Road Runner Turbo Indy 300 Highlights

Kansas City, Kansas - In the first oval race of the season, one that drivers characterized as "crazy," there was plenty of action to back up that description:

Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti:  Target Chip Ganassi finally threw down the gauntlet for the first time this season and swept 1-2.  It was Scott Dixon’s second consecutive win at Kansas Speedway, with Franchitti on his tail, and Target Chip Ganassi’s fourth.  It’s safe to say they have Kansas figured out--at the end of the race, Dixon still had ten overtake pushes left.

Tony Kanaan:  Following qualifications, TK was visably upset.  After speaking with team owner, Michael Andretti, and his engineer, TK hopped on his scooter and left pit road before speaking to the press.  Today, however, was a different day.  While he started fifteenth, he finished third.

Helio Castroneves and Danica Patrick: Patrick, whose car just wasn’t there today, was a lap down when Castroneves looked to pick her off.  Despite five warnings from race control to move over, Patrick fought hard to stay ahead.  Eventually she gave way and Castroneves locked down fourth place. Patrick was eleventh.

Ryan Hunter-Reay:  Starting twenty-second didn’t faze RHR.  Even though he said his car was quite loose throughout the race, he worked his way up to the front and finished fifth.  His biggest challenge doesn’t seem to be racing, but rather funding.  His ride is set to expire after Texas and at $400,000 per race to keep his car running, RHR needs over $3 million to race for the rest of the season.  He is currently fourth in the championship standings. 

Ryan Briscoe:  Briscoe started P1, but only managed to lead the first 31 laps.  On Lap 78, he suffered yet another disappointment when his front-left tire came off, sending him back into the pits.  He ended the day at sixth.

Will Power:  Power came into today’s race 42 points ahead in the championships standings.  On the first round of pit stops he came up short on his marks, making it difficult for the fuel hose to properly engage, resulting in a lengthy stop.  For the first time this season he finished outside of the top five, placing twelfth.  His lead in the overall standings has now been cut to 26 points.

Marco Andretti and Dan Wheldon:  Andretti and Wheldon both qualified in the top ten, with the latter at P3, before both were disqualified for dipping below the white line.  Even with plenty of three-wide racing, neither were able to regain what they had lost.  Andretti finished thirteenth and Wheldon, fifteenth.

Takuma Sato and Hediki Mutoh:  With 12 laps to go, and on the re-start after the fourth and last caution of the race, Sato and Mutoh got into one another on the front straightway sending both of them into the wall and ending their day.  Both were poised to finish in the top ten, particularly impressive for Sato who is not only a rookie, but also who was making his first appearance on an oval.

The next race on the IZOD IndyCar Series schedule is the world-famous Indianapolis 500.  The 94th running at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 30 at 12:00 p.m. (EST).

Helio Castroneves will attempt to win a second consecutive Indy 500 (for the second time).  If he succeeds, he will join legends A.J. Foyt, Al Unser, and Rick Mears as a four-time winner of the Indianapolis 500.

 Robyn Lynne Schechter