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IndyCar Series
Courtesy of Indyracing.com
Recap: Homestead, Fla.
Dario Franchitti
Franchitti wins at Homestead-Miami, clinches title
Dario Franchitti claimed his second IndyCar Series championship by winning the Firestone Indy 300 on Oct. 10 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Franchitti and Target Chip Ganassi Racing used fuel strategy to beat second place Ryan Briscoe of Team Penske to the finish by 4.788 seconds. Franchitti's teammate, Scott Dixon, finished third.
The top three finishers were the only drivers who entered the season-ending race with a chance to win the title on the 1.5-mile oval. Franchitti finished the season with 616 points, Dixon with 605 and Briscoe with 604.
It was the second consecutive title for Target Chip Ganassi Racing, as Dixon won in 2008. Franchitti won his first season championship in 2007 with Andretti Green Racing.
The three title contenders led 198 of the 200 laps.
Briscoe took the lead on Lap 151, with Dixon in close pursuit, when Franchitti entered the pits for the final time on Lap 150. Briscoe and Dixon had stopped on Lap 144.
Briscoe and Dixon then pulled away from Franchitti over the next 35 laps, as Briscoe led Dixon by .1850 of a second on Lap 187. Franchitti was the only other car on the lead lap, 23.8841 seconds behind Briscoe.
But Briscoe and Dixon were forced to pit for fuel in the last eight laps, Dixon on Lap 192 and Briscoe on Lap 194. Franchitti was able to stretch his fuel over the last 50 laps for his fifth victory of the season, a career best.
Franchitti's average speed was 201.420 mph, the second-fastest race in series history. It was the first caution-free race in series history.
IndyCar Series
POST-RACE WINNER, CHAMPION QUICK QUOTE:
DARIO FRANCHITTI (No. 10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing):
(Can you believe it?): "No, I can't. I can't. Like 2007, I just had to try to save some fuel and stay on strategy. And it just worked out. The Target car wasn't great early that first stint. Chris (Simmons, crew chief) and the boys made some changes. From the second stint on, we were right there. But we had lost so much ground. We were saving fuel. We were sticking to our strategy. The car was really good at the end. A win is a win. On the cool-down lap, I was thinking of my buddy Greg (Moore). I was in a championship fight 10 years ago, but it didn't matter because we lost him. This one is for him. It's been a hell of a year for the Target boys. I've got to thank Chip (Ganassi) for gving me a job."
FIRESTONE INDY 300 POST-RACE QUOTES:RYAN BRISCOE (No. 6 Team Penske, second):
"It's pretty frustrating. It was one of the best races I've ever run. I just hate that it came down to fuel strategy. It's a whole championship. Dario (Franchitti) has been great all year long, so congrats to him. It's hurts." (Did you think it was yours to win?): "I thought it was going to be between me and Scott, definitely. I guess the 10 car (Franchitti) had the advantage."
SCOTT DIXON (No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing, third):
"At the start of the race, I didn't think it would be wise to go out and burn a lot of fuel. It ended being the fact and coming true. You just have to take it on the chin and come back and try again next year. At the end of the year, you'd think the fastest car is going to win, but several times, it hasn't been. I think Briscoe and I had a pretty good race going on, but we got what we got."
TONY KANAAN (No. 11 Team 7-Eleven, fourth):
"It was a long race. It looks like those three guys (Franchitti, Briscoe, Dixon) were in another league. I think it was an A-league and a B-league, but we tried. We did what we could. The car was OK. It was just not fast enough, so I guess we'll take the fourth place. After the season that we had, to finish up with a top four, it is what it is."
HELIO CASTRONEVES (No. 3 Team Penske, fifth):
"It was two races. There was those three guys (Franchitti, Briscoe and Dixon) and then the rest of the field. It's a shame. But first, I want to thank all the people here. They were awesome. I mean, I was thirsty; I can imagine you guys. Our Penske boys and Ryan did everything they could to bring this championship home. It's a shame. But fifth is definitely good for us. Fourth in the championship. And I have nothing complain about this year. It was a fantastic year. It was a bit difficult, but I have to thank the fans that supported me all the way through. Indy was great. So thank you, everybody. Next year, it's going to be different. Hopefully going to be different."
RAPHAEL MATOS (No. 2 US Air Force Luczo Dragon Racing, 14th, 2009 IndyCar Series Rookie of the Year):
"I'm very happy. It couldn't be better. I think this title means a lot to me and a lot to the team. There's a lot of famous names in the Rookie of the Year gallery and I dreamed about (joining them). I think this shows that we are ready for bigger and better things in the series."
MARIO MORAES (No. 5 Azul Tequila/Votorantim/KVRT, seventh):
"The KV Racing Technology team didn't qualify the way we wanted. Then we lost some more ground during the first stint of the race. But for the last two stints, the car was really good. And on the last stint I had one of the fastest cars on the track, so I was able to pick up some positions. Of course, I am a little disappointed, but finishing seventh wasn't too bad. This was a very tough season, for a lot of reasons. We had had a fast car all season, especially in qualifying. But there were a lot of things going on, and we had some bad luck. Then things changed and started going our way. We had some good races at the end of the season finishing in the top-five and getting our first podium, so overall, because of the way we ended the season, I am happy. I definitely learned a lot from last year to this year. Actually, I learned more this year than at any other time in my racing career. For that, I have to thank Kevin Kalkhoven, Jimmy Vasser, Mark Johnson, all the KVRT engineers and mechanics. Everyone worked hard all season and did a great job."
ALEX LLOYD (No. 40202 HER Energy/Newman/Haas/Lanigan, eighth):
"All in all, it was a pretty good day for the HER Energy team. We lost a quite a few places on the start, and I think that was just me being overly cautious. I've never raced an Indy car on a 1.5-mile oval, and I wasn't quite sure what to expect in Turn 1. Everybody just nailed it, and I lifted too much and we got swarmed by people. In the second half of that stint, we had a good car and came through quite a few cars, so I thought, 'OK, this is looking quite good.' I felt like we could race with some of the quick guys. And then as the race went on, every stint we started to get more and more understeer that we couldn't get rid of, and that really cost us. We finished about where we were at the end of the day. All in all, it was a good day. There are a lot of things that I am learning as I go along, which is an extremely good thing. We had a good car all weekend. We certainly could have been a little bit better in the race, but I think we came away with some really good things, a lot of positives. There were a lot more positives than negatives, so I'm definitely happy, and I think everybody at HER Energy will be happy, too."
HIDEKI MUTOH (No. 27 Formula Dream, sixth):
"Physically, it was a very tough race for me. I am still recovering a bit from my crash during qualifying at Motegi, but the car was fantastic overall and very good in traffic. I have to thank my guys. They did a great job all night, and we were able to gain some positions during pit stops. I had a great season with the team, and a sixth-place finish is a nice way to end the year."
FIRESTONE FIREHAWK RACE REPORT
IndyCar Series - Firestone Indy 300
Homestead-Miami Speedway - Homestead, Fla.
Saturday, October 10, 2009 - Round 17 of 17
Top-5 Finishers: 1. Dario Franchitti; 2. Ryan Briscoe; 3. Scott Dixon; 4. Tony Kanaan; 5. Helio Castroneves.
Race Temperatures: Track ranged from 118°-106° F (48°-41° C) and ambient from 93°-88 °F (34°-31°C).
Firestone Tire Performance Recap:
Firestone Racing collected its 14th IndyCar Series title and its seventh major open-wheel crown with Target Chip Ganassi Racing. Race winner Dario Franchitti has earned all 23 of his major open-wheel victories on the Firestone family of race tires.
From race winner and 2009 champion Dario Franchitti, #10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara/Honda/Firestone:
"The Firestones were great tonight, but it was critical to keep the balance of the car right. If you kept the balance right, they were as good on the last lap as they were on the first. Way to go, Firestone. What can I say? Every race I've ever won in Indy cars has been with Firestone and I want that to continue."
From Chip Ganassi, owner, Target Chip Ganassi Racing:
"Firestone is a great partner of IndyCar racing because they're a quality company and they make a quality product. It's a pleasure to be on those tires, it's a pleasure to work with great people in the company, and it's even a bigger pleasure to win with those tires."
From Al Speyer, Executive Director, Firestone Racing:
"What an exciting finish to a super-competitive season. It was only fitting that the title contenders were the only ones in contention to win tonight. All three of those drivers - Briscoe, Dixon and Franchitti - drove like champions. It came down to pit strategy and fuel, and Dario comes out the 2009 IndyCar Series champion. We have a great history with both Dario and Chip Ganassi Racing, so to share another championship with them is something quite special. It was a new Firehawk tire combination that ran really well tonight, as evidenced by the front-runners making very few changes to their cars throughout the race. Now we focus on preparing for the 2010 season and continuing to provide the same reliability and consistency that the entire IndyCar field has come to count on from Firestone."
Firestone "Tire-ific" Move of the Race: This $10,000 prize is awarded after each IndyCar Series race to the driver best utilizing his or her Firestone tires to make a bold, dramatic move during the event. Nominees from tonight's race are: Ryan Briscoe, for using the high line to perfection in passing for the lead on lap 63; Dario Franchitti, for his crew's pit strategy call and his fuel saving that opened the door to the race win and championship; and Tony Kanaan, for a spirited drive from 15th starting position to finish fourth. Fans can vote this week at www.indycar.com to determine the winner. In pre-race ceremonies tonight, Mario Moraes was presented the Tire-ific award for his earning a third straight top-five finish, last month at Motegi.
IndyCar Series
IndyCar Point Standings
[After Race 17 of 17, Season Complete]
Includes Points Behind Leader
1. Dario Franchitti [Leader] [616]
2. Scott Dixon [-11]
3. Ryan Briscoe [-12]
4. Helio Castroneves [-183]
5. Danica Patrick [-223]
6. Tony Kanaan [-230]
7. Graham Rahal [-231]
8. Marco Andretti [-236]
9. Justin Wilson [-262]
10. Dan Wheldon [-262]
IndyCar Series
FRANCHITTI COLLECTS MILLION DOLLAR BONUS ON SOUTH BEACH
A day after winning the 2009 IndyCar® Series championship, Dario Franchitti was honored for his second title in three years.
Franchitti and Firestone Indy Lights® champion J.R. Hildebrand - along with other drivers, teams and manufacturers - were recognized during the Indy Racing League Championship Celebration poolside at the W Hotel on South Beach.
Brian Barnhart, president of the competition and operations division of the Indy Racing League, sanctioning body of the IndyCar Series, presented Franchitti with a $1 million championship bonus check and a mini IndyCar Series championship trophy. A mini IndyCar Series championship trophy also was awarded to Target Chip Ganassi Racing owner Chip Ganassi.
"In '07, there was a lot of satisfaction in getting that one done, and now to come back from where we were a year ago is very satisfying," said Franchitti, who used fuel strategy to beat Ryan Briscoe of Team Penske and his teammate Scott Dixon to win the Firestone Indy 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway by 4.788 seconds to clinch the championship. "I think that's what makes it sweeter is we've got everybody together, and you've got a more balanced schedule, as well.
"That gives me really a lot of satisfaction, having to beat guys like -- look down the list. Look at the drivers we're competing against, Ryan (Briscoe) and certainly Scott (Dixon) at the top of that. To beat those guys and to beat Scott on team equipment, you've had a great year."
In addition to the championship bonus, Franchitti accepted the $10,000 Bosch Platinum Award and received a $100,000 diamond-encrusted champion's timepiece from Ritmo Mundo.
Kevin O'Donnell, chief mechanic for Franchitti's No. 10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda-powered Dallara, accepted the IndyCar Series Chief Mechanic of the Year Award.
Raphael Matos of Luczo Dragon Racing accepted the $25,000 Apex-Brasil Rookie of the Year Award. Ryan Briscoe of Team Penske won the Raybestos Road & Street Challenge while Dan Wheldon of Panther Racing was awarded the Xtrac Championship Award and its $5,000 prize.
Hildebrand accepted the mini Firestone Firehawk Cup along with a $10,000 award for the Raybestos Road and Street Course Challenge for scoring the most points on road and street courses, a $5,000 prize as the winner of the Lucas Oil Frequent Pole Sitter Award, a $5,000 "Securing Tomorrow Award" from Gregory & Appel Insurance for winning the most races, the $5,000 Palmer Family Frequent Podium Award and the $10,000 Sunoco Most Improved Driver Award.
"Winning this championship is at the top of the list of career achievements," Hildebrand said. "To be able to win the championship at this level is I think the best thing that a driver can do to be able to move up and that's all of all of our ultimate goals. It means a lot to be here as the 2009 champion."
Jayson Madison, chief mechanic for Hildebrand's No. 26 ARPRO entry for Andretti Green Racing/AFS Racing, accepted $5,000 as Mo'sGold Chief Mechanic of the Year.
Sebastian Saavedra of AFS Racing/Andretti Green Racing won $10,000 as Mesco Building Solutions' "Building for the Future" Rookie of the Year, while Mario Romancini of RLR/Andersen Racing claimed the Force For Earth Hard Charger Award and its $5,000 prize for improving the most total positions during the 2009 season.
IndyCar Team Reports
Chip Ganassi Racing
Results from Homestead
1. Dario Franchitti, No.10 Target Honda Dallara
2. Ryan Briscoe, No.6 Honda Dallara
3. Scott Dixon, No.9 Target Honda Dallara
Dario Franchitti Gives Team Target Back-to-Back IndyCar Titles
Target Chip Ganassi Racing claimed their seventh open wheel crown Saturday night at Homestead-Miami Speedway as Dario Franchitti drove his No. 10 Target Honda Dallara to his fifth win of the season, locking up the 2009 IndyCar Series championship in the final race of the season.
It marks the second IndyCar championship for Franchitti (2007), who returned to Indy car racing this year after a season in NASCAR with Ganassi. Teammate Scott Dixon finished third in the race, locking up second in the championship standings for a Team Target one-two sweep.
Along the way, Franchitti (five) and Dixon (five) combined to win 10 of 17 races this season for Target, who celebrated their 20th year of partnership with TCGR in 2009. The 10-win season ties the team record from the 19-race 1998 CART season, where Alex Zanardi won seven races and Jimmy Vasser took three.
“Back-to-back championships are something very special that don’t happen that often in motorsports,” said Team Owner Chip Ganassi. “I am really proud of Dario and everything that he has accomplished again this year. It is nothing short of phenomenal. But Dario couldn’t do it by himself so I have to congratulate the whole team including his teammate Scott Dixon. It takes a complete team effort to win championships and this championship was exactly that. There are a number of people that work behind the scenes to make things happen and I would just like to thank them all because today they are all champions.”
TCGR Quoteboard:
Dario Franchitti:
“I can’t believe it. I cannot believe it. What a year for this Target team. It was so much fun to be a part of. I’ve been really lucky my whole career to have a great team. I came over here and raced with AGR for so long and they were great people. Now I’m here at Target and these guys just want to win. Scott (Dixon) and I raced each other the whole season and it just came down to this. I can’t thank the team enough and I can’t thank Target enough. I’m bloody delighted right now.” (About the fuel saving strategy): “We’re always trying to go a little farther. The car was a bit imbalanced on the first stint and that allowed Scott and Ryan (Briscoe) to get away a little bit. We made it a lot better the second stint and the car was really good, but by then, we were fuel conservation mode. I was going as fast as I could, but they had me turned down way down."
Scott Dixon:
“At the start of the race, I didn’t think it would be wise to go out and burn a lot of fuel. It ended being the fact and coming true. You just have to take it on the chin and come back and try again next year. At the end of the year, you’d think the fastest car is going to win, but several times, it hasn’t been. I think Briscoe and I had a pretty good race going on, but we got what we got.”
Panther Racing
A.J. Foyt Racing
IndyCar Team Reports
Panther Racing
Luczo Dragon Racing
HVM Racing
Luczo Dragon Racing
IndyCar Team Reports
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