Nashville - Race source: irl.racing-live.com / ORS / CAPSIS International Scott Dixon notched his second IndyCar Series win of year by topping team-mate Dan Wheldon in a Saturday night shootout at the Nashville SuperSpeedway. Ganassi Racing's best race of the season was made even better by the struggles of the Penske team. Point's leader Sam Hornish, Jr, crashed and finished 14th, while Helio Castroneves car was damaged in the first turn of the race - slowing him to a fifth place finish. "It wasn't too bad. The car was actually pretty consistent," said Dixon after the sixth IndyCar Series victory of his career. "I think for us the biggest advantage tonight, we just saved fuel, worked fuel. I think on our second stop, we went about six laps longer than Dan. I think that's what got us to the front, and then what enabled us to run quick at the end and stay in front of them." A very tight fuel situation whereby only a few cars would have made it without an additional stop was averted when Kosuke Matsuura crashed on lap 164 in turn 4. Matsuura believed a suspension piece broke, resulting in a 13 lap caution made longer than usual by some SAFER barrier repairs. For Dixon, staying up front was still not quite assured as eventual third place winner Vitor Meira made several attempts to take the lead late in the race, and then team-mate Wheldon made multiple failed passing attempts as he ran second for the final ten laps. "The Panther car, we were a little better on the first five laps of a stint," said Meira who remains fifth in the championship despite not having a primary sponsor. "When everything got hotter, I think the Ganassi cars were a little quicker than us. I guess it showed. Third place, which is the first race with Revive (as a new associate backer). Now we have big support behind us and it is only going to improve as we go on."
Recent Articles
|
Racing Multimedia
Recommendations |