Strategic moves push AGR driver past Wheldon at Motegi source: indycar.com / Dave Lewandowski Kanaan not fuelish A succession of drivers inherited the point late in the Indy Japan 300 because of fuel stops. Tony Kanaan, who relinquished the lead to Sam Hornish Jr. only nine laps from the checkers, was confident of being the final leader. Kanaan was right, of course, and edged Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Dan Wheldon by 0.4828 of a second to give Andretti Green Racing its initial victory of the season and first on a 1.5-mile oval since the 2005 IndyCar Series season. Kanaan's teammate, Dario Franchitti, advanced four positions to finish third, while Scott Dixon was fourth and Sam Hornish Jr. fifth. What turned into a fuel mileage race played into the Honda powerplant of the No. 11 Team 7-Eleven car and Kanaan's pit crew. He was content to stay within reach of the various leaders after a Lap 135 caution for contact between the No. 26 NYSE car of Marco Andretti and the frontstretch inside retaining wall, conserving fuel in the process. When Wheldon's No. 10 Honda-powered Dallara rumbled down pit lane on Lap 186 for a splash of ethanol, Kanaan moved to the lead and pushed hard to build a cushion (pacing Hornish by 7.9364 seconds on Lap 189). Kanaan's stop of less than 4 seconds on Lap 191 also was helpful in moving him to the front again on Lap 196. "It was a race that I had to be very patient," said Kanaan, who led 26 laps and posted his eighth IndyCar Series victory. "I think when we started, the car wasn't that good and I knew the track was going to get better towards the end of the race. So I just waited. A couple opportunities I had to pass Dan, and I knew that I had to stop later than him because my car had better fuel mileage. "When he (made) the last stop, I was almost convinced that I could pit and come out still in front of him. So that's what we did. The team did a great job." Wheldon led a field-high 126 laps, and assumed the championship points lead after three of 17 rounds. But his race strategy was hampered by losing communications with his team early on. After his final green flag stop, Wheldon exited in fifth place and didn't have enough to catch Kanaan.
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