Scott Dixon Advances in Title Race with Sonoma Win
Written by Allan Brewer · August 26, 2007
Dario Franchitti Collides with Teammate
From Indy Racing League Media Reports:
Scott Dixon took the IndyCar Series points lead, passing Dario Franchitti with seven laps to go and holding off Helio Castroneves to win the Motorola Indy 300 Presented by Jackson Rancheria Casino and Hotel at Infineon Raceway.
IndyCar.com: Points Lead Exchanges Hands at Infineon Raceway
Franchitti, after making contact with the race-leading No. 26 NYSE car of his teammate, Marco Andretti, in Turn 2, remained on the 2.26-mile, 12-turn circuit with a damaged front wing, hoping to salvage a top-five finish. He did, but for the first time since early June relinquished the points lead.
Scott Dixon overtook Franchitti in Turn 3 on the restart and then held off Team Penske’s Helio Castroneves to win the Motorola Indy 300 by 0.5449 of a second (the closest margin in three years of IndyCar Series road/street racing).
Franchitti soldiered on to third place, but the swing allowed Dixon to take a four-point lead into the penultimate race of the season. Tony Kanaan finished fourth and Sam Hornish Jr. fifth.
Also on Aug. 26, Richard Antinucci claimed his second road course win in the last three starts, advancing six positions to win the Valley of the Moon 100 Indy Pro Series event.
IndyProRacer.com: Antinucci Tallies Second Indy Pro Series Win
Antinucci overtook leader Ryan Justice at the top of Turn 11 on Lap 19 for the first-year driver’s second victory in nine road/street course events. Andrew Prendeville in the No. 5 RLR/Andersen Racing car finished third and Logan Gomez, driving the No. 23 Isilon Systems/Flacondos.net/SSM car, was fourth.
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I find it disgusting that the race leader can wreck his car and a teammate blocks others from passing him so he can stay in the chase for the season long championship. Dixon would of probably still won the race but Dario would of certainly fallen farther back into the field. Marco got what he deserved when he tried to block Dario and Dario didn’t deserve to finish 3rd either but he did keep his car on the ground, he belongs in NASCAR. A handful of the IRL drivers are way too aggressive on the track, Wheldon, Andretti, Hornish Jr., Sharp, etc. They’re going to kill someone, it’s only a matter of time.