Penske’s Helio Castroneves was able to profit from an out of sequence fuel strategy to win Saturday night's race at the Kentucky Speedway while Dario Franchitti (Ganassi) was again able to reduce the gap between himself and series’ leader Will Power.
An additional stop during a mid-race yellow had put the Brazilian out of sequence with the rest of the pack. Those extra few laps came in handy at the end of the race when the rest of the lead group had to pit for the final eight laps.
Castroneves was then able to stretch his fuel mileage a few more laps to clinch an unlikely victory.
Dan Wheldon (Panther Racing) was one of the main protagonists in the heated battle and looked like the one destined to win but he had to settle for third while Ed Carpenter (Panther/Vision Racing) finished second.
Championship leader Will Power (Penske) lost ground late in the race and finished only in eighth while Franchitti took fifth - leaving them just 17 points apart with two rounds to go.
A strong night for Andretti Autosport saw Tony Kanaan, Marco Andretti and Danica Patrick come through to fourth, sixth and ninth. Unfortunately, their team-mate Ryan Hunter-Reay had been on course for a top 10 finish but had to retire because of a late mechanical problem.
Qualifying star Bertrand Baguette (Conquest) charged to third in the opening laps, later fell back, but still came away with a career-best 10th. Canadians Paul Tracy (Dreyer & Reinbold) and Alex Tagliani (FAZZT Racing) finished respectively 12th and 15th.
IndyCar Kentucky Indy 300 - Results
Pos Driver Team Time/Gap
1. Helio Castroneves Penske 1h41m50.0059s
2. Ed Carpenter Panther/Vision + 13.1597s
3. Dan Wheldon Panther + 13.9214s
4. Tony Kanaan Andretti + 13.9931s
5. Dario Franchitti Ganassi + 14.1968s
6. Marco Andretti Andretti + 14.5669s
7. Scott Dixon Ganassi + 15.1025s
8. Will Power Penske + 15.6142s
9. Danica Patrick Andretti + 15.8494s
10. Bertrand Baguette Conquest + 1 lap
11. Justin Wilson Dreyer & Reinbold + 1 lap
12. Paul Tracy Dreyer & Reinbold + 1 lap
13. Alex Lloyd Dale Coyne + 1 lap
14. Tomas Scheckter Conquest + 1 lap
15. Alex Tagliani FAZZT + 1 lap
16. Raphael Matos De Ferran Dragon + 1 lap
17. Hideki Mutoh Newman/Haas + 1 lap
18. Mario Moraes KV + 2 laps
19. Milka Duno Dale Coyne + 5 laps
20. Graham Rahal Sarah Fisher + 5 laps
Retirements:
Ryan Hunter-Reay Andretti 174 laps
Sarah Fisher Sarah Fisher 134 laps
Vitor Meira Foyt 79 laps
Ryan Briscoe Penske 79 laps
Simona de Silvestro HVM 78 laps
EJ Viso KV 45 laps
Takuma Sato KV 0 laps
IndyCar Standings – After 15 of 17 rounds
Pos. Driver Team Points
1. Will Power Penske 552
2. Dario Franchitti Ganassi 535
3. Scott Dixon Ganassi 469
4. Helio Castroneves Penske 448
5. Ryan Briscoe Penske 418
An additional stop during a mid-race yellow had put the Brazilian out of sequence with the rest of the pack. Those extra few laps came in handy at the end of the race when the rest of the lead group had to pit for the final eight laps.
Castroneves was then able to stretch his fuel mileage a few more laps to clinch an unlikely victory.
Dan Wheldon (Panther Racing) was one of the main protagonists in the heated battle and looked like the one destined to win but he had to settle for third while Ed Carpenter (Panther/Vision Racing) finished second.
Championship leader Will Power (Penske) lost ground late in the race and finished only in eighth while Franchitti took fifth - leaving them just 17 points apart with two rounds to go.
A strong night for Andretti Autosport saw Tony Kanaan, Marco Andretti and Danica Patrick come through to fourth, sixth and ninth. Unfortunately, their team-mate Ryan Hunter-Reay had been on course for a top 10 finish but had to retire because of a late mechanical problem.
Qualifying star Bertrand Baguette (Conquest) charged to third in the opening laps, later fell back, but still came away with a career-best 10th. Canadians Paul Tracy (Dreyer & Reinbold) and Alex Tagliani (FAZZT Racing) finished respectively 12th and 15th.
IndyCar Kentucky Indy 300 - Results
Pos Driver Team Time/Gap
1. Helio Castroneves Penske 1h41m50.0059s
2. Ed Carpenter Panther/Vision + 13.1597s
3. Dan Wheldon Panther + 13.9214s
4. Tony Kanaan Andretti + 13.9931s
5. Dario Franchitti Ganassi + 14.1968s
6. Marco Andretti Andretti + 14.5669s
7. Scott Dixon Ganassi + 15.1025s
8. Will Power Penske + 15.6142s
9. Danica Patrick Andretti + 15.8494s
10. Bertrand Baguette Conquest + 1 lap
11. Justin Wilson Dreyer & Reinbold + 1 lap
12. Paul Tracy Dreyer & Reinbold + 1 lap
13. Alex Lloyd Dale Coyne + 1 lap
14. Tomas Scheckter Conquest + 1 lap
15. Alex Tagliani FAZZT + 1 lap
16. Raphael Matos De Ferran Dragon + 1 lap
17. Hideki Mutoh Newman/Haas + 1 lap
18. Mario Moraes KV + 2 laps
19. Milka Duno Dale Coyne + 5 laps
20. Graham Rahal Sarah Fisher + 5 laps
Retirements:
Ryan Hunter-Reay Andretti 174 laps
Sarah Fisher Sarah Fisher 134 laps
Vitor Meira Foyt 79 laps
Ryan Briscoe Penske 79 laps
Simona de Silvestro HVM 78 laps
EJ Viso KV 45 laps
Takuma Sato KV 0 laps
IndyCar Standings – After 15 of 17 rounds
Pos. Driver Team Points
1. Will Power Penske 552
2. Dario Franchitti Ganassi 535
3. Scott Dixon Ganassi 469
4. Helio Castroneves Penske 448
5. Ryan Briscoe Penske 418