A Texas Round-Up For The T-Team Ten

Welcome Indy Racing League, to Texas Motor Speedway - Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

A Texas Round-Up For The T-Team Ten

The best thing that could be said for a race that was shaping up to be one of the most exciting in terms of finishes was that most of the T-Team Ten improved position over their qualifying placement in the grid. All of the drivers raced well; however, the three drivers who had to retire from the race due to contact did not take others out with them...another good thing.

On lap ten, Mario Dominguez of Pacific Coast Motorsports / Visit Mexico City spun all of the way around and, apparently … according to the announcer, did not touch anything.

Exhaust flames push out as the Pacific Coast Motorsports team replaces flat-spotted tires on Mario Dominguez's car after his spin on Lap 10. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

Said Tyler Tadevic, PCM Team Owner, after the race:

“We now have our first IndyCar race in the books and Mario did a great job. He had a great start and a strong first stint, he picked up three positions.

Unfortunately, he spun but his skill kept it off the wall and kept the car running. He brought it to the pits for a fresh set of Firestone tires and rejoined the race on the same lap.

He developed a handling problem after the spin, which after taking a look at the car, we found that he actually did brush the wall and it bent the rear wing just a little bit and also damaged the right rear shock. Unfortunately that damage created a push.

We didn’t realize that the car was damaged, so we didn’t know that was what was causing the push. We thought it was a handling issue, so we added front wing which actually slowed Mario’s pace despite him being full throttle. He did a great job all night out there.

The crew made great pitstops. They battled a sticky valve on the fuel rig which slowed down one stop, but they were able to remedy it.

All in all, we didn’t finish where we wanted to, but we finished and we are headed back to California with everything where it is supposed to be!”

The bend A-Frame of Justin Wilson's Dallara. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2008) The EDJE

On Lap 38: a Yellow flag for contact with wall in Turn 4 by Justin Wilson Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing / McDonald’s slowed the field. He has a broken front right suspension

Lap 47: Oriol Servia KV Racing Technology / Plantronics hits the wall and takes himself out

Lap 55: Yellow for spin out of Turn 4 by Mario Moraes Dale Coyne Racing / Sonny’s BBQ.

Lap 56: Contact was between Tomas Scheckter and Mario Moraes in Turn 4. Scheckter is back out. Mario Moraes was able to get out on the track with repairs and finish the race running 18th.

With just 18 laps to go (Lap 210) Enrique Bernoldi Conquest Racing / Sangari crashes and has to retire.

Enrique Bernoldi (foreground) and Jamie Camara of Conquest Racing run side-by-side on the track at Texas Motor Speedway. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

Qual-Race Pos. / Car# / Driver / Team / Sponsor

18-11/06 Graham Rahal - Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing / McDonald’s
8-13/ 8 Will Power - KV Racing Technology / AU-Australia
28-14/33 EJ Viso - HVM Racing / PDVSA
26-15/18 Bruno Junqueira - Dale Coyne Racing / Z-Line
22-18/19 Mario Moraes - Dale Coyne Racing / Sonny’s BBQ
24-21/96 Mario Dominguez - Pacific Coast Motosports / Visit Mexico City
20-23/36 Enrique Bernoldi - Conquest Racing / Sangari - Contact
21-24/34 Jamie Camara - Conquest Racing / Sangari
16-26/ 5 Oriol Servia - KV Racing Technology / Plantronics - Contact
23-27/02 Justin Wilson - Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing / McDonald’s – Contact

Scott Dixon celebrates another win at Texas Motor Speedway. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

This excerpted from Autosport –

Dixon wins again in Texas
By Jeff Olson Sunday, June 8th 2008, 04:37 GMT

Scott Dixon passed Marco Andretti for the lead with six laps remaining, then idled to victory under caution after Andretti crashed with Ryan Hunter-Reay with five laps remaining in the Bombardier Learjet 550k.

The victory was Dixon's third of the season and sixth podium finish in seven races this season, increasing his IndyCar Series lead over runner-up Helio Castroneves to 35 points.

Dixon trailed Andretti on a restart with nine laps remaining in the 228-lap race but passed him for the lead with six laps left.

A lap later, as Andretti and Ryan Hunter-Reay battled for second, their cars crashed hard and hit the wall. Hunter-Reay was OK, but Andretti sustained minor injuries to his right foot. X-rays were negative, but Andretti was limping noticeably after the race.

Following Dixon and Castroneves to the finish line was Ryan Briscoe, who lost a lap earlier in the race when he missed his pit box and was penalized, and Dixon's teammate, Dan Wheldon, who finished fourth despite an ankle injury to his right foot sustained Friday during practice.

The win was anticlimactic proof that Dixon and his Target Chip Ganassi Racing team are the class of the series so far this year. He has led 633 of 1,327 laps in the first seven races, and, with Wheldon‘s win at Kansas, Ganassi's team has won four of the first seven races of 2008.
----
"At the end, he left it wide open," Dixon said of Andretti's move up the track that gave Dixon space to move underneath. "I don't know what he was doing. Marco's car was good on the high line, so maybe he couldn't sit on the bottom. If it was me, I wouldn't have given up that much room.

Tony Kanaan finished fifth, Hideki Mutoh was sixth, and Vitor Meira, who led a stint until he was forced to pit with 21 laps remaining, finished seventh. Buddy Rice, Ed Carpenter and Danica Patrick rounded out the top 10.

The key moment of the race forced a second consecutive race to end under caution and left one driver hobbling and another fuming. After Dixon passed Andretti for the lead, Ryan Hunter-Reay began to pressure Andretti for position.

As Hunter-Reay moved inside Andretti in the entry to Turn 3 with five laps remaining, Hunter-Reay was forced down onto the apron and lost control, sending both cars into the wall.

"He came down on me," Hunter-Reay said. "I went low to try to avoid him and got down on the white line. That upset both cars and took us out. ... This was going to be our breakout night and we didn't get it.
----
Andretti was seen favouring his right foot as he walked. It was the second time in six days that an IndyCar race ended under caution because of a crash involving Andretti.

At Milwaukee on Sunday, Andretti apologized after his car slid into Ed Carpenter's and caused a three-car crash that led to Briscoe winning under caution. This time, Andretti wasn't apologizing.

"There are some guys you can run close with and some guys you can't," Andretti said. "He clearly hit the white line, and that is that. We ran well today, but to me, that doesn't matter. We need to bring home results. It's very disappointing."
----
The race tied the Texas record for cautions in an IndyCar race - eight for 52 laps. The yellow-flag ending also renewed the debate about the series going to green-white checkered restarts to prevent races from ending under caution.

"I saw some of the fans walking out before the checkered fell," said Ganassi, an advocate of a green-white-checkered rule. "It's just disappointing. They come to see a show and they deserve to see a good finish.

"They deserve to see an exciting finish. I understand the differences between IndyCars and NASCAR and why some people think you can't do it here, but I think we need to sit down and figure out a way to do it so it's fair for everybody."

The series takes a week off before resuming June 22 at Iowa Speedway, kicking off a stretch of six races over six consecutive weekends.

Pos. Driver / Team / Laps

1. Scott Dixon / Chip Ganassi / 228
2. Helio Castroneves / Penske / 228
3. Ryan Briscoe / Penske / 228
4. Dan Wheldon / Chip Ganassi / 228
5. Tony Kanaan / Andretti Green / 228
6. Hideki Mutoh / Andretti Green / 228
7. Vitor Meira / Panther / 227
8. Buddy Rice / Dreyer & Reinbold / 227
9. Ed Carpenter / Vision / 227
10. Danica Patrick / Andretti Green / 227
11. Graham Rahal / Newman/Haas/Lanigan / 227
12. AJ Foyt IV / Vision / 226
13. Will Power / KV / 226
14. EJ Viso / HVM / 226
15. Bruno Junqueira / Dale Coyne / 226
16. John Andretti / Roth / 226
17. Milka Duno / Dreyer & Reinbold / 226
18. Mario Moraes / Dale Coyne / 223
19. Marco Andretti / Andretti Green / 222
20. Ryan Hunter-Reay / Rahal Letterman / 222
21. Mario Dominguez / PCM / 222
22. Marty Roth / Roth / 221
23. Enrique Bernoldi / Conquest / 210
24. Jaime Camara / Conquest / 210
25. Tomas Scheckter / Luczo Dragon / 56
26. Oriol Servia / KV / 47
27. Justin Wilson / Newman/Haas/Lanigan / 39
28. Darren Manning / Foyt / 19
Reference Here>>

.... notes from The EDJE

Tougher Time In Texas For The T-Team Ten

Helio Castroneves as he waits to make a run at the pole for the Bombardier Learjet 550 to be broadcast on ESPN at 10:00 pm EST, Saturday night, Texas Motor Speedway. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

Tougher Time In Texas For The T-Team Ten

Qualifications of Round 7 of 18 in Texas for the Bombardier Learjet 550 were pretty tough for the Transition Team Ten. Unlike the good representation of having five drivers make it onto the grid in five of the top ten positions, only one driver was able to crack the top ten.

Will Power driving for KV Racing Technology/AU-Australia was only able to notch eighth in the grid, followed next closest by his teammate Oriol Servia in position sixteen.

Mario Dominguez in the PCM pits just before his qualification run for the Bombardier Learjet 550. “I am very happy with our result today. I think this is the first time in my career that I have been so happy to be 24th. However, we are [far] from satisfied and we still have a lot of work to do. We definitely are making improvements to the Visit Mexico City Car and I am looking forward to the race tomorrow.” stated Mario after the qualification session at Texas Motor Speedway. Image Credit: Pacific Coast Motorsports

In his qualification run, Mario and PCM were able to place the car 24th on the grid right behind Justin Wilson of Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing/McDonalds and ahead of onetime INDY 500 winner, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing driver, Buddy Rice. This was positive, since all of the practice times that his Dallara was able to post would have placed his car 28th in the field of 28 cars.

The elaborate helmet of EJ Viso. Viso qualified 28th in a 28 car field. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

The balance of the T-Team Ten fared as follows:

Pos. Driver - Team

18 Graham Rahal - Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
20 Enrique Bernoldi - Conquest Racing
21 Jamie Camara - Conquest Racing
22 Mario Moraes - Dale Coyne Racing
23 Justin Wilson - Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
26 Bruno Junqueira - Dale Coyne Racing
28 EJ Viso - HVM Racing

This is the kind of performance that most of the established IRL pundits had prophesied … a bunch of “Rookies” cruising along at the bottom of the grid.

At the one-third point in the championship points season after the Milwaukee Mile, we find the T-Team Ten holding on and hoping for some road courses to pop-up in the schedule. Oriol Servia is leading the points needed for “Rookie” of the year (140) followed hotly by IRL Established Team driver, Hideki Mutoh Andretti Green Racing/Panasonic (131) and Oriol’s KV Racing Technology teammate, Will Power (130). The overall leader in points one-third the way through the season is currently held by the 2008 INDY 500 winner, Scott Dixon of Target Chip Ganassi Racing at 234 points

Points Standings Here>>

... notes from The EDJE

AT&T Williams F1 Grand Prix Collection

Image Credit: AT&T Williams

AT&T Williams F1 Grand Prix Collection

On average, Williams F1 builds seven chassis per season. Over a thirty year history, that's a lot of cars, so, what do we do with them?

In a video released by AT&T Williams, the race team takes you behind the scenes at Grove and into their Williams F1 Grand Prix Collection and museum workshop.

Image Credit: AT&T Williams

The collection features the most successful racecars from the 30 years of the team’s history.

Cars shown were driven by Allen Jones, Jacques Villenueve, Nigel Mansell, Juan Pablo Montoya and one experimental chassis that sported a six-wheel design. The "Star" notation next to the chassis nameplate is explained.

"We at AT&T Williams are excited to open our doors and show our fans that building a Formula One car is an exciting, organic process that requires dedication and application from all of our 500-strong team. This programme does just that." commented Scott Garrett, Head of Marketing, Williams F1.
(source: AT&T Williams)

... notes from The EDJE

Tough Times For The T-Team Ten In West Allis

Graham Rahal as he slides against the outer wall about halfway through the The ABC Supply/AJ Foyt Indy 225 - The Milwaukee Mile :: West Allis, Wisconsin. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (The EDJE) 2008

Tough Times For The T-Team Ten In West Allis

The Milwaukee Mile proved to be a very tough place for many of the T-Team Ten. Mario Dominguez and the Pacific Coast Motorsports team could not get a clue as to how to get any speed or handling out of their Dallara all weekend long. Virtually last in qualifying and after hobbling around the track for half of the race, Mario and the PCM team thought it best to park the car for the balance of the race.

Mario Dominguez - Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

There were five transition team drivers to make it into the top ten of the starting grid, but the lead driver of the group, Graham Rahal, did not finish the race. The first half of the race, Graham showed well staying in the top five positions most of the time but then drifted high off of the driving line on the track and glanced the wall, crushing his right side A-Frame.

Oriol Servia running clean on the Milwaukee Mile. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

Oriol Servia, Justin Wilson, and EJ Viso finished 6, 7, and 8, respectively but they were helped into the top ten by an accident started by Marco Andretti when he tapped Ed Carpenter sending both cars spinning. When Marco’s car was turned 180 degrees on the track, Vitor Meira’s car rode up the nose of the car and was launched into the air and collapsed onto the track to slide up against the outer wall to a stop.

Ryan Brisco was leading the race and INDY 500 winner, Scott Dixon at the time and was able to win the race under the Yellow caution flag.

How the T-Team Ten Fared:

POS./Car # Driver, Team, Sponsor

06/ 5 Oriol Servia, KVRT, Plantronics

07/02 Justin Wilson, NHL, Mc Donald’s

08/33 EJ Viso, HVM, PDVSA

14/ 8 Will Power, KVRT, Aussie Vineyards

16/36 Enrique Bernoldi, CR, Sangari

18/18 Bruno Junqueira, DCR, Z-Line

23/19 Mario Moraes, DCR, Sonny’s BBQ

24/34 Jaime Camara, CR, Sangari

25/6 Graham Rahal, NHL, No Sponsor

26/96 Mario Dominguez, PCM, Visit Mexico City

This from Autosport.com -

"It's been 30 years since Roger's first IndyCar win," Briscoe said. "I can't tell you how important it is to me to get my first IndyCar victory for him in this race." Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

Briscoe clinches first IndyCar win
By Matt Beer and Jeff Olson - Sunday, June 1st 2008, 22:00 GMT

Ryan Briscoe fended off championship leader Scott Dixon to score his first IndyCar Series race win at the Milwaukee Mile.

Penske driver Briscoe worked his way into contention in the second half of the race after falling as low as 14th early on. With 70 laps to go, Briscoe was up to third place, then overtook teammate Helio Castroneves and then Dixon in quick succession to hit the front on lap 176.

After briefly losing ground to Briscoe, Dixon closed right back in and put the Penske driver under enormous pressure through the traffic in the closing laps, briefly drawing alongside on the outside on lap 220 of 225.

But when a full course yellow came out with three laps to go following a dramatic multi-car incident, Briscoe was able to clinch his maiden win and put last week's controversial Indianapolis pit lane crash with Danica Patrick behind him.
----
The only other major incident prior to the late crash was Graham Rahal's impact with the wall on lap 130. Newman/Haas/Lanigan's rookie had been running a strong third before understeering into the barriers in traffic.

Oriol Servia charged back through the field to take sixth for KV Racing despite having to pit for a new front wing on lap one, with fellow 'transition' drivers Justin Wilson (Newman/Haas/Lanigan) and EJ Viso (HVM) also putting in strong runs to seventh and eighth.

Danica Patrick and Buddy Rice completed the top ten.

Reference Here>>

Full Race Summary Here

Driver Points Standing Here - By finishing in the top ten, Oriol Servia surges into the Rookie Of The Year points lead. Next week it's the high banks of Texas for the T-Team Ten!

... notes from The EDJE

Milwaukee – “T-Team Ten” Fill Five Of The Top Ten Spots

Pit Lane at the ABC Supply/AJ Foyt Indy 225 - The Milwaukee Mile :: Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (The EDJE) 2008

Milwaukee – “T-Team Ten” Fill Five Of The Top Ten Spots

At the race track located at the Wisconsin State Fair, the sixth race of the season in Milwaukee is bearing the fruit that many felt would never happen with the move to unification when it was announced late last February.

Of the ten drivers for teams that originally started the 2008 season as ChampCar World Series organizations, half of the ten filled half of the spots available in the first five rows of two during qualifications today. That translates to five of the top ten positions.

To put it another way, eleven of the remaining sixteen positions (for a total field of 26 cars) are filled by drivers from established IRL teams.

Graham Rahal being interviewed just after father, Bobby Rahal tapped him on the helmet after setting the fastest pace at the time. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (The EDJE) 2008

The other real story involves the names of the two drivers who occupy the top two positions. An Andretti and a Rahal, again, are the two names that top the charts of American open wheel racing. This edition of the show features the spawn of champions past.

Graham Rahal of Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing laid down the gauntlet about halfway through the late afternoon qualification session in Milwaukee with an average time of 1:27.1796 with a speed of 167.654. He was only challenged once during the qualifying session. He was challenged once later in the run of his four lap session by Helio Castroneves/Penske Racing who eventually ended up in the third qualifying position just behind Scott Dixon/Target Chip Ganassi Racing before the runs laid down by Marco Andretti/Andretti Green Racing then Will Power/KV Racing Technology.

It was Marco Andretti, the second youngest driver in the series to win an IRL race though (the youngest being Graham Rahal). Andretti made the most impressive run. His average time for the four laps was 1:26.9591 for a speed of 168.079. The last driver to qualify, Will Power, was fast enough to drop Castroneves to fifth, who was just ahead of Tony Kanaan with Andretti Green Racing in sixth.

The T-Team Ten Qualification Positions For The ABC Supply/AJ Foyt Indy 225 - The Milwaukee Mile :: Milwaukee, Wisconsin:

POS./Car # Driver, Time/Speed, Team, Sponsor

Row 1
02/06 Graham Rahal, 1:27.1796/167.654, NHL, No Sponsor

Row 2
04/ 8 Will Power, 1:27.3822/167.265, KVRT, Aussie Vineyards

Row 4
08/36 Enrique Bernoldi, 1:28.4660/165.216, CR, Sangari

Row 5
09/ 5 Oriol Servia, 1:28.4802/165.190, KVRT, Plantronics
10/33 EJ Viso, 1:28.6663/164.843, HVM, PDVSA

Row 7
14/18 Bruno Junqueira, 1:29.6011/163.123, DCR, Z-Line

Row 11
22/02 Justin Wilson, 1:31.3917/159.927, NHL, Mc Donald’s

Row 12
23/19 Mario Moraes, 1:33.9809/155.511, DCR, Sonny’s BBQ
24/34 Jaime Camara, 1:34.5329/154.613, CR, No Sponsor

Row 13
25/96 Mario Dominguez, 1:37.3937/150.071, PCM, Visit Mexico City

Full Qualification Results Here

Pacific Coast Motorsports released this statement from Mario Dominguez:

"We are learning about the car. It is very difficult to make a lot of progress without much practice time. We just have to be patient, it is not a one-day thing and we will keep improving.

For us right now, it is not really about the position we are in, but more about gaining the experience of track time. But, obviously today the car is not where we want it.

I am really looking forward to the race tomorrow. It will be great for me and for the team to get back into race mode, strategy and pitstops. Finishing the race is the most important thing right now, so we can get as many laps as possible in changing conditions to learn about the cars behavior."

... notes from The EDJE

WAYBACK Machine Link >>>

INDY 500: The Line Of The “Fine Nine”

The famed "Yard Of Bricks" at the Start/Finish line of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Image Credit: cowgirlsdave.com

A Live Blogging Effort Observing The Progress Of

The Teams That Are Transitioning Into The IRL

INDY 500: The Line Of The “Fine Nine”

American Open Wheel racing has always captivated the interest of motorsports enthusiasts throughout the world and this weekend hosts a race that has been held for 92 years in the state of Indiana.

Each year, on the final weekend of May, powerful cars, without fenders, with their wheels sticking out to defend the four corners of the space they occupy, speeding around a large rectangle for 500 miles (200 laps), yellow flag sessions during the race bunch up the field of 33 cars, pit stops throughout for tires and fuel can lead to an advantage or setback given a smooth result or a malfunctioning airwrench, 400,000 spectators line the pavement strip where the cars can fan out three to four cars wide, where, at the end of the race, the winner is treated to a swig from a quart of milk to become one of the names in the world of automobile racing few will forget (more recognizable than annual series champions) … this is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the race that defines American motorsports, The INDY 500.

This year is the first year since the formation of CART back in 1979 American open wheel racing is unified under one annual competitive series of races that, in the end crowns a champion – one champion, one series, and this one race. At the heart of this series of races is the fourth race of the 18 that will be held here in 2008.

Nine drivers of the field of 33 cars in the race are from the former CART/ChampCar World Series and through unification, these nine drivers represent an infusion of new talent to this fabled racing competition. Racing with equipment the teams of the nine drivers received in the merger agreement, some with parts that needed to be upgraded to 2008 specifications, equipment that is new to the learning curve of the chassis engineers and specialists on each team that helped to qualify these nine drivers to a new track beginning on the fifth row.

At the wave of the checkered flag, after two warm-up laps performed by the 33 rows of three cars side-by-side, that starts the 92nd INDY 500, the “Fine Nine” are placed in the field in the following order.

POS./Car # Driver (Speed), Team, Sponsor

Row 5
13/06 Graham Rahal (222.531), NHL, No Sponsor
15/18 Bruno Junqueira (222.330), DCR, Z-Line

Row 6
16/02 Justin Wilson (222.267), NHL, Mc Donald’s

Row 8
23/ 8 Will Power (221.136), KVRT, Aussie Vineyards

Row 9
25/ 5 Oriol Servia (220.767), KVRT, Visit Mexico City/Plantronics
26/33 EJ Viso (220.356), HVM, PDVSA

Row 10
28/19 Mario Moraes (219.716), DCR, Sonny’s BBQ
29/36 Enrique Bernoldi (219.422), CR, No Sponsor
30/34 Jaime Camara (219.345), CR, No Sponsor

Julianne Hough sings the National Anthem at 9:55 AM PDT and four jets fly-over the yard of bricks. It’s time for the drivers to get into the cars and show a moment of silence for those who have died so that we may remain free on this Memorial Day (TAPS).

Back Home Again In Indianana, as sung by Jim Nabors – “Oh how I long for my Indiana home”.

Mari Hulman George, “Ladies and Gentelman, Start, Your, Engines!”

Good luck to Helio Castroneves on his attempt to win the INDY 500 three times; Is this the race that Danica Patrick breaks through and has a woman win the 500 mile race … or will it be Sarah Fischer, or Milka Duno?

Orrrrr, will it be one of eleven rookies with the overwhelming number of them coming from the ranks of the former ChampCar World Series?

The Perfect Storm … And there’re off at a few ticks after 10:12 AM PDT – “Green, Green, Green”

Clear!, still clear! – off to a great and clean start.

YELLOW Flag flies for debris on the racing line on the track – LAP 8.

Bruno Junqueira’s Dale Coyne Racing Dallara looses a mirror at speed and he will have to come in and have it replaced. He had moved up in the order before the incident to Position # 13 and was the lead driver in the “Fine Nine” at the time of the incident.

Sarah Fischer spins while on scrubbing off her tires in the corner while waiting for the field to go back to Green on LAP 13.

LAP 18 re-start and Buddy Rice followed by Justin Wilson of NHL take the Checkered Flag.

LAP 20 sees Dan Weldon taking over the overall lead with Justin Wilson passing Buddy Rice for 3rd.

At 25 laps the Fine Nine are struggling to maintain pace … after Wilson at Position #3 we see the next Fine Nine driver at Position #20 being EJ Viso, #23 Will Power, #23 Mario Moraes, #24Rahal, #26Bernoldi, #27 Camara, and 17 laps down after having the mirror replaced, #33 Junqueira.

Pit Stops and Buddy Rice gains a position on Justin Wilson.

YELLOW Flag – Graham Rahal of Newman/Haas/Lanigan hits the wall on LAP 37 while avoiding a car driven by Alex Lloyd that had slowed down to enter the pits.

One Fine Nine driver OUT and one down 17 laps with Bruno Junqueira.

Buddy Rice and Justin Wilson stay out while the rest of the field comes into the pits for tires and fuel. Danica Patrick has a long time in the pits.

FIRE in AJ Foyt IV’s car while in the pits on LAP 39 … the second fuel incident for Foyt IV in the past full week.

After all of the incidents, the shuffle has the “Fine Nine” in NO fine positions at all … its dismal.

The highest position any T-Team driver occupies at the restart on LAP 46 is Will Power of KV Racing Technology at Position #16.

Positions Of The Fine Nine After 50 Laps

POS./Car# Driver, Team, Sponsor

16/ 5 Oriol Servia, KVRT, Visit Mexico City/Plantronics
17/33 EJ Viso, HVM, PDVSA
18/ 8 Will Power, KVRT, Aussie Vineyards
24/02 Justin Wilson, NHL, Mc Donald’s
28/19 Mario Moraes, DCR, Sonny’s BBQ
29/36 Enrique Bernoldi, CR, No Sponsor
30/34 Jaime Camara, CR, No Sponsor
32/18 Bruno Junqueira, DCR, Z-Line
OUT/06 Graham Rahal, NHL, No Sponsor

LAP 60 – Marty Roth hits the wall in his Lids sponsored car in a similar accident that befell Graham Rahal. Car slowing into the pits and catching the trailing car off guard and by the time the driver reacts, he is in the marbles and into the wall.

Helio Castroneves hits some of the debris and crunches a front wing.

Everybody into the pits. Servia climbs up to #14, followed by Viso #16, Wilson #17, Power #18, Camara #24, Moraes #25, Bernoldi #26, Junqueira #31

LAP 73 – Green Flag

Crash and YELLOW Flag for Jamie Camara on LAP 81 as Jamie gets too high into turn one, hits the wall and slides the length of the short chute and smashes into the wall at turn two before sliding to a stop. OUT, Jaime Camara Conquest Racing, No Sponsor.

Pits open and Danica Patrick picks up two more spots to position #9.

Re-Start GREEN Flag on LAP 92 and EJ Viso climbs to #11, with Servia, Wilson, and Power at #15, #16, #18 respectively.

Tony Kanaan splits the Target Chip Ganassi Team cars driven by Scott Dixon and Dan Weldon then passes Weldon for the lead on LAP 96.

Marty Reid, the announcer suggests that approaching the half-way point is beginning to see a page turn as it relates to tactics.

Andretti Green Racing team members are making a move as Marco Andretti climbs into the top five at 100 laps.

Positions Of The Fine Nine After 100 Laps

POS./Car# Driver, Team, Sponsor

13/33 EJ Viso (220.356), HVM, PDVSA
14/ 5 Oriol Servia (220.767), KVRT, Visit Mexico City/Plantronics
16/02 Justin Wilson (222.267), NHL, Mc Donald’s
20/ 8 Will Power (221.136), KVRT, Aussie Vineyards
25/36 Enrique Bernoldi (219.422), CR, No Sponsor
26/19 Mario Moraes (219.716), DCR, Sonny’s BBQ
29/18 Bruno Junqueira (222.330), DCR, Z-Line
OUT/34 Jaime Camara (219.345), CR, No Sponsor
OUT/06 Graham Rahal (222.531), NHL, No Sponsor

YELLOW Flag on LAP 105 - Tont Kanaan, and Sara Fischer collect each other after Marco Andretti cuts into Tony’s line in the corner forcing TK into the marbles and the wall. Team owner and Tony Kanaan are not very happy.

Everyone pits on LAP 107 – Servia passes Viso in the pits to take position #11 before the restart.

LAP 112 - Something breaks on Jeff Simmons AJ Foyt Racing, ABC car and has him first hit the outside wall then the inside wall on the front straightaway.

GREEN Flag Restart LAP 117 – Scott Dixon, Marco Andretti, Dan Weldon, Tomas Schecter, and Ed Carpenter in the lead.

The next two laps sees a mix of aggressive driving by all cars in the top 15. Danica Patrick warned about blocking Helio Castroneves.

Marco Andretti passes for the lead with 79 laps to go.

LAP 128 has Ryan Hunter-Reay pass Dan Weldon for position #6. Biggest mover up the field is Oriol Servia up to position #10.

Justin Wilson into the wall with 67 laps to go … there will be no finish or win for the Newman/Haas/Lanigan team for the 92nd running of the INDY 500.

Pit Stops for all. Ed Carpenter suffers gearbox problem in the pits and looses a lot of time and is the last car on the lead lap - 23. Mario Moraes Dale Coyne Racing does not pit and assumes the lead of the race … mark a moral victory to the T-Team Fine Nine proud! Helio Castroneves moves up three spots to #7.

61 LAPS to go and Scott Dixon moves from third to first with Mario Moraes is a sitting duck. Moraes just misses the wall in the short chute between turns one and two.

Mario Moraes is loose, slow and needs to pit – DUAH!

Yellow Flag LAP 148 – Alex Lloyd crashes while holding position 17 from turn 4 into the entrance of the pit lane, taking out the speed radar sensors that help race management regulate the speed in pit lane.

Positions After 150 Laps

POS./Car# Driver, Team, Sponsor

09/ 5 Oriol Servia, KVRT, Visit Mexico City/Plantronics
15/ 8 Will Power, KVRT, Aussie Vineyards
18/36 Enrique Bernoldi, CR, No Sponsor
23/19 Mario Moraes, DCR, Sonny’s BBQ
24/33 EJ Viso, HVM, PDVSA
26/18 Bruno Junqueira, DCR, Z-Line
OUT/02 Justin Wilson, NHL, Mc Donald’s
OUT/34 Jaime Camara, CR, No Sponsor
OUT/06 Graham Rahal, NHL, No Sponsor

Pit Lane open on LAP 154 – Dan Weldon has trouble in the pits and gets bumped to the back of the field. Tomas Scheckter climbs out of his car … his race is over due to a broken half-shaft .

GREEN flag on LAP 159 – Vitor Miera Panther Racing Delphi/National Guard takes the lead.

LAP 166 sees Vitor Miera leading, Scott Dixon Target Chip Ganassi, Helio Castroneves Team Penske, Marco Andretti Andretti Green Racing, and Ryan Hunter-Reay Rahal Letterman Racing in the top five.

YELLOW Flag, Eighth caution of the race. LAP 167 has Milka Duno spinning through the short chute and into the grass out of turn 4.

Final pitstops has contact between Ryan Briscoe and Danica Patrick knocking out both cars. Ryan Briscoe of Penske Racing slides into Danica as he comes out of the pits.

LAP 174 has Scott Dixon takes the Checkered Flag and the traffic into turn 1 is like driving in downtown Boston at rush hour except that instead an inch a minute drag race in your rental car against a taxi cab, these guys are running at INDY speed. On the backstretch Dan Weldon gets into the grass on a little off-roading excursion and solders on at speed.

LAP 181 – Everyone is good on fuel … this is a sprint to the finish.

Scott Dixon looks to be in charge with Vitor Miera, Helio Castroneves, Marco Andretti, and Ed Carpenter in tow. The top five positions are within about one second of each other.

Ten laps to go and Marco Andretti is on the march and moves to third place. Marco has the fastest car in on the track with eight laps to go.

Marco can see the race leader and he is “flat-footing” it all the way. With five laps to go Marco is only two car lengths away … Vitor begins to pull away from Marco and is close enough to get a tow from Dixon.

Three laps to go and Dixon begins to pull away and begins to encounter traffic … and clears.

Two turns to go and there is nothing but track – Dixon brings it home to win the 92nd INDY 500 and the 2.5 Million Dollar purse. The 19th driver to win from the pole position.

Congratulations to Vitor Miera and Marco Andretti for their podium finishes.

Final Finishing Positions for the T-Team Fine Nine After 200 Laps

POS./Car# Driver (Speed), Team, Sponsor

11/ 5 Oriol Servia, KV Racing Technology, Visit Mexico City/Plantronics
13/ 8 Will Power, KV Racing Technology, Aussie Vineyards
15/36 Enrique Bernoldi, Conquest Racing, No Sponsor
18/19 Mario Moraes, Dale Coyne Racing, Sonny’s BBQ
20/18 Bruno Junqueira, Dale Coyne Racing, Z-Line
26/33 EJ Viso, HVM Racing, PDVSA
27/02 Justin Wilson, Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing, Mc Donald’s
31/34 Jaime Camara, Conquest Racing, No Sponsor
33/06 Graham Rahal, Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing, No Sponsor

A one-time race for the ages, a first for unification in the modern era after only 29 years.

UPDATE 5-27-2008:

Nearly 3 Million Dollar Payday For INDY Winner, Dixon

The Indianapolis 500 Victory earned Kiwi Scott Dixon a record $2,988,065 from a record purse of $14,406,580. This result should give a new meaning to the phrase – “The Thunder From Down Under!”

This excerpted from indycar.com -

Dixon became the first native of New Zealand to win theIndianapolis 500. After starting from the pole position, he led seven times for a race-high 115 laps and beat Panther Racing's Vitor Meira to the finish line by 1.7498 seconds. The race featured 18 lead changes among nine drivers.

The previous record winner's purse was $1,761,740 awarded to Buddy Rice in 2004, while the 2007 Indianapolis 500 field was awarded the previous record race purse, $10,668,815. The event purse is comprised of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Indy Racing League awards, including the new IndyCar TEAM (Team Enhancement and Allocation Matrix) program, sponsor awards and other designated awards.

Meira's efforts in the No. 4 Delphi National Guard Dallara/Honda/Firestone earned $1,273,215, the first time anyone other than the Indianapolis winner has won more than $1 million, far exceeding the previous second-place record payout of $739,665 for Helio Castroneves in 2003.

... notes from The EDJE

Video: Mario Dominguez & Pacific Coast Motorsports Dialing In On Bump Day

The Mexico City Tourism Board is beckoning fans to "Visit Mexico City" in festive lettering on the sidepods of the No. 96 PCM car. The tourism board has made a two-year commitment to sponsor the car. This sponsorship will be displayed on Oriol Srevia's KV Racing Technology #5 Dallara for the 2008 Indy 500 in a one-race arrangement. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

Mario Dominguez and the Pacific Coast Motorsports team dialing in on qualifying for a spot in the Indy 500 starting grid

This video was put together by Derek A. Platts, Associate Producer, ESPN - International Production from the events that transpired on Bump Day. Derek was able to borrow a Pacific Coast Motorsports team scanner which was able to tune into the audio insights and the drama that IS … Bump Day.

UPDATE:

This from a press release issued by Pacific Coast Motorsports -

Oriol Servia to Carry the “Visit Mexico City ” Colors at the Indy 500
For Immediate Release - Oxnard, CA (May 23, 2008)

Pacific Coast Motorsports and the Mexico City Tourism Board announced today that they have entered into an agreement with KV Racing Technology for Indy 500. Oriol Servia, driver of the #5 Angie’s List Special will carry the Visit Mexico City logo at the 92nd running of the Indianapolis 500.

Pacific Coast Motorsports and the Mexico City Tourism Board announced their program just one month ago. The rookie team and driver missed the 33rd starting spot in final qualifying last Sunday after a remarkable performance, which placed Dominguez “on the bubble” Sunday afternoon.

Team Owner, Tyler Tadevic commented, “I have to thank Jimmy (Vasser), Kevin (Kalkhoven) and Mark (Johnson) for offering their help. We gave it our best shot this month, but at the end of the day; despite Mario’s impressive performance, we just did not have the track time and preparation time to get into the show. It is very important that our partners, the Mexico City Tourism Board participate in the event and receive the additional exposure they deserve. We are very grateful and honored that Oriol will carry their colors.”

Oriol Srevia in his KV Racing Technology #5 Dallara durnig qualifications at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

Oriol Servia will make his first Indy 500 start from the inside of row nine, in the 25th starting position on Sunday.

Although he is a rookie in the IndyCar Series, Servia is currently ranked eighth in the Series points standings, “I am proud to carry the Visit Mexico City colors for my friend Mario Dominguez. Mexico City is one of my favorite places to visit. I love the city and the people, plus some of my closest friends are from there. I hope to give everyone in Mexico City a result they will be proud of on Sunday.”

"This is not just a [sponsorship] project of this team any more," Dominguez said. "This is the project of a country."

Mexico City is installing more than 90 Jumbotron television screens at sporting venues and parks around the city just for the race.

... notes from The EDJE