Dan Wheldon has won two of the four races (on two of the three 1.5-mile ovals) and dominated in laps led (484 of 700) this season. Still, the IndyCar Series points leader claims he's not necessarily the favorite heading into the 91st Indianapolis 500. source: indycar.com / Dave Lewandowski Sure, Dan. "Dan's not known for his false modesty," said Dario Franchitti, runner-up to Wheldon under caution (Lap 198 crash involving the No. 8 car driven by Scott Sharp) in the Kansas Lottery Indy 300. Wheldon's No. 10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara/Honda/Firestone led 177 of 200 laps to become the seventh different winner in as many races on the Kansas Speedway tri-oval. "It was a total team effort from the Target Chip Ganassi Racing crew," said Wheldon, who took a 27-point lead in the championship standings over teammate Scott Dixon. "We're gearing up; we're going to go for the big one now. The Indianapolis 500, that's the big goal for us. Do I think I'm going to be a contender? Absolutely, but I wouldn't say I'm the favorite. I honestly think you could pick 10-15 people, and possibly more." Wheldon's car was strong last week at the 1.5-mile Twin Ring Motegi, but a communications problem with his crew and spotter set him back in a race that turned on fuel strategy. Former teammate Tony Kanaan won, and started from the pole at Kansas Speedway. It didn't sit well with the 2005 IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500 champion. "I was frustrated since Motegi and wanted to prove a point," said Wheldon, who started fourth. "When you're in a competitive package, you can't let points slip. I can eat breakfast tomorrow morning now instead of stabbing my fork into the table." Franchitti, who started sixth in the No. 27 Canadian Club car, has finished seventh, fifth, third and second this season, and is fourth in the standings. "The track was really slippery in the first stint," he said. "I was just trying to hang on to it in those first laps. As the race went on, we started making up places. By the end of the race, the Canadian Club car was really quick. But any time there was a yellow Dan and Scott (Dixon) were up front and there were a bunch of lapped cars in between us. All in all, we're pretty happy. The team has definitely improved and it gives us some momentum going in to Indianapolis."
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