…TONY KANAAN…GOT A WIN…
KANAAN…MANAGED TO LEAD 4 TIMES…COVERING MORE THAN HALF THE RACES…225 MILES…BUT IT WASN’T UNTIL THE FINAL FEW LAPS…WHEN IT BECAME APPARENT…SAM HORNISH…HAD USED UP HIS CAR…THAT KANAAN…COULD BREATHE EASY…AND…RIDE OUT THE FINAL HANDFUL OF LAPS…
ALL IN ALL…A PRETTY GOOD RACE FOR THE SERIES WHICH RAN AT MILWAUKEE FOR THE 1ST TIME SINCE THE…I.R.L.-CHAMP CAR SPLIT…10 YEARS AGO…IN FACT…IT WAS A MUCH BETTER RACE THAN WHEN THE CHAMP CARS RAN THERE…IN JUNE…AND…THE RACE WAS "TIMED OUT" …AFTER ONLY…197 OF THE SCHEDULED 225 LAPS…HAD BEEN RUN… AND 8 WRECKED CARS HAD BEEN PUT BACK IN THE HAULERS …VIA …FRONT END LOADERS…
THAT BEING SAID…HERE’S THE…MILWAUKEE…I.R.L. RECAP…AS THE SERIES KEEPS IT IN THE MIDWEST…NEXT WEEKEND…AT…MICHIGAN …
1. (4) TONY KANAAN, DALLARA-HONDA, 225, RUNNING
$121,400
2. (2) SAM HORNISH JR., DALLARA-HONDA, 225, RUNNING $99,050
3. (8) TOMAS SCHECKTER, DALLARA-HONDA, 225, RUNNING $86,050
4. (14) DANICA PATRICK, DALLARA-HONDA, 225, RUNNING $65,500
5. (3) MARCO ANDRETTI, DALLARA-HONDA, 225, RUNNING $59,400
6. (12) DARIO FRANCHITTI, DALLARA-HONDA, 225, RUNNING $63,900
7. (9) BRYAN HERTA, DALLARA-HONDA, 225, RUNNING $50,400
8. (11) DAN WHELDON, DALLARA-HONDA, 224, RUNNING $49,000
9. (6) JEFF SIMMONS, DALLARA-HONDA, 223, RUNNING $49,000
10. (10) SCOTT DIXON, DALLARA-HONDA, 223, RUNNING $47,400
11. (13) BUDDY RICE, DALLARA-HONDA, 221, RUNNING $45,800
12. (16) SCOTT SHARP, DALLARA-HONDA, 219, RUNNING $44,400
13. (18) JEFF BUCKNUM, DALLARA-HONDA, 194, ACCIDENT $43,000
14. (1) HELIO CASTRONEVES, DALLARA-HONDA, 170, IN GARAGE $51,300
15. (5) VITOR MEIRA, DALLARA-HONDA, 136, ACCIDENT $39,900
16. (7) ED CARPENTER, DALLARA-HONDA, 109, SUSPENSION $38,500
17. (15) KOSUKE MATSUURA, DALLARA-HONDA, 85, MECHANICAL $37,000
18. (17) RYAN BRISCOE, DALLARA-HONDA, 13, HANDLING $37,000
POINT STANDINGS: HORNISH 356, DIXON 331, CASTRONEVES 326,
WHELDON 324, KANAAN 277, MEIRA 277.
JULY 17, 2006 - NASHVILLE SPEEDWAY
RACE # 6 OF…14…(ALMOST HALF OVER)
THE HITS JUST KEEP A COMIN’ FOR…CHIP GNASSI RACING…
AFTER LAST WEEK’S BIG NEWS…ABOUT SIGNING…TWO TIME INDY 500 CHAMP…JUAN MONTOYA…TO DRIVE IN NASCAR…TEAM GNASSI…STOLE THE HEADLINES AGAIN THIS WEEK…AS HIS…I.R.L. "SHOES"…SWEPT THE TOP TWO SPOTS…AT NASHVILLE…SATURDAY NIGHT…
FORMER SERIES CHAMP…SCOTT DIXON WHO HAS PRETTY MUCH…DONE NOTHING LATELY FINALLY RETURNED TO RACE WINNING FORM…AS HE HELD OFF THE CHARGE OF TEAMMATE AND REIGNING SERIES CHAMPEEN…DAN WHELDON…FOR THE WIN…
SERIES POINT LEADER…RR-AZ ALUM…SAM HORNISH…SAW HIS POINT LEAD EVAPORATE TO JUST 5 MARKERS OVER RACE WINNER…DIXON …AS HE…LOOPED IT...AND PUT IT INTO THE WALL…FOLLOWING HIS FINAL PIT STOP…LESS THAN 75 LAPS FROM THE END…AND HAD A 14TH PLACE FINISH TO SHOW FOR IT…AFTER BEING A CONTENDER…UNTIL THAT POINT…
ALSO…THANKS TO…ATTRITION…AND A DUO OF…"BLOCKING" CHARGES …FROM…HELIO-CASTRONEVES & DARIO FRANCHITTI…THE MAIN STREAM …"NO RACIN" MEDIA’S…GREATEST DRIVER… DANICA PATRICK… MANAGED HER 1ST TOP 5 FINISH SINCE LAST YEAR…
IF NOT TO RACING…THE GAL IS A …"CREDIT TO HER GENDER"…AND WE DARE TO SAY THAT SHOULD SHE EMIGRATE TO NASCAR…SHE’LL BE EQUALLY AS PRODUCTIVE AS THAT "OTHER" RACING "SAVIOURETTE" …ERIN CROCKER…
HERE’S THE …NASHVILLE…I.R.L. RECAP…BEFORE THE SERIES HEADS TO THE OLDEST RACETRACK IN THE COUNTRY…THE MILWAUKEE MILE…NEXT WEEKEND…
2. (1) DAN WHELDON, 200, RUNNING $109,050
3. (7) VITOR MEIRA, 200, RUNNING $84,050
4. (10) DANICA PATRICK, 200, RUNNING $65,500
5. (4) HELIO CASTRONEVES, 200, RUNNING $59,400
6. (5) DARIO FRANCHITTI, 200, RUNNING $51,900
7. (15) JEFF SIMMONS, 199, RUNNING $50,400
8. (18) MARCO ANDRETTI, 199, RUNNING $49,000
9. (13) RYAN BRISCOE, 199, RUNNING $51,000
10. (14) ED CARPENTER, 198, RUNNING $47,400
11. (16) BRYAN HERTA, 198, RUNNING $45,800
12. (6) TONY KANAAN, 170, IN PITS $44,400
13. (12) KOSUKE MATSUURA, 162, ACCIDENT $55,000
14. (2) SAM HORNISH JR., 128, ACCIDENT $41,300
15. (9) TOMAS SCHECKTER, 121, HALF SHAFT $39,900
16. (11) BUDDY RICE, ELECTRICAL $38,500
17. (8) SCOTT SHARP, FUEL PRESSURE $37,000
18. (17) JEFF BUCKNUM, 36, HANDLING $37,000
LEAD CHANGES: 9 LEAD CHANGES AMONG 5 DRIVERS
LAP LEADERS: WHELDON 1-57, HORNISH
58-60, WHELDON 61-88, HORNISH
89-93, WHELDON 94-123, HORNISH 124-125, MEIRA 126, DIXON
127-128, MATSUURA 129-133, DIXON 134-200.
POINT STANDINGS:
HORNISH 316, DIXON 311, CASTRONEVES 310,
WHELDON 300, MEIRA 262,
JUNE
12, 2006 - RACE # 6 OF…14
BACK ON AN OVAL…IN TEXAS…AFTER THAT NIGHTMARE ROAD
RACE…IN WATKINS GLEN…LAST WEEK…
IT IS A LONG STANDING TRADITION THAT…CHAMP CAR AND F-1 RACES… ARE DECIDED IN THE PITS WHILE THE I.R.L…NORMALLY SEES THEIR WINNER DETERMINED…ON THE TRACK…
WELL…THAT TRADITION…CHANGED…SOMEWHAT…IN TEXAS…SATURDAY NIGHT…
YES…THE ON TRACK RACING WAS SPECTACULAR…WITH ONLY A PAIR OF CAUTIONS…FOR MECHANICAL FAILURES…COUPLED WITH A RECORD SETTING RACE AVERAGE SPEED OF AN ASTONISHING…185.7 MPH…WERE IMPRESSIVE…BUT…THE "TRADITION" WAS UPENDED WHEN… RACE LONG LEADER…AND REIGNING SERIES CHAMP…DAN WELDON…SAW A DESERVED WIN…SLIP AWAY…IN THE PITS…WHEN HIS…GNASSI CREW… HAD PROBLEMS ON THE FINAL PIT STOP…WHICH ALLOWED...GNASSI ARCH RIVAL…ROGER PENSKE’S…FENCE CLIMBER…HELIO CASTRO-NEVES…TO PICK UP THE LEAD…AND A FEW LAPS LATER…HIS 3RD WIN OF THE SEASON…
A GREAT WIN FOR CASTRO-NEVES…AND THE "CAPTAIN"…BUT A HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT FOR…WHELDON…
OTHER THAN THAT…IT WAS A GOOD ONE…AS THE I.R.L.-ER’S…CONTINUE TO PUT ON THE BEST RACING SHOW IN THE BUSINESS…
HERE’S THE…I.R.L. RECAP…AS THE SERIES "DOWNSIZES" THE TRACK AND HEADS TO THE ¾ MILE RICHMOND "MINI OVAL"…IN A PAIR OF WEEKS…
IRL INDYCAR SERIES – TEXAS 500 KM…NO PANOZ’S…EVERYONE’S IN A HONDA-DALLARA
1. (3) HELIO CASTRONEVES, 200, $115,800
2. (4) SCOTT DIXON, 200, RUNNING $94,850
3. (2) DAN WHELDON, 200, RUNNING $88,750
4. (1) SAM HORNISH JR., 200, RUNNING $73,000
5. (7) SCOTT SHARP, 200, RUNNING $61,300
6. (12) VITOR MEIRA, 200, RUNNING $50,200
7. (6) TONY KANAAN, 200, RUNNING $48,700
8. (10) KOSUKE MATSUURA, 200, RUNNING $47,400
9. (11) ED CARPENTER, 200, RUNNING $47,400
10. (5) TOMAS SCHECKTER, , 199, RUNNING $45,900
11. (18) BRYAN HERTA, 199, RUNNING $44,400
12. (14) DANICA PATRICK, 199, RUNNING $43,100…NEVER…A FACTOR
13. (8) DARIO FRANCHITTI, 199, RUNNING $41,800
14. (9) MARCO ANDRETTI, 199, RUNNING $40,200
15. (15) JEFF SIMMONS, 198, RUNNING $38,900
16. (19) FELIPE GIAFFONE, 197, RUNNING $37,500
17. (16) EDDIE CHEEVER JR.197, RUNNING $36,100
18. (13) BUDDY RICE, DALLARA-HONDA, 70, $36,100…ENGINE FAILURE
19. (17) BUDDY LAZIER, DALLARA-HONDA, 56, FUEL PUMP $34,600
WINNER'S AVERAGE SPEED: 185.710 MPH
TIME OF RACE: 1:34…TO RACE 300 MILES…AND THAT’S QUICK
MARGIN OF VICTORY: 0.2402 OF A SECOND
CAUTIONS: 2 CAUTIONS FOR 19 LAPS
LEAD CHANGES: 9 AMONG 4 DRIVERS
LAP LEADERS: HORNISH JR. 1, WHELDON 2-56, HORNISH JR. 57-61,
WHELDON 62-127, HORNISH JR. 128-130, SHARP 131-135, WHELDON 136-185, HORNISH JR. 186-192, CASTRONEVES 193-200.
POINT STANDINGS: CASTRONEVES 232, DIXON 210, WHELDON 195, HORNISH JR. 194, KANAAN 164,
J
JUNE 6, 2006 - RACE # 7 OF…14
RACIN’…"LEFTY-RIGHTY"…FOR ONLY THE 2ND TIME THIS SEASON
…AT…WATKINS GLEN, N.Y.
ON A…"FISH OUT OF WATER" RACE DAY THAT FOUND THE CHAMP CAR ROAD RACERS SEARCHING FOR THEIR COLLECTIVE…BUTTS WITH BOTH HANDS ON AN OVAL IN MILWAUKEE THE I.R.L.-ERS…WERE BEING…EQUALLY BAFFLED…BY…RACING IN THE RAIN AND…TURNING RIGHT…AS WELL AS LEFT…ON THE ROAD COURSE AT…WATKINS GLEN …AND IT WASN’T MUCH PRETTIER THAN THE…MILWAUKEE FIASCO…
WITH 19 CARS TAKING THE GREEN FLAG THE RACE WAS PRETTY MUCH A TALE OF SURVIVAL AS…EVERY…DRIVER…TO A MAN…AND ONE WOMAN…ALL…MANAGED TO…SPIN…AT LEAST ONCE…AND SOME TOOK IT EVEN FURTHER…AND CRASHED INTO EACH OTHER…REDUCING THE NUMBER OF THOSE AROUND AT THE END OF THE…"TIMED OUT"…55 LAP RACE…OF THE SCHEDULED…60 LAPS…TO 14 CARS UNDER THEIR OWN POWER ON THE 3 ½ MILE LONG RACE COURSE…
WHEN IT WAS ALL OVER…SCOTT DIXON…WAS DECLARED THE WINNER …FOR THE 2ND CONSECUTIVE YEAR…WHILE…VITOR MEIRA…RAN 2ND… WITH…RYAN BRISCOE…3RD…BUDDY RICE…4TH…FELIPE GIAFFONE… 5TH…AND…ED CARPENTER…6TH…AND WITH THIS…TOP HALF DOZEN …YOU CAN BEGIN TO SEE HOW…UPSIDE DOWN…THIS WHOLE RACE WAS…
NOT QUITE THE…"GREATEST SPECTACLE IN RACING" BUT A "SPECTACLE"…NONE THE LESS.
HERE’S THE…I.R.L. RECAP…AS THE SERIES MIGRATES TO TEXAS…NEXT
WEEK…
IRL WATKINS GLEN
1. SCOTT DIXON, PANOZ 55, $115,800...MOVES TO 2ND IN THE
POINTS
2. (8) VITOR MEIRA, DALLARA 55, RUNNING, $96,850
3. (10) RYAN BRISCOE, DALLARA 55, RUNNING, $80,750
4. (11) BUDDY RICE, PANOZ, 55, RUNNING, $63,000
5. (19) FELIPE GIAFFONE, DALLARA, 55, RUNNING, $57,300
6. (18) ED CARPENTER, DALLARA 55, RUNNING, $50,200
7. (1) HELIO CASTRONEVES, 55, RUNNING, $58,700...POINT LEADER
8. (16) DANICA PATRICK, PANOZ 55, RUNNING, $47,400
9. (14) SCOTT SHARP, PANOZ- 55, RUNNING, $47,400
10. (15) TOMAS SCHECKTER, DALLARA 55, RUNNING, $45,900
11. (2) TONY KANAAN, DALLARA 54, RUNNING, $44,400
12. (6) SAM HORNISH JR., DALLARA 54, RUNNING, $43,100
13. (9) BRYAN HERTA, DALLARA, 54, RUNNING, $41,800
14. (7) DARIO FRANCHITTI, DALLARA 44, RUNNING, $40,200
15. (5) DAN WHELDON, PANOZ 41, MECHANICAL, $38,900
16. (3) MARCO ANDRETTI, DALLARA 38, ACCIDENT, $37,500
17. (17) EDDIE CHEEVER JR., DALLARA 37, ACCIDENT, $36,100
18. (12) KOSUKE MATSUURA, DALLARA 19, ACCIDENT, $36,100
19. (13) JEFF SIMMONS, PANOZ 18, ACCIDENT, $34,600
LEAD CHANGES: 6 AMONG 7 DRIVERS
LAP LEADERS: KANAAN 1-8, SIMMONS 9, SCHECKTER 10-21, WHELDON 22-34,
CASTRONEVES 35-41, RICE 42-46, DIXON 47-55.