Dixon/Ganassi Triple-Down & Double-Up To Wrest Control At The GoPro GP of Sonoma

Target Chip Ganassi Racing owner, Chip Ganassi, and Verizon IndyCar Series 2015 season champion, Scott Dixon share some GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma race and 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series season championship winner's circle euphoria before official GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma race trophy presentations begin. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

Dixon/Ganassi Triple-Down & Double-Up To Wrest Control At The GoPro GP of Sonoma

In the media room, around the paddocks, and campgrounds around Sonoma Raceway at Sears Point, there were speculations as to who would win the Verizon IndyCar Series 2015 season finale race and, due to a double-points award, potentially win the season championship.

At no point in the lead up to this final race was there a story line that included Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon, who sat at P3, 47 points behind Penske's Juan Pablo Montoya (JPM), not just winning the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma ... but further, the 2015 American open-wheel racing championship.

Almost all of the pre-race chatter centered on "just who" had what it would take to get the most points through qualifications, bonus points, and win the race (obviously, Will Power) ... or who had the charge to grab the championship and maybe the race from Penske Racing and JPM (obviously, Graham Rahal).

Scott Dixon, and the PR Department of Target Chip Ganassi Racing were the consummate ghosts. Little was being speculated about in pre-race press releases and interviews from this organization about their chances at the Sonoma Raceway finale and the IndyCar season.

However, at race's end and at post-race press conferences - the floodgates of strategic possibility thinking opened up ... and a few folks were surprised at the final tie-breaking results.

Target Chip Ganassi's race strategist, Mike Hull in the Winner's Circle with race winner and 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series Astor Cup winner, Scott Dixon. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

Post Race Press Conference:

THE MODERATOR: The mindset going in, [describe] what you needed to accomplish today.

MIKE HULL: I'm sorry, I can only do two things at once. We knew we had to win the race. We knew that before we arrived here. We did get the opportunity to come, IndyCar extended the opportunity with the rule book for us to come here and test two weeks ago. We spent half a day with Scott on the racetrack, and Friday we used all day and we virtually wore the tires out trying to understand what we would need today, and that's what we did today, and we worked on what we call the mechanical balance of the race car to achieve what we achieved today.

It just really is important when you have a driver like Scott as an owner like Chip and people that work for us and a sponsor like Target that you do get the most out of every day, and I think that's what we did today, but it started well before today in terms of having a race-able product.
----
Q. Mike, a couple of drivers told me it's very difficult to overtake here. Was your strategy before the race built on pit stops to bring Scott to the front?

MIKE HULL: [Mike pulls out a sheet of graph paper - and waves it - with three pitstops noted on it] ... Pit on lap 61, that's what ‑‑ well, we came in on 62, so even we make a mistake.

We wanted it to be a three‑stop race, so what we did was we worked really hard from the very beginning of the weekend to create a three‑stop event for us this weekend, and we knew we had to get to 61. If we could get to 61 as everybody thinned out on the racetrack with the track position gained throughout the stops, we thought we had a chance to win the race. We didn't think it would turn out quite the way it did in terms of we thought there would be two or three other guys there trying to make it hard on us, and at the end it was a little easier than what we thought to be honest about it, but it was still very difficult. I think what you do as a race team when you deal with strategy is you look at what you have. If you know you have a driver and car capable of winning the race, then what you simply do is work for the pit windows that you need to have to achieve something at the front.

But the bottom ‑‑ the denominator is we had to win. We had to win the race.
(ht: VICS)

During the race broadcast on NBCSN, Mike Hull was interviewed at the TCGR pit box immediately after the second round of pitstops where Scott Dixon was able to leap-frog pass from P3 (behind P1 - Will Power and P2 - Josef Newgarden) to the lead of the race on a 6 second timed pit stop - (paraphrased) "All I asked from our pit crew before the race was 18 seconds of work. We train for hours and hours for just this circumstance and I needed for them to give me three pitstops at 6 seconds apiece - two down, one to go!"

Now that's a Triple-Down.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing's Graham Rahal as he follows TCGR's Tony Kanaan up the drag strip straight after exiting the Carousel turn during the early part of the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)  

This excerpted and edited from Tribute Racing -

Dixon takes victory and championship after wacky race in Sonoma
By: Josh Farmer - AUGUST 30, 2015

After a two hour Wild West showdown, Scott Dixon eventually emerged as the 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series champion after taking the win in the GoPro Grand Prix at Sonoma Raceway.

Pole sitter Will Power picked up from where he left off in qualifying yesterday as he jumped into an early lead over Josef Newgarden. The drama started early as the leaders made their first pitstops on lap 15. Newgarden came in right behind Power but was blocked by Power’s Team Penske teammate Simon Pagenaud as stopped right in front of Newgarden. Newgarden sped out through Pagenaud’s pit stall and only lost a small amount of time to Power.

Meanwhile, a few teams including Sebastian Saavedra and Marco Andretti, elected to roll the dice on strategy and stretch their fuel longer than the lead contenders before the lead cycled back around to Power on lap 25.

Penske Racing's Juan Pablo Montoya is running P4 on Lap 9 with Target Chip Ganassi's Scott Dixon closing in from P5 to track him down in the Bus Stop complex of turns. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

A yellow flag for Luca Filippi’s throttle failure on lap 33 brought the field down down pit road. At this point, Scott Dixon’s Target Chip Ganassi Racing pit crew saw that it was time to go to put their driver in position to take the championship and performed a trademark Ganassi pitstop to get the Kiwi to the front of the queue.

A number of drivers on an alternate strategy stayed out which put the drivers had been leading the race down the leaderboard. The race would get dramatic as Juan Montoya rear ended Power, damaging his front wing and bringing out a yellow while Tony Kanaan would take the lead.

Kanaan held the lead on the restart but the same strategy that put him in the lead took him out of it when he pitted on lap 51, which handed the lead over to Dixon.

With Montoya burried in the field, Dixon assumed the points lead and would need a clean final pitstop and no mistakes on the track. On lap 63, the crew did exactly that and was perfect while his closest rival Newgarden stalled on pit road, taking him out of contention.

With Dixon up front, Montoya’s efforts were beginning to shrink but drama involving his season long championship rival, Graham Rahal.

Rahal had been struggling to find the handle on his car for much of the day but found himself in seventh place, his hopes still alive.

His hopes came to an end when Sebastien Bourdais rear ended him at the end of the dragstrip and spun him out. With Rahal out if the picture and Bourdais assesed a penalty for avoidable contact, Montoya soon found himself in a tiebreaker scenario with Dixon.

He would still need to pass one more car to get the points lead: Ryan Briscoe.

Montoya’s black tires would seem to prove better than Briscoe’s red tires and he chopped a few tenths a lap off his lead while Dixon was smooth sailing up front.

Dixon crossed the line 6.1115 ahead of Ryan Hunter Reay and it was enough to take the championship as Montoya couldn’t get to Briscoe.
----
Hunter-Reay claimed his second straight podium while Charlie Kimball capped of the season with his third podium of the year.

Tony Kanaan claimed fourth and Ryan Briscoe completed his fill in duties for James Hinchcliffe with a fifth place finish.

Montoya would have to settle for second in the championship, followed by teammate Power and Rahal, who entered the race second in points. Helio Castroneves made it three Penske cars in the top five. A strong end to the season lifted Ryan Hunter-Reay to sixth in the standings while Josef Newgarden’s pit miscue dropped him to seventh in points.
(Reference Here)

The transporter for Penske Racing's Juan Pablo Montoya was located right across from the garage station of Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon. Here, Montoya is sitting on the stoop, watching the garage across the way (see reflection in mirrored door behind JPM). Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

Sour grapes flooded the wine country racetrack's paddock area with the talk about the influence of having this race be awarded with twice the number of points given out for the results of the season finale race.

This excerpted and edited from STUFF -

IndyCar runner-up Juan Pablo Montoya questions Scott Dixon's series triumph
By: stuff.co.nz - Last updated 11:20, September 1 2015

IndyCar series runner-up Juan Pablo Montoya has questioned whether Scott Dixon was a deserved winner, saying the Kiwi had a "s**t" season.

Montoya was furious the crucial final race at Sonoma on Monday carried double points.

Dixon won, and his Colombian rival finished sixth at Sonoma, so lost the championship on countback [tie-breaker] after leading all season.

Montoya did not take it in good humour, lashing out at the post-race press conference.

"Dixon had a s**t season all year and had one good race, and we paid the penalty."

Montoya wants the double-points system reconsidered, though he holds little hope that it will be changed.

"We'll see if they [IndyCar] change it, but they like the excitement for the last race," he said.

"Is it fair? No, but we go into the last race of the year knowing it's a double‑points race.

"Is it fair for a normal championship? No, it's not fair, but it's the rules they want to play with, and if you don't like the rules, don't race."
----
"It sucks, but when you make the last race double-points on a road course and you change the tyre and you do everything you did for this weekend and you put so many variables, it doesn't even matter what you do all year."

Dixon, who was one of six drivers still in with a title chance, won the 2003, 2008 and 2013 series.

He has finished runner-up in the series twice and has been third four times in a 13-year IndyCar career.

WHAT DIFFERENCE DID DOUBLE POINTS MAKE?

Actual championship standings

1 Dixon 556
2 Montoya 556
3 Power 493

Standings without double score for Sonoma

1 Montoya 528
2 Dixon 506
3 Rahal 478

Standings with no double scores at all *

1 Montoya 478
2 Dixon 474
3 Rahal 448

* Montoya got double points for winning the Indianapolis 500
(Reference Here)

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing's Graham Rahal had a season for the ages. Driving the troubled Honda-powered and aerodynamically outfitted Steak 'N Shake Dallara, he entered the race just 34 points behind Juan Pablo Montoya in P2 and finished P4 in the season championship after his car was pushed off of the track by four-time champion Sebastien Bourdais. Here, Rahal finishes the Bus Stop complex of turns on his way to finishing P4 in the VICS championship. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

For Graham Rahal's part, he agrees with JPM on the assessment about double points being awarded for any race (from post-race transcript):

Q. Graham, Juan came in here and not a fan of the double points. He was not, at least. But aside from that, how do you think the championship from that standpoint is going?  Should they drop them from Indy or keep them just at Indy and drop them from the end?

GRAHAM RAHAL: I don't think any race should have double points.

Q. What about the double‑header part?

GRAHAM RAHAL: Those are two races. Just like Indy, why there's points for qualifying is stupid. I know what they're trying to do, trying to make it more interesting, trying to get everybody ‑‑ but everybody is already hanging out on the line, and all you're doing is benefiting the big teams. Like for instance, us, it killed us this year. Definitely is not to our advantage.

Obviously there's two sides to me here on this weekend because obviously if it had been single points or normal points, I'd have been in trouble. I think it made it interesting, you know, at the end. If I look, I finished fourth. If I'd finished one more position up, I think I would have tied Power for third and fourth, and obviously the No. 1 and 2 tied, and I think we would have beat Power on a head‑to‑head on a tiebreaker, I think. But it was interesting.

However, I don't think any race should be valued above another. I know people will say the Indy 500 should, but I think every race is equally important if you're looking at a championship. Anyway, just my take.

Just like we tried the double‑file restarts and all that stuff. We don't need gimmicks in this sport to make it exciting I don't think.
(ht: VICS)

The No. 98 Bryan Herta Autosport Honda Dallara driven by soon to be 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series Rookie-Of-The-Year Gabby Chaves as it negotiates the Bus Stop complex of corners (with wheel up) at Sonoma Raceway during the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma season finale race. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

Besides that it was a great day for Scott Dixon and the 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series championship, it was also a great day for Bryan Herta Autosport and their rookie Mazda Ladder Series driver, Gabby Chaves.

Post Race Press Conference:

GABBY CHAVES (No. 98 Bowers & Wilkins / Curb Honda): "It was a very eventful race for us. We barely made it to the start.

Actually we didn't even make the starting grid, so we started about half a lap back. We had a battery problem so that was unfortunate. We think we had the right strategy and had the right pace, but once we started being it was just like we didn't really know where to go and it was hard to get rhythm behind other cars that we were much faster than.

Twice we got caught out by a yellow flag, right as we were pitting and had to bail out from pitting. We obviously lost position trying to do that and screwed up our strategy.

It was just a rough day all around, but I think our pace is good and we have to work on a few things.

I am happy with the way our Bryan Herta Autosport team worked out this year and we couldn't do it without our sponsors, Bowers & Wilkins, Castrol Edge, Deltro Electric, Alarm.com, and of course having Honda in our car. It was a fun season and I look forward to what 2016 has to bring." (ht: VICS)

Scott Dixon signs a hat during the post race - post championship press conference. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

Post Race Press Conference:

Q. You made both championship, first Champ Car and then IndyCar later on when it was founded. Is there anything in those championships from the technology point of view, you're very impressed, aero package, engine, whatever?

CHIP GANASSI: Well, I mean, all of it is. It's a matter of ‑‑ I think from our point of view, we're just the race team. I mean, we look at the rule book, this guy to my right and I, you look at the rule book each year and you figure out what the rules are, and you go out and try to win races with what the sanctioning body gives you, what the drivers give you, what the engine manufacturers give you, what the tires give you. You've got all these sort of inputs and you've got to take all those sort of inputs and you have to make something of it, and whoever makes the best of that package, whatever it is, is going to be the champion at the end of the year. And that's how it's been for every championship.

Each one ‑‑ none are the same. None of the championships are the same because the rules are different, a little different each year. The points systems are different. You know, the technology is different. We've done it with different engine packages, we've done it with different tires, we've done it with different cars and we've done it with different drivers.

My hat's off to Mike here on my right for putting the team together so many times over the years that just takes all these inputs that you have from different constituencies in the sport. In actual fact we have very little control ‑‑ teams have no control over the sanctioning body, we have no control over the rules, we have no control over the engines, we have no control over the tires.

We give our opinion, but I think rarely ‑‑ if we give our opinion, they do the opposite, you know. But it's just a matter of taking all those things that they give you and putting them in a ‑‑ I refer to it as baking the pie.

You put all those ingredients together and you put it in the oven and at the beginning of the season. You hope at the end of the season the pie comes out good, and fortunately it did here today.
(ht: VICS)

What a fitting end to an arguable Top 5 best ever competitive season, in the history of American open-wheel racing championship seasons.

With a "Triple-Down" strategy on 6 second pitstops combined with a "Double-Up" on awarded race points for bonuses and finishing place, we are able to crown and add a rare 4-Time open-wheel series champion through a tie-breaker, based on winning three races, during this 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series championship season.

BRAVO ... that was one great pie!

... notes from The EDJE


TAGS: GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma, Scott Dixon, Sonoma Raceway, Target Chip Ganassi Racing, Mike Hull, Chip Ganassi, Juan Pablo Montoya, Will Power, Graham Rahal, Penske Racing, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, The EDJE, Josh Farmer, STUFF,  

At GP Of INDY It's Rayhall vs. Rahal ('RAyHALl') ... Is There An Echo In Here?

Fans walk the frontstretch during the post-race track invasion at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Image Credit: Joe Skibinski via VICS

At GP Of INDY It's Rayhall vs. Rahal ('RAyHALl') ... Is There An Echo In Here?

At the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) during the final day of competition during the Grand Prix of Indianapolis, the only name heard, it seemed, was the sound made by the last name of a one-time Indy 500 winner (1986) - Bobby Rahal. In this case the name heard belonged to two different drivers in separate open-wheel series, although sounding the same, was spelled in two different ways.

Fans observe on track road course action on the mounds at IMS. Image Credit: Dana Garrett via VICS

The first session of the day belonged to a first-time driver in new IndyLights Series (that features a new Dallara racing platform powered by Mazda that looks like disturbingly like the ChampCar DP01 - down to the louvers in the sidepod) by the last name of Rayhall ... Sean Rayhall (8Star Motorsports).

Sean Rayhall leading IndyLights Race 2 at IMS. Image Credit: Tim Holle via VICS

He began the two race event by qualifying third and finishing second in Race 1 where he received a Podium trophy. on this final day of the event weekend, he began Race 2 in P2 along side of season series points leader and polesetter Ed Jones ... drafted his way down the front straight to put on a clean pass in Turn 1 and young Rayhall was never seriously challenged after the second GREEN Flag flew for the balance of the 35 lap race.

Sean Rayhall wins the IndyLights Race 2 at IMS. Image Credit: Doug Mathews via VICS

Post Race Quote:

Sean Rayhall  (#8 Bass Egg and Edvisors-8Star Motorsports): "In my head, that was longer than the six hours I've driven in endurance races! Jack was probably faster than me, but I was trying to save my tires for the end in case he got close. The restart had me nervous but I used a little trick I picked up driving Late Model (stock) cars to keep him back. After that, the only thing that was going through my head was to keep hitting my marks. I never expected this. Racing against guys like Max, RC, Ed, these guys have been doing open-wheel racing for the last five or six years, while I've done endurance racing. I'm inexperienced compared to them; it was an honor yesterday just to be on the podium with them so to be able to win, I'm just blown away. In the end, it's another race car. It's a switch in your head; you go from one to another, you drive different styles and push in different ways but you get to a point where you can flip it on and flip it off."

Sean Rayhall leading IndyLights Race 2 at IMS. Image Credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, LLC Photography

He improved all event weekend long at the IMS infield road course where he posted a P5 in Practice 1, a P6 in Practice 2, A P3 in Qualifications, A Podium P2 in Race 1, a P1 in Practice 3, and brought home the Podium hardware in Race 2 with the winner's trophy and bragging rights for next year if he is still driving IndyLights.

P1 Rayhall, P2 Enerson, P3 Chilton at IMS Race 2. Image Credit: IndyLights

As reported by IndyCar:

Rayhall crossed the finish line 4.9438 seconds ahead of RC Enerson (Schmidt Peterson Motorsports with Curb-Agajanian). Max Chilton (Carlin) finished third. After seven of 16 races, Ed Jones (Carlin) holds the provisional points lead (176), 14 ahead of Jack Harvey (Schmidt Peterson Motorsports with Curb-Agajanian).

After only two races, Sean Rayhall (8Star Motorsports) has P11 in the points (81) out of 14 drivers with points.

Leaders in for 1st pitstop leaving 15 - Graham Rahal to make up ground with light fuel tanks - 1 - Power, 22 - Pagenaud, 11 - Bourdais - no mishaps or changes in order #gpofindy #lndycar #indyrivals

A photo posted by Edmund Jenks (@the_edje) on May 9, 2015 at 1:21pm PDT

Which brings us to the main event of the weekend, the fifth race of the Verizon IndyCar Series - Grand Prix of Indianapolis, and the other Rahal ... Graham Rahal.

This excerpted and edited from The Columbus Dispatch -

IndyCar: Graham Rahal trying to make the best of slower car
By: Tim May - Friday May 8, 2015 10:44 PM

Coming off a stirring run to a second-place finish in the previous IndyCar race, Graham Rahal spoke of renewed momentum for the Rahal Letterman Lanigan race team headed into Saturday’s second Grand Prix of Indianapolis.

He stuck with the momentum on Friday, but after qualifying he wasn’t happy. Neither were most of the other 11 drivers in the 25-car field who are using Honda engines and aerodynamic devices.

Chevrolet drivers smoked them. Team Penske’s Will Power led the way, taking the pole for the race on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The “fast six” final qualifying was all Chevy; the top 12 who advanced to second-round qualifying included just one Honda, Jack Hawksworth from the Foyt Racing team, who wound up 11th.

It was like taking a “knife to a gun fight,” said Rahal, who will start 17th.

This year, IndyCar moved from stock bodies for all of the cars to aero kits (the downforce-inducing wings and pods on the cars) designed and produced by the two engine manufacturers in the series. If a team uses Honda engines it also uses the Honda aero kit. The same with Chevy.

Through the first four races and headed into the fifth, all on road or street courses, Chevy aero kits routinely have produced the faster times.

“It’s demoralizing,” Rahal said. “There’s nothing we can do; it’s out of our control. Our team has done the best job, I think, of driving the Honda all year (he’s eighth in points, up from 19th last season), but we’ve got to get the cars better.”

The Chevy drivers know there is a disparity. There is a chance of rain for the race today, which could close that gap.

“If it’s wet, absolutely,” Power said. Honda has “a lot of good drivers in their camp. Right now, they just don’t have their aero kits side of things together. … I hope they bridge that gap. It is more competitive when it’s an even playing field, which it isn’t right now.”
[Reference]


The race was run and it wasn't wet ... just a little messy at first, and fast (only one Full Course YELLOW Flag).

Seven cars were visibly involved in the Turn One incident, at race start, when the pack funneled down into the sharp first corner. Others got banged and bent. Third place starter, Helio Castroneves/No.3 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, rear-ended second place starter, Scott Dixon/No.9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet. At least two cars stalled and had to be started – Jack Hawksworth/No.41 ABC Supply AJ Foyt and Josef Newgarden/No.21 Century 21 CFH Racing Chevrolet. Everyone else continued, eventually, but some had to pit for repairs. Image Credit: Eric Schwarzkopf

From IndyCar - ANGIE’S LIST GRAND PRIX OF INDIANAPOLIS RACE RUNNING:

Lap 1: GREEN flag at 3:49 p.m. 1-Power leads the field into Turn 1. FULL COURSE CAUTION, contact in Turn 1 involving 9-Dixon, 3-Castroneves, 41-Hawksworth, 5-Hinchcliffe and 21-Newgarden. 3-Castroneves and 5-Hinchcliffe keep going. 9-Dixon, 41-Hawksworth and 21-Newgarden are stopped in Turn 1, assisted by the Holmatro Safety Team, restarted and return to the field.

Lap 2: Pits are open. Pitting are: 25-Wilson (replace front wing), 83-Kimball, 5-Hinchcliffe, 3-Castroneves, 7-Jakes, 9-Dixon (replace front and rear wings), 21-Newgarden (replace rear wing), 18-Huertas, 41-Hawksworth (replace front wing).

Lap 4: GREEN flag. 1-Power leads 22-Pagenaud. 15-Rahal has advanced 11 positions from the start to sixth place.

P1 Rahal in & out in 8 seconds - slots in after Power but before Pagenaud. #gpofindy #lndycar #indyrivals

A photo posted by Edmund Jenks (@the_edje) on May 9, 2015 at 1:47pm PDT

This excerpted and edited from NBC Sports Motorsports Talk -

Graham Rahal bridesmaid again in Grand Prix of Indianapolis
By: Daniel McFadin - May 9, 2015, 7:14 PM EDT

It never rained and Rahal didn’t require its services. Thanks to a Lap 1, Turn 1 crash involving Helio Castroneves, Scott Dixon, Jack Hawksworth and Josef Newgarden, Rahal was able to go from 17th to sixth before he made it to Turn 5 on the opening lap.

“I said I’ll go as far left as they can, I’ll have a great angle to cut to the apex,” Rahal said of his plan for the first turn. “Worst comes to worse I’ll do the shortcut. It’ll be fine. Sure enough it worked perfect. I saw smoke everywhere. Next thing I know I see (Scott Dixon). I got (JR) Hildebrand into four. That definitely went our way.”

Then a strategy of pitting a lap later than the leaders put Rahal into the top three and within reasonable distance of Power. He led nine laps during green flag pit stops, but afterward was never able to make up full deficit due to lapped cars.

“I feel good about it. We’ve come away from finishing first by like three seconds combined,” Rahal said. “This tiny little one car team is fighting with Penske and that feels pretty good.”

It should feel good, though finishing second is undoubtedly getting old.

Still, Rahal, now fifth in points with his single-car team, has multiple podiums in a season for the first time since the 2011 campaign when Rahal notched three with Chip Ganassi Racing.
[Reference]

Angie's List #GPofINDY Podium (middle - Will Power P1, right - Graham Rahal P2, left - Juan Pablo Montoya P3) - This is Will Power’s first victory this season and 25th of his career, which ties him with Gordon Johncock for 15th place on the all-time list. It comes in Power’s 144th career start. Power is the fifth different winner in as many races in the 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series season (following Juan Pablo Montoya, James Hinchcliffe, Scott Dixon and Josef Newgarden). The #GPofINDY race featured six different leaders (Will Power, Graham Rahal, Charlie Kimball, Scott Dixon, James Hinchcliffe and James Jakes). None of the six led a lap in the inaugural 2014 Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis. Graham Rahal finished second for the second straight race, tying his season-best finish. Image Credit: Eric Schwarzkopf via FB

This Verizon IndyCar Series season now has had 5 races with the last two showing great promise for the rest of 2015. Some complaints about the lack of Mushroom Busting or Trailing Turbulence which reduces an ease in passing with one of the most vocal drivers in the on-air post race comments being Sebastien Bourdais (starting P7 and finished P4).

Don't tell this to Graham Rahal (race's most improved 15 positions - started P17 - Finished P2) or, Helio Castroneves (started P3, booted Dixon in Turn 1, dropped back to P23 or P24 on Lap 10 pitstop, finished P6), or for that matter, the Verizon IndyCar Series PR department who is boasting 192 passes for position on the track, 11 lead changes and six leaders in the 82-lap race.

Podium Press Conference >>>

No matter how it's spelled (Rayhall / Rahal) it all sounds the same and that "RAyHALl" sound heard throughout the paddocks, for most all of the day, Saturday, is the sound the of success few other names have at the 2nd annual Grand Prix of Indianapolis.

What a way to start the "Month Of May" at IMS. Next up ... practice for the 99th running of the Indianapolis 500 will begin May 11 (racecontrol.indycar.com).

Qualifications will be May 16 - ABC @ 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm ET and May 17 - ABC @ 1:00 pm - 3:00pm ET - includes V E R I Z O N  I N D Y C A R  S E R I E S – Q U A L I F Y I N G – F A S T 9 (racecontrol.indycar.com).

Coors Light Carb Day will be May 22 (racecontrol.indycar.com).

The INDY 500 race will be May 24 and televised at 12:00pm ET on ABC Networks and racecontrol.indycar.com.

... notes from The EDJE


TAGS: Sean Rayhall, Graham Rahal, Grand Prix of Indianapolis, Month of May, 8Star Motorsports, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, IndyLights, IndyCar, Will Power, Juan Pablo Montoya, RC Enerson, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, Curb-Agajanian, Max Chilton, Carlin, The EDJE, Verizon IndyCar Series, Indianapolis Motor Speedway,

IZOD IndyCar Series Review At 3 Of 19 Scheduled Races For 2013

Former F1, and IZOD IndyCar Series KV Racing Technologies team driver, Takuma Sato - AJ Foyt Racing ... looking at data feedback after posting a P4 in qualifications for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2013)

IZOD IndyCar Series Review At 3 Of 19 Scheduled Races For 2013

With 15.7894% of the season in the books, an early review of the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series (IICS) season seemed to be in order.

The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach helped to cement a couple of themes that seem to shaping up in this sophomore season of the Dallara DW12 racing platform, two engine manufacturer era of American open-wheel racing.

Takuma Sato and the AJ Foyt Racing team in winner's circle at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Image Credit: AJ Foyt Enterprises (2013)

First, congratulations to AJ Foyt Racing for helping to deliver a team effort role in Japanese, and former F1 driver, Takuma Sato's first win in the top rung of world automobile racing. A fully honest win won racing starting from P4 at the drop of the green flag aided only by a flawless performance driving the Honda-powered DW12 on the track, and team work in the pits for tires and fuel.

By winning the third race of the season, Takuma Sato notches his first win in 52 IICS race starts. His previous best finish at Long Beach was P8. Image Credit: Chris Jones IICS (2013)

This excerpted and edited from Aljazeera -

Sato and Japan make mark on IndyCar
Aljazeera – Fri, Apr 26, 2013

Takuma Sato says joining AJ Foyt Racing put him in position to become the first Japanese driver to win an IndyCar race.

Sato returned to Japan on Friday to speak about his historic win last Sunday in the Grand Prix of Long Beach, just his third race with the team.

"Motorsports is a team sport and you can't win without complete effort from the team," Sato said at a news conference. "The thing about AJ Foyt Racing is that regardless of the conditions they provide the stability needed to win."

The win at Long Beach came in Sato's 52nd career start in IndyCar, but was the first for AJ Foyt Racing since Airton Dare won Kansas in 2002.
----
IndyCar pulled out of Japan after the 2011 race, and Sato said he hopes his win at Long Beach will help return the series to his homeland. "People in Japan love IndyCar," the 36-year-old Sato said. "I can't bring it back myself but I hope in some small way the win in Long Beach will help bring it back. I want to race in the Indy Japan before my career is over."
[Reference Here]

Helio Castroneves survives a Honda engine onslaught at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach to lead all drivers in the points with his Penske Racing Chevy-powered DW12 after three races. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2013)

When the dust settled on the third race of the 2013 season, the top five drivers in the points for the IZOD IndyCar Series season championship are 1) Penske Racing's Helio Castroneves - Chevy - 99 points, 2) AJ Foyt Racing's Takuma Sato - Honda - 93 points (the only race winner this season in the top five), 3) Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon - Honda - 89 points, 4) Andretti Autosport's Marco Andretti - Chevy - 87 points, and 5) Dale Coyne Racing's Justin Wilson - Honda - 81 points. To paraphrase Takuma Sato in what he stated in the interview above, these drivers through three races "regardless of the conditions they (the teams and drivers) provide the stability needed to win."

The drivers of the podium take their victory lap to the cheers of the crowd - all three drivers were from teams that were not named Andretti, Ganassi, or Penske. Takuma Sato of AJ Foyt Racing - P1 (R), Graham Rahal of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing- P2 (L), and Justin Wilson of Dale Coyne Racing - P3 (C). Image Credit: John Cote IICS (2013)

The other observable major point is that the top five, which almost always is exclusively populated by three multiple car teams ... and we know them all to well, have been broken up with the presence of two very competent drivers who drive for single car teams that have had trouble with consistency in previous years. That, and

Honda, after not showing so well in the first race of the season at St. Petersburg, Florida, has rebounded to the point that one could say that if you are driving for a team with a Honda engine, you may have a shot at an IICS Championship. Honda was able to occupy 9 of the top 15 positions at race's end at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach - which Honda and HPD consider their home track being that their main facility is located in Santa Clarita.

Some numbers to note from the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, the third race of the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series season:

1 - Indy car race winners from Japan: Takuma Sato, who became the second first-time winner in three races.

2 - Consecutive fifth-place finishes at Long Beach for JR Hildebrand.

3 - Drivers who have finished in the top 10 in each of the first three IZOD IndyCar Series events: Marco Andretti, Helio Castroneves and Justin Wilson.

5 - Different teams represented in the top five in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

6 - Points separating the top two drivers, Helio Castroneves and Takuma Sato, in the IZOD IndyCar Series standings.

7 - Different teams represented in the top 10 in the IZOD IndyCar Series standings.

8 - Different drivers to score podium finishes in nine races.

12 - Positions gained by Graham Rahal in the IZOD IndyCar Series point standings, the biggest jump among drivers who competed.

13 - Drivers with at least one top-five finish in 2013.

18 - Points separating the top-five drivers in the IZOD IndyCar Series standings.

20 - Drivers with at least one top-10 finish in 2013.

21 - Positions improved by Justin Wilson, the most positions gained by any driver. Wilson finished third. ["I think (the competition is) just so tense," said Justin Wilson, who charged from the 24th starting position to earn third place at Long Beach in the No. 19 Dale Coyne Racing entry. "There are so many drivers in this championship that are capable of winning races. When you do your lap in the car, you don't know when you come in if you're first or 25th.

"You can't afford to miss anything. You can't afford to have a bad result. The way this championship happens, when racers have had bad results, it opens it right up. I think it's going to be more intense and interesting as the season goes on."]

27 - Laps led by Dario Franchitti at Long Beach. Franchitti led a total of 11 laps on road/street courses in 2012.

50 - Laps led by Takuma Sato at Long Beach, the most laps he has led in any Indy car race. Sato's previous high was 31 at Indianapolis in 2012.

199 - Consecutive Indy car starts for Tony Kanaan dating to the 2001 CART race in Portland. Kanaan is second to Jimmy Vasser's 211 straight starts.
(ht: indycar staff)

Lastly, do not bother to try to break into the top five in the points unless your car (and in one case, including helmet) livery colors include Red, White, and Blue:

Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2013) 

Helio has Automobile Club of Southern California - "Triple A",

Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2013)

TAKU sports the ABC Supply Americana motif,

Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2013)

Dixie's predominately Red with White lettering and logo Target car combined with his distinctive Blue lid,

Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2013)

Marco with RC Cola,

Image Credit: Richard Dowdy IICS (2013)

Finally, who can imagine becoming more Red, White, and Blue than the Boy Scouts of America who wraps the DW12 of Justin Wilson!

Quite fitting for the ultimate professional open-wheel racing series in America to be led by such a thematically colorful, yet international contingent.

Next weekend is the running of the fourth straight road/street race of the season and the last race before the INDY 500, the world's most famous 'oval' race track. The drivers become the boys and girls of Brazil (Helio's home track) as they race at an event facility known in Sao Paulo for it's Samba Festival held during pre-Lenten celebration of Carnival.

... notes from The EDJE

Seven Questions With IZOD IndyCar Series' Graham Rahal

TwitPic uploaded by Graham Rahal after he saw the RLLR 2013 DW12 in its Midas livery for the first time. Image Credit: Graham Rahal (2013)

Seven Questions With IZOD IndyCar Series' Graham Rahal

Graham Rahal is entering his sixth year competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series (IICS) after beginning his top-level open wheel driving career in the ChampCar World Series in 2007 where he finished 5th in the points, his best top level end-of-year position, driving for Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing.

This year will mark the first time Graham will be racing for a team owned by his father, open wheel racing champion and sports car championship winning team owenr Bobby Rahal, in an open wheel racing series since the Star Mazda Series (now rebadged as the Pro Mazda Series in the Mazda Road To INDY ladder series) in 2005. The Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLLR) team effort will have Brit, James Jakes, join Graham and form a two car effort for 2013, and this will mark the first time RLLR has fielded a multi-car full season team in the IICS since 2007.

Graham Rahal sat down to give a preseason interview with IndyCar Advocate in advance of a Graham Rahal Foundation charity event scheduled to be held March 9th at the Dallara Indycar Factory in Indianapolis, Indiana.

VIDEO of our out lap at Sebring to kick-off 2013 IndyCar testing. Check out the GoPro camera on G's helmet (Ctrl-click image to launch video). Image and Video Credit: RLLR

This excerpted and edited from the IndyCar Advocate -

This isn't your first time racing with your dad, but a lot of fans are definitely looking forward to seeing how your father-son duo does over the rigors of the season. In your opinion, what are the biggest benefits to being a part of his team?

GR: The biggest benefit is the commitment and the at ease feeling that I have from within right now. This group is top notch, they want to win, the commitment is superb, and I think we are going to have a great few years together.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing was extremely fast last season, grabbing a couple of podiums and narrowly missing out on winning the Indy 500. With bringing veteran engineer Eddie Jones on the offseason, what are the main goals to improve upon last year?

GR: Eddie is certainly a great addition to our team. I love Eddie's mentality and his work ethic. His approach to our team and the sport is exactly what you like to see with an engineer, cool calm and collected while always searching for every advantage possible. Eddie mixed with my engineer Gerry [Hughes] will be a great combination. Certainly excited to have him with James.

You've got a new teammate this year in James Jakes. How much have you hung out with him before this season, and what do you look for in a teammate?

GR: James is a great guy. He and I have really clicked, something I can't say I've had much in the past. It's nice we share a lot of the same interests, and I think that will help us both on and off the track. I am excited to have him with us, and I think people will see a whole different James with this team than what they have before!

This is your 6th year in IndyCar since the merger. Mentally, how is your preparation and attitude going into the season compared to previous years?

GR: I think I am much more at ease this year. I feel quietly confident that this team can surprise some people. I have always been someone that was concerned with what was going on when I wasn't watching, but here I know everything that is happening is happening so we can win. There are zero doubts in my mind we have put together a great group of people here at RLLR.

Aside from the obvious answer of Indianapolis, is there another race on this year's schedule you have circled in red you're really looking forward to this year?

GR: I am looking forward to Houston, St. Pete of course, Mid Ohio and really everywhere we go. Every track presents a different challenge and that's what I love about indycar racing! 

 

If you're anywhere around Indianapolis, you'll want to be at the Dallara Facility in Speedway on Saturday, March 9. That's the day the Graham Rahal Foundation will be hosting a big charity event at the facility, along with Indy Cars and Coffee. Graham himself took the time to answer a few questions about the event and his charity.

Tell us about the big charity event at Dallara coming up on March 9?

GR: Our event on March 9th is going to be great. I attend a local group called Cars and Coffee in Indianapolis on Saturdays. They’re a large group of car and racing fans with big hearts. They were invited to tour the Dallara Indycar Factory and decided to turn the tour into an event to benefit my foundation, The Graham Rahal Foundation. The event will be from 11-5 on March 9th with tours of the Dallara facility, two seater rides, iRacing simulators, an autograph session and more.

With the Graham Rahal Foundation involved, this might be a good time to tell fans a bit more about just what it does. Who does your foundation seek to help, and was there a reason your specially chose those causes?

GR: The Graham Rahal Foundation was started in 2009 after my boss, Paul Newman, passed away. Paul was such a huge advocate for giving back to others and I wanted to continue that even after his passing. He inspired me to be a better person and to never take life for granted. GRF raises money for Alex’s Lemonade Stand and Paul’s foundation, SeriousFun Networks. Donations at the event will be taken to help us raise money for GRF, which will allow us to give back to these two amazing groups. Through various events, we have raised over $200,000 and helped many children in need. It’s a great thing to be part of.

For more information, follow the Graham Rahal Foundation on Twitter, and also remember to follow Indy Cars and Coffee.  Thanks to Graham for his time, and see you for a great cause on March 9!
[Reference Here]

... notes from The EDJE

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IICS Eleventh Round #EdmontonIndy Tweet-By-Tweet

 As cars were still in the process of finishing the race, Penske's Helio Castroneves celebrates his second win of the season ... Spiderman-Style. Image Credit: Sportsnet.ca


IICS Eleventh Round #EdmontonIndy Tweet-By-Tweet

Ryan Hunter-Reay's hot streak continued yesterday during Firestone Fast Six qualifications as the American edged Dario Franchitti by one one-hundredth of a second for pole at the Edmonton City Centre Raceway. However, because the Andretti Autosport driver will incur a 10-spot grid penalty for an engine change, Hunter-Reay will start 11th, with Franchitti leading the field to the green flag.

"It was great we picked up a championship point for the pole, but too bad we will be starting 11th instead of first because of the engine change," said Ryan Hunter-Reay after qualifications. "[The race] will be really interesting for everyone."

Ryan Briscoe, Takuma Sato, Alex Tagliani, and Helio Castroneves completed the Firestone Fast Six, while championship contenders Will Power and Scott Dixon were caught by a brief rain storm during round two, which kept them making the Fast Six round. Power will start P17, while Dixon will grid in 18th position after he too incurred a 10-spot grid penalty for changing an engine.

The following entries about the Honda Indy Toronto come from “Tweet Deck” tweet-by-tweet with added comments from the author:

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE

Pivotal #EdmontonIndy may prove P2P strategy key to winningexaminer.com/article /pivota… via@examinercom #indycar #dw12 #p2p#chevrolet #honda

Dario Franchitti and Ryan Briscoe lead the field into turn one at the start of the Edmonton Indy. Image Credit: INDYCAR/LAT USA

GREEN, GREEN, GREEN - This will be the last color of race control flag being waved the rest of the race!

The action of this 2012 #EdmontonIndy got going quickly as Dario Franchitti led off the initial start while Ryan Briscoe, who shared the front row, began falling back and dropped to fifth. Alex Tagliani, who started fourth, made an aggressive move to second and eventually took the lead from Franchitti as the field completed the first lap.

The first stint ran without incident with the only drama occurring on lap 13 as James Hinchcliffe missed his braking point in the final hairpin when he tried to pass Simon Pagenaud for 10th. He ran wide in the corner and fell to 13th. Will Power broke loose somewhat on corner exit and slightly brushed the wall - no major effect.

LAP20 of 75 - Top Ten - Tagliani, Franchitti, Sato, Castroneves, Briscoe, Rahal, Barrichello, Wilson, Hunter-Reay, and Pagenaud

LAP23 of 75 - Pitstops begin - Will Power overtakes Pagenaud for P10

LAP25 has Rahal, Wilson, Pagenaud, Newgarden, Kimball and more in for fuel and a change of tires - Briscoe and Power stay out - Castroneves, who started the race on black tires, changed to REDS during his first stop

The two Penske Racing drivers come in on LAP26 and Will Power comes out just ahead in contention on Turn #1 of Ryan Hunter-Reay to begin LAP27

LAP30 of 75 - Top Ten - Tagliani, Helio, Dario, TAKU, Briscoe, Rahal, Power, Kanaan, RHR, and Wilson

We pick up the addition of Tweet-By-Tweet commentary on LAP35:

Christopher Estrada @estradawriting
Takuma Sato finally gets past Dario Franchitti! Move him to third place.

#IndyCar #EdmontonIndy

Dominique Gelineau @dgelineau
Sato overtakes Franchitti - Sato now in 3rd. #edmontonindy

Rebecca F. @hermione278
Nice job by Sato! #EdmontonIndy

Meesh Beer @whatimthinking
GO TAKU GO!! #indycar #edmontonindy

Matt Archuleta @indy44
The P2P has definitely improved the racing today. Can't remember seeing this much passing at Edmonton. #EdmontonIndy

TCGR @TCGRTeams
Lap 38 @dariofranchitti reporting overtake assist is not working #edmontonindy

LAP38 of 75 - Top 10 - Tagliani, Castroneves, Sato, Briscoe, Rahal, Power, Hunter-Reay, Wilson, and Hinchcliffe

Team Barracuda - BHA @BHA
Great to hear so many messages of support from the fans! Tagliani continues to lead at #EdmontonIndy!

The gap between Briscoe and Power is getting smaller ... may catch up and gain positions

Matt Archuleta @indy44
Lap 42 and no yellows. I hope I didn't jinx it by posting that. #EdmontonIndy

Rebecca F. @hermione278
Servia still has all of his P2P left. #EdmontonIndy

Ted Bauer @tedgbauer
Engine wise here how it looks only Ford in the top 5 is 2nd place - rest are Honda Engines. #edmontonindy

WHAT??

Dale Coyne Racing's James Jakes as he gets overtaken by an animated Andretti Autosport's Ryan Hunter-Reay. Image Credit: IICS

James Jakes @JamesJakes
JJ experiencing problems with the left rear. In the pits for the crew to exam. #EdmontonIndy #indycar2012

LAP45 of 75 - Power only .5 sec. behind Briscoe now ... passes Briscoe for position to P6 and now set sights on Rahal who is less than 2 seconds ahead

Keyrazy LEDs @KeyrazyLEDs
So Servia is the only driver that has not used ptp yet at the @IndyCar #Edmontonindy race. Pagenaud has almost used his up!

LAP 48 of 75 - Servia is in P21 and Pagenaud is in P11

CogitoErgoBibo @CogitoErgoBibo
Amazing that we're still caution-free in #edmontonindy Hope that holds. Great racing!

Rebecca F. @hermione278
Sato gaining on Helio. #EdmontonIndy

Final pitstops expected soon as we are on LAP49 of 75

Helio Castroneves is in the pits on LAP50 - REDS on in order to finish out the last stint - Wilson in as well!

LAP51 Taku, Tags, Dario, Briscoe, RHR, and more

Castroneves passes Tagliani on pitstop exchange for the lead

Power comes out in P4 in front of Rahal and more importantly ahead of RHR at P7

LAP55 of 75 - Top 10 - Helio, Tagliani, Sato, Power, Rahal, Dario, Briscoe, Hunter-Reay, Kanaan, and Wilson

Takuma Sato puts a pass on Tagliani for P2

Meesh Beer @whatimthinking
@therossbynum if anyone is insane enough to try it, it's Taku!! #indycar #edmontonindy

Sébastien Bourdais @BourdaisOnTrack
http://twitvid.com/RDDOK - Second pitstop // Deuxième pitstop #edmontonindy

Joe @WFOJoe
I'd like to see #IndyCar add 150hp for next year, good racing but the cars need to be faster! #Boost

Will Power passes Tagliani for P3 on LAP57 - Tags blocks Rahal but does not get away with it - spins and loses positions to P5

IndyCar al día @indycaraldiaweb
Alex Tagliani perdió hasta el 5to lugar, lo han pasado Power y Rahal. Gran estrategia del australiano #IndyCar

LAP 59 of 75 - Helio pulls away from Taku by 1.2 seconds

LAP 60 of 75 - Top 10 - Helio, Sato, Power, Rahal, Tags, Dario, Briscoe, RHR, Wilson, and Dixon

LAP 61 of 75 - Sato is cutting into the lap times of Helio and looks stronger and wants the lead of the race - He looks to be dropping deeper into the corners than Helio

Dan Brodeur @LumberingD
Good one! RT @SUNdvandiest As long as Helio Castroneves doesn't block anybody, he should be able to win this race. #edmontonindy

Shane Rogers @shagers
Bobby Rahal: "Helio starts blocking when he picks up his rental car from the airport." LOL. #indycar #EdmontonIndy

Top 5 DW12's are running on the REDS

Dominique Gelineau @dgelineau
Sato will have the pass in the next few laps. He's getting quicker. #edmontonindy

Rebecca F. @hermione278
Newgarden is the last car on the lead lap. #EdmontonIndy

Zachary Houghton @indycaradvocate
Honda vs Chevy. Who's got this? #edmontonindy

Gina Navarra @fastlifeofgina
I really wanna see Taku win especially after what happened at the #Indy500 #EdmontonIndy #IndyCar

Ten laps to go and it is still Castroneves and Sato for the lead with NO YELLOW Flags!

Rahal in P4 is challenging Power for position at P3 at .6 seconds back

Sarah Quest @leadtheway
I know I'm supposed to be cheering for the Rebel Alliance, but I want to see Helio win.... #EdmontonIndy

Victor Vallee @Victor_Vallee
Sato is hungry, but does he have enough to get by Helio? #IndyCar

Ian Court @iancourtracing
C'mon Taku, nail him #SatoForTheWin #Indycar #edmontonindy

Larry Collester Sr
With just a few laps to go. Castroneves was pushing his Push to not get passed button!

Gina Navarra @fastlifeofgina
Do either Helio or Taku have any P2P left? #EdmontonIndy #IndyCar

The biggest problem with P2P is that there is little way for the fans to know where the drivers are in relation to this tool and its use

LAP70 of 75 - It is still Helio holding off Sato - Power being challenged by Rahal for P3 - and RHR challenging Ryan Briscoe for P7

Racing all over the place on this weird counter-clockwise course - Lapped traffic may come into play

TrackVids.com @TrackVids_com
#IndyCar: Sato having difficulty getting the power down and falls back, then catches up under braking...every lap

LAP71 of 75 - Power has pulled a full second on Rahal - Servia at P24 pulls out of the way of the lead pack traffic - very professional

This may end up good for Helio, good for Power and, of course, Great for Penske

Shane Rogers @shagers
Championship quality drive by Power today. #indycar #EdmontonIndy

Three laps to go - RHR passes Ryan Briscoe for P7

Richard Griffis @RichardGriffis
Is there anything dumber in racing than push to pass used by #indycar at #edmontonindy? Please let the drivers drive without the gimics!

Castroneves has 27 seconds of P2P whereas Sato only has 15 seconds

Tony Stack @TonyStack1
Come on Tacu Sato great racing to the flag #IndyCar

Javi Martin @rubiodj77
2 laps to go, todo sugue igual en el TOP 5 liderando Castroneves #IndyCar

RacingNation Crew @RacingNation
Just think how good this battle would be between @h3lio & Sato if they had 200 more HP? #edmontonindy #IndyCar

Last lap it is all Helio Castroneves and Sato trails 10 car lengths

CHECKERED Flag - Helio Wins #EdmontonIndy and moves up to P2 in the points championship

Final Top Ten - Helio Castroneves, Takuma Sato, Will Power (makes podium after starting in P17), Graham Rahal, Alex Tagliani, Dario Franchitti Ryan Hunter-Reay, Ryan Briscoe, Justin Wilson, and Scott Dixon

Tony DiZinno @tonydizinno
That sound you hear is the collective groan from the #IndyCar fanbase as Taku finishes second.

Emma Buxton @EmBuxton
🏁#edmontonindyy!@h3lioo takes the win,@TakumaSatoRacerr &@12WillPowerr on podium.#indycar20122 WOOOOO HOOOO

Fernando Oliveri @olivierirokao
@h3lio wins! #IndyCar

Gabriel Marinho @marinho_gabriel
elio castroneves vence o gp d edmonton, a 11ª etapa da #formulaindy 2012; sato é o 2º, power 3º, barrichello o 15º e kannan 19º. #indycar

Linda @greenfield7814
Great race for Power and Sato #Indycar

Kassia @KassiaS10
@h3lio is the winner! Woohoo in your face! #indycar

Bruno Santos @_snatos
Parabéns ao @h3lio na #IndyCar

IZOD IndyCar Series @IndyCar
Checkered flag on the #edmontonindy! @h3lio takes the win! @TakumaSatoRacer & @12WillPower on podium. #indycar2012

Jennifer Coomer @jennifercoomer
@h3lio HELIO! HELIO! HELIO! HELIO! HELIO! HELIO! HELIO! HELIO! HELIO! HELIO! HELIO! HELIO! HELIO! #edmontonindy #IndyCar

"Spiderman" Castroneves climbs the fence again as he did at the end of the first race of the season in St. Petersburg after his first win of the season. At the time of this expression of joy for his win, cars were still crossing the finish line to take the Checkered Flag. Image Credit: IICS via Twitter


1 Racing Mind @1RacingMind
Helio Castroneves wins the #INDYCAR series #EdmontonIndy.


Joan Boscà @sentoan
#IndyCar Ganó Castroneves, 2º Sato, 3º Power, Oriol último con problemas #IndyCar

Dan Takyi @D4NT4KY1
Castoneves wins! Sato P2, Power then Rahal, Tagliani, Frnachetti, Hunter-Reay, Briscoe, Wilson, Dixon, Conway Hinchcliffe, Kimball #Indycar

Basementball @basementball
Helio Castroneves wins at #Edmonton. That was a fantastic race with NO CAUTIONS. I wish every race could be like that. #IndyCar

Mazza @GPtee_
#edmontonindy #indycar2012 Great race - thanks for the action @TakumaSatoRacer & @h3lio now for the Spiderman ;-)

Jason Sharpe @jasonsharpe
That @TakumaSatoRacer is an awesome addition to this series...great drive today. #IndyCar #edmonton

SpeedFreaks @SpeedFreaks
Caution free @IndyCar race won by @h3lio... #EdmontonIndy Excellent run by @TakumaSatoRacer too! #IndyCar

Nikki Thompson @nikki_btcc
Great drive @h3lio! #IndyCar #EdmontonIndy

Four Chevy's (P1, P3, P7, P8) and six Honda's (P2, P4, P5, P6, P9, P10) in the top ten

SWO @Pudgey_Pete
@shagers Radio broadcast had it covered at least. T&S was great today with the P2P numbers and who was on it. @RBINDYCAR #indycar

Mark Johnson @MarkJ19960
@h3lio wins @ Edmonton and @RyanHunterReay holds onto a 23 pt lead over now P2 Castroneves & 26 over P3 Power. #IndyCar pic.twitter.com/y9QpLNnw

Podium celebration with (L to R) P3 RLL Racing's Takuma Sato, P1 Penske Racing's Helio Castroneves, and P3 Penske Racing's Will Power at Edmonton City Centre Raceway. Image Credit: IICS via Twitter

Official #EdmontonIndy Results

Pos.     Driver             Laps     Running / Reason Out

1     Helio Castroneves     75     Running
2     Takuma Sato         75     Running
3     Will Power         75     Running
4     Graham Rahal         75     Running
5     Alex Tagliani         75     Running

6     Dario Franchitti     75     Running
7     Ryan Hunter-Reay     75     Running
8     Ryan Briscoe         75     Running
9     Justin Wilson         75     Running
10     Scott Dixon         75     Running

11     Mike Conway         75     Running
12     James Hinchcliffe     75     Running
13     Rubens Barrichello     75     Running
14     Marco Andretti         75     Running
15     Sebastien Bourdais     75     Running

16     EJ Viso         75     Running
17     Josef Newgarden     75     Running
18     Tony Kanaan         75     Running
19     Charlie Kimball     75     Running
20     Simon Pagenaud         74     Contact

21     JR Hildebrand         74     Running
22     Ed Carpenter         74     Running
23     Simona de Silvestro     73     Running
24     Oriol Servia         65     Mechanical
25     James Jakes         43     Mechanical

In two weeks, the IZOD IndyCar Series is back in the Midwest for the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio. The twelfth race of the season will take place on Sunday, August 5. An estimated green flag for the 85-lap competition is scheduled to drop at approximately 1 p.m. EDT. Fans can watch the live broadcast on ABC, or listen live on IMS Radio Network and Sirius (XM 94 and Sirius 212).

... notes from The EDJE


** Article first published as IICS Eleventh Round #EdmontonIndy Tweet-By-Tweet on Technorati **