Photo Finish Decides IndyCar Series Championship
September 9th 2008 05:00
Castrovenes, Dixon & Briscoe cross the finish line (Credt IndyCar Series Media)
The win comes just six weeks before the IndyCar Series heads 'Down Under' for Australia's own Nikon Indy 300, from October the 23rd to the 26th.
Scott Dixon Claims The Trophy (Credit IndyCar Series Media)
Dixon, a Brisbane-born Kiwi, praised everyone at Team Target who worked together to make it happen.
‘Some of those guys are so quick, some people we didn’t expect to be racing with. We got shuffled back in line a little bit, but what a great day. I still can’t believe it,’ he said.
Castroneves, who was still in contention for the championship, raced from the 28th starting position to win the photo finish, but it wasn’t enough to keep Dixon from winning his second IndyCar Series Championship.
Instead, Dixon maintained a 17-point lead to become the second driver to win multiple championships (he also won in 2003), while Castroneves was relegated to runner-up.
Helio Castrovenes Wins at Chicagoland Speedway (Credit IndyCar Series Media)
Castroneves started from the back of the grid due to a penalty during qualifying and raced his way through the field to take the lead on Lap 78 of the 200 lap encounter.
He led 80 laps total and was in first as the leaders pitted on Lap 185 with 15 laps to go, but Dixon won the sprint off pit lane and led the next 14 laps, until Castroneves pulled alongside for the final two.
This Is How The Judges Saw It (Credit IndyCar Series Media)
As the pair took the checkered flag side by side, it took a review of photographs by IndyCar officials to determine that Castroneves had edged Dixon by .0033 of a second to take his second victory of the season.
Toowoomba Born Will Power (Credit IndyCar Series Media)
Australian Ryan Briscoe finished third after running three-wide with the leaders over the final lap. Queenslander Will Power finished fifth, 12th in the overall standings and third in the Rookie of the Year chase.
(Credit IndyCar Series Media)
The 2008 IndyCar Series season now continues to Australia’s Nikon Indy 300. With 96 hours of non-stop excitement, the Gold Coast comes alive to the sound of the IndyCars burning up the track. Australia’s own V8 Supercars will also be scorching around one of the most famous beach-side cities in the world.
Go to indy.com.au for information on ticket options and race schedules.
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