Hornish Wins Texas Race
Defending IndyCar Series champion Sam Hornish scored his first victory of the 2007 season, surviving a wild finish to win the Bombardier Learjet 550k at Texas Motor Speedway. Leading by 6.6453 seconds less than 50 laps to go, Hornish was content to leave the sparring to the cars running behind him in second- through seventh-place. Unfortunately for Hornish, a multi-car incident on Lap 197, precipitated by a tire falling off A.J. Foyt IV's car, negated Hornish's lead, but not his advantage.
The Team Penske driver, who started on the outside of Row 1, maintained the point and held off Tony Kanaan on for his first victory of the season. It was the 19th career victory for the reigning IndyCar Series champion, and the 21st-closest finish in IndyCar Series history.
Kanaan, the winner six days earlier at The Milwaukee Mile, finished 0.0786 of a second back. Danica Patrick recorded the best finish of her IndyCar Series career in third. Dario Franchitti, retained his hold on the points lead with a fourth place. Delphi Panther Racing's Vitor Meira placed fifth for the second race in a row.
This is Sam Hornish Jr.'s first win of the season and the 19th of his IndyCar Series career, extending his IndyCar Series record for most wins. Hornish's last win came at Kentucky in August 2006.
This is Team Penske's 25th win in the IndyCar Series. Its last win came with Helio Castroneves at St. Petersburg in April.
Tony Kanaan finished second, his fifth top-five of the season.
Danica Patrick finished a career-best third and led her first laps of the 2007 season.
Jeff Simmons (6th), Sarah Fisher (10th) and Milka Duno (11th) recorded season-best finishes. Simmons' finish was the best of his career.
For full results...
(Speed News Now)
Bourdais Back To Winning Ways
From the start of the Mazda Champ Car Grand Prix of Portland Presented by Joe’s Sports and Outdoor everyone knew it would be a historic day, but as the checkered flag flew the race gained more notoriety as Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing earned its 100th Champ Car victory. For the first time in Champ Car history, the race started from a standstill rather than the traditional rolling start. Every driver was able to get going cleanly which set the tone for the caution free day that saw Sebastien Bourdais cruise to his third straight win. At the start, polesitter Justin Wilson stormed out to an early lead and then continued to pull away gaining a 15 second lead before the first round of pitstops. On the start, Australian Will Power jumped from his seventh starting position to third after the Festival Curves with Sebastien Bourdais and Alex Tagliani close on his heels.
Further back on the grid Paul Tracy launched up four positions on the first lap but spun in Turn 6 on the third lap and spent the rest of the race on an alternate strategy trying to work his way back up through the field and eventually finishing tenth. Tracy was the first driver to duck into pit lane for service on lap 17 while Bourdais stretched his fuel economy to the max, not pitting until the 29th circuit, short filling the car and coming out in the second position. During the first round of pit stops Power’s Team Australia crew best the Minardi Team USA mechanics, gaining the third spot from Robert Doornbos. The two would continue to battle throughout the 103-lap event with Doornbos eventually earning his third podium finish in four career Champ Car starts with a third place finish and Power finishing fourth. Alex Tagliani finished fifth followed by Dan Clarke, Tristan Gommendy, Simon Pagenaud, Graham Rahal and Paul Tracy to round out the top ten.
As the drivers prepare for the summer stretch of races, the championship battle has Sebastien Bourdais leading the way with 105 points, Will Power second with 94 markers and Rookie Robert Doornbos third with 87 points. RSPORTS teammates Alex Tagliani and Justin Wilson are currently fourth and fifth in the standings.
Today’s race marked the first caution free Champ Car race since the event at Road America in 2000.
Following a yellow start in 2006, Champ Cars have completed 207 consecutive green flag laps at Portland International Raceway.
Sebastien Bourdais earned Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing’s 100th Champ Car victory with a margin of victory of 13.537 seconds. Mario Andretti began the victory parade in 1983 at Elkhart Lake’s Road America with a 15.98 second margin of victory.
For full results...
(Speed News Now)
Wilson On Portland Champ Car Pole
Dark clouds and steady rain hung over Portland International Raceway guaranteeing Justin Wilson his fifth career Champ Car World Series pole position. With the rain slowing down the lap times, the Brit's time from Friday's qualifying session earned him the top spot. The move also cements Wilson in the Champ Car record books as the Mazda Champ Car Grand Prix of Portland will be the first ever Champ Car event to utilize standing starts. Portland is synonymous with Champ Car history hosting its inaugural event on June 12, 1909 and is also the sight of the closest finish in Champ Car history.
Robert Doornbos set the quickest time during today's rainy session keeping him on the front row for the race. The second place starting position marks the Dutchman's best Champ Car qualifying effort of the year. Doornbos was almost relegated to the third starting position as Tristan Gommendy actually set the fastest time of the session, but on his next lap went off the track in Turn 7 and stalled the car. The resulting red-flag meant Gommendy was penalized his fastest lap and instead of starting on the front row, he will have to settle for his best career start of fifth.
Sebastien Bourdais will line up third on Sunday with Alex Tagliani rounding out the second row. A pair of rookies were fifth and sixth on the speed charts as Frenchmen Gommendy and Simon Pagenaud make up the third row. The second Team Australia driver Will Power will start seventh. Graham Rahal set the second fastest lap of the wet session, but it was good enough to improve upon his eighth qualifying spot. Dan Clarke will line-up ninth and PKV Racing's Neel Jani will start 10th. The race will start at 1:00 p.m. local (4:00 p.m. ET) on Sunday and will be televised live on ABC Sports. Fans can also follow all of the action via the official website of the Champ Car World Series, (www.champcar.ws).
For Starting Lineup...
(Speed News Now)
Sharp On Texas Pole
Scott Sharp claimed his first IndyCar Series pole position in more than five years, winning the AAMCO Transmissions Pole Award for the Bombardier Learjet 550k at Texas Motor Speedway. Sharp, driving the No. 8 Patron Dallara/Honda/Firestone for Rahal Letterman Racing, posted a quick lap of 215.260 mph (24.3334 seconds) to seize his first pole start since August 2001 at Kentucky Speedway, and his sixth in the IndyCar Series. Sam Hornish Jr. (214.518) will start on the front row for the third time this season, while IndyCar Series points leader Dario Franchitti (214.411) and Andretti Green Racing teammate Tony Kanaan (213.844) will share Row 2. Scott Dixon, who crashed his primary Target Chip Ganassi Racing car during the afternoon practice session, qualified seventh in his backup car.
For Starting Lineup...
(Speed News Now)
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