By MIKE HARRIS
JOLIET, Ill. (AP) — Helio Castroneves won the race in the second closest finish in the history of the IndyCar Series, but it wasn't enough to stop Scott Dixon from taking his second championship.
Castroneves came from last place Sunday to win the PEAK Indy 300, but Dixon, who knew coming in he only had to finish eighth or better to win the title, took the lead with a perfect pit stop late in the race and nearly held off Castroneves for the victory, crossing the finish line inches behind the winner.
After nearly 30 minutes, official timing and scoring called the margin of victory 0.0033 seconds — slightly more than the 0.0024 margin Sam Hornish Jr. had over Al Unser Jr. on the 1.5-mile Joliet track in 2002.
It was sweet redemption for Dixon, who lost both the race and the championship to Dario Franchitti last year at Chicagoland Speedway when he ran out of fuel two turns from the finish.
Dixon, who came into the race with a 30-point lead, wound up winning the title and the $1 million bonus that goes with it by 17 points.
Castroneves wins IRL Chicago, but Dixon gets title....
By MIKE HARRIS
SPARTA, Ky. (AP) — Scott Dixon is having one of those near-perfect seasons, and it's more than a little frustrating for the guy trying to chase him down.
Dixon came from behind Saturday night at Kentucky Speedway, passing Helio Castroneves coming off the final turn on the 1.5-mile oval to win the Meijer Indy 300. It was the second win in a row and the sixth victory of the season for Dixon, tying the record of Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Dan Wheldon as he races toward what would be his second IndyCar Series championship.
Series runner-up Castroneves, still trying for his first victory of the season and his first series title as he chases Dixon, tried to get this one with fuel strategy.
Dixon gets sixth win _ barely....
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Scott Dixon took another big step toward a second IndyCar championship Saturday, holding off Helio Castroneves, his closest pursuer, for a victory in the Rexall Edmonton Indy.
Castroneves, still looking for his first win of the season, kept the pressure on Dixon lap after lap on the temporary airport circuit. But Castroneves nearly slid off course on worn out tires six laps from the end, allowing the New Zealander to cruise to his fifth victory of the season.
Dixon gets fifth win....
FORT WORTH – Saturday night's Bombardier Learjet 550 ended with the cars coasting around Texas Motor Speedway at less than 90 mph.
That's a crawl for cars that reach speeds of 220 mph. What a downer.
Scott Dixon, the IndyCar Series' dominant driver, won his third race of the season. He was the fifth polesitter to win in 19 IndyCar races at TMS.
But he won it as the yellow and checkered flags waved together. Some fans were already leaving before Dixon crossed the finish line. It's the second time in a week that a late crash has forced an IndyCar Series race to end under caution.
That should not happen.
MORE....
By Dave Lewandowski
indycar.com
Scott Dixon might have started from the pole position for the 92nd Indianapolis 500, but it was anything but a clear path to his first trip to Victory Circle in "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing."
Dixon's crew got the No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing car off pit lane first during a Lap 171 final pit stop under caution and the 2003 IndyCar Series champion held off Panther Racing's Vitor Meira to claim the third 500-Mile Race victory for team owner Chip Ganassi.
Marco Andretti, who finished second as a rookie in 2006, checked in third in the No. 26 Indiana Jones car for Andretti Green Racing. Two-time winner Helio Castroneves finished fourth and Ed Carpenter a career-high fifth. Rahal Letterman Racing's Ryan Hunter-Reay was sixth and rookie Hideki Mutoh was seventh. Buddy Rice, the 2004 race winner, finished eighth for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing and A.J. Foyt Racing's Darren Manning was ninth. Townsend Bell finished 10th for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.
