IRL IndyCar Series Round 03: Twin Ring MOTEGI, Japan
Patrick Makes History at Motegi
 Danica
Patrick made history at the Honda-owned Twin Ring Motegi circuit
in Japan, becoming the first woman winner of a major league
open-wheel race. In a contest of fuel mileage and pit strategy,
Patrick swept past current IndyCar Series points leader Helio
Castroneves on Lap 197 of the 200-lap Bridgestone Indy Japan
300 to take her first IndyCar victory in her 50th start.
It was the second consecutive record-setting event for the
IndyCar Series, as Graham Rahal became the youngest winner
in series history last weekend at the Honda Grand Prix of
St. Petersburg. Ironically, current series points leader Helio
Castroneves finished second at both events, but has widened
his early- season points lead as a result.
For Honda, it was another successful race weekend for the
HI8R Indy V-8 engine, with 18 drivers running a total of 7,008
miles without failure in practice and the race, which was
delayed on day by persistent rain and track moisture problems
on Saturday.
In another first for a major racing series, the hydrogen-fueled
Honda FCX Clarity served as “Official Car” for
the Motegi event, leading the 18-car starting field prior
to the race start. The Clarity utilizes Honda’s compact
and efficient V Flow fuel cell stack to mix hydrogen and air
to power a 100-kilowatt electric motor. The FCX was driven
by Japanese racing star Takashi Korugure, a leading Honda
driver in both Formula Nippon and the very popular Japanese
Super GT series.
Scott Dixon, winner of last month’s season-opening
race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, led 102 laps and dominated
portions of today’s run, leading by as much as five
seconds at times. But along with fellow potential winners
Tony Kanaan and Dan Wheldon, Dixon was forced to pit for fuel
during the final five laps, leaving him third at the finish.
Kanaan and Wheldon then pitted together, just one lap after
Dixon on Lap 196. Wheldon was able get back on track first
to claim fourth, while Kanaan following him home in fifth.
With the leaders pitting, Castroneves sped to the front seeking
a second Motegi win in his 100th IndyCar start. Although the
Team Penske driver was on the same pit strategy as Patrick
– both made their final stop on lap 149 – he was
unable to fend off her challenge and the 26-year-old swept
past the veteran and into the lead for the final three laps.
Patrick took the checkered flag nearly six seconds ahead of
Castroneves to the cheers of the Japanese fans.
Next week, the 2008 IndyCar Series heads to another 1.5-mile
oval, the April 27 Kansas Lottery Indy 300 at Kansas Speedway.
Danica Patrick(#7Andretti Green Racing Honda) Started
6, finished 1, her first IndyCar Series victory:
“Finally! This was a long time coming [this was her
50th IndyCar race start]. It was a fuel strategy race, and
my team called it perfectly for me. Even before they started
to tell me to save fuel, I was doing it. It’s a difficult
balancing act when you’re trying to make a specific
fuel mileage ‘number’ without losing positions
on the track. I knew I was on the same [pit] strategy as Helio
[Castroneves] and when I passed him for the lead, I couldn’t
believe it. This is fabulous! To get my first win is great.
To do it at Honda's track is even better."
Helio Castroneves(#3 Team Penske Honda) Started 1st,
finished 2nd, second consecutive 2nd place finish, maintains
his early season championship points lead:
“I'm again part of history. First there was Graham [Rahal]
last week as the youngest winner, now Danica. The car was
really good in the beginning, then we started picking up a
vibration. It looks like we pitted a little bit long. We were
having problem in the pits. I'm disappointed with that, With
five laps to go, I was saving fuel. When Danica passed me,
I realized she was the leader. She did a great job, passed
me fair and square and that shows you how competitive our
series is.''
Roger Griffiths(Race Team Technical Leader, Honda
Performance Development) on today’s race:
“Obviously, after yesterday’s weather delay, we’re
very happy to get the race in today and I think the fans saw
a very good race. Danica [Patrick] has now joined a fairly
elite club: Honda winners at Motegi. [Helio Castroneves, Tony
Kanaan and Dan Wheldon are the previous Honda-powered winners
here] Motegi is a very special place for all of us at Honda
and this is an achievement she can be quite proud of. It also
was another trouble-free weekend for us, with no major problems
all weekend. That is very helpful as we head into Kansas and
then the month of May at Indianapolis.”
IRL IndyCar Series
Round 03: Twin Ring MOTEGI, Japan
1 Danica Patrick (Andretti Green Racing)
2 Helio Castroneves (Team Penske)
3 Scott Dixon (Chip Ganassi Racing)
4 Dan Wheldon (Chip Ganassi Racing)
5 Tony Kanaan (Andretti Green Racing)
6 Ed Carpenter (Vision Racing)
7 Ryan Hunter-Reay (Rahal Letterman Racing)
8 Darren Manning (A.J. Foyt Enterprises)
9 Ryan Briscoe (Team Penske)
10 Townsend Bell (Dreyer & Reinbold Racing)
11 Hideki Mutoh (Andretti Green Racing)
12 Buddy Rice (Dreyer & Reinbold Racing)
13 Jay Howard (Roth Racing)
14 Roger Yasukawa (Beck Motorsports)
15 A.J. Foyt IV (Vision Racing)
16 Vitor Meira (Panther Racing)
17 Marty Roth (Roth Racing)
18 Marco Andretti (Andretti Green Racing)
|
