INDYCAR SERIES Indy Japan 300
Final
for this game
Indy Japan 300 Preview
Apr 18, 2008 - 10:28 AMApril 21, 2007
Motegi, Japan
Race 3 of 18 in the 2008 IndyCar Series season
TV: ESPN, Noon EDT
Laps: 200
Track length: 1.5-mile oval course
Race length: 300 miles
Qualifying record: Dan Wheldon, 205.762 mph, 2004
Race record: Dan Wheldon, 166.114 mph, 2004
DRIVERS TO WATCH
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Helio Castroneves
Team: Team Penske
2008 Points: 72 (1st)
Opened the year by finishing fourth at Homestead and second in
St. Petersburg; sits atop the standings, 10 points ahead of
Scott Dixon; finished sixth in the standings last year, 191
points behind champion Dario Franchitti; captured a
series-record seven poles last season, but managed to win just
once - at St. Petersburg; recorded six top-fives and 11 top-10
finishes last season; in 97 career IRL starts has 12 wins, 74
top-10s and 24 poles; became the first driver to win the
Indianapolis 500 two years in a row (2001-02) since Al Unser won
in 1970 and 1971; and only the fifth driver in Indianapolis 500
history to win in consecutive appearances; finished seventh in
Japan last year and won this event in 2006.
Scott Dixon
Team: Target Chip Ganassi Racing
2008 Points: 62 (2nd)
Opened the season with with a solid win at Homestead, but had
mechanical issues at St. Petersburg and finished 22nd; finished
as an unlucky runner-up in the 2007 season, 13 points behind
Dario Franchitti, after running out of fuel on the final lap of
the final race; failed to win an unprecedented fourth straight
race at Michigan when he was involved in a spectacular
six-car accident that sent Franchitti's car airborne; had a four
wins last season and was a runner-up five times; bounced back
from the DNF at Michigan by finishing second to Tony Kanaan at
Kentucky; enjoyed a stretch of three straight wins early in the
season; took the checkered flag at Mid-Ohio for his ninth career
IndyCar series victory; also won at at Nashville after starting
on the pole to became the first repeat winner there; started his
winning streak on July 8 at Watkins Glen; finished fourth at
this race last year.
Tony Kanaan
Team: Andretti Green Racing
2008 Points: 59 (3rd)
Ran eighth at Homestead to open the season, but bounced back to
claim third place at St. Petersburg; finished 2007 season strong
and wound up third in the standings, 61 points behind
Franchitti; had a series-best five wins last year - at Motegi,
Milwaukee, Michigan, Kentucky and Belle Isle; started second at
the Indianapolis 500, but finished a disappointing 12th;
finished fourth three times - at Watkins Glen, Richmond and
Mid-Ohio; captured pole at Kansas, yet finished 15th; won the
2004 IndyCar Series championship; won this race last season.
Danica Patrick
Team: Andretti Green Racing
2008 Points: 48 (7th)
Has become one of the most recognizable female athletes in the
United States; started the season by running sixth at Homestead
and 10th at St. Petersburg; posted a career-best second-place
finish at Detroit last year and is still seeking first career
win; finished seventh in the final standings with four top-fives
and 11 top-10s; started second at Sonoma but finished sixth; was
involved in an accident and finished 16th at Kentucky; struggled
to a disappointing seventh-place finish at Michigan; posted her
second consecutive top-five finish with a fifth place showing at
Mid-Ohio; took third at Nashville prior to that; placed 11th
here last year.
Dan Wheldon
Team: Target Chip Ganassi Racing
2008 Points: 53 (T-4th)
Kicked off the season by running third at Homestead and 12th at
St. Petersburg; finished fourth in the final standings last year
with two wins and a pole at Homestead-Miami; recorded six
top-five and 11 top-10 finishes; won the 2005 championship with
a series-record six victories; last year finished out of the top
five for a six-race stretch prior to Detroit; in 80 career
starts has 13 wins, 61 top-10s and five poles; finished second
in the finals standings in 2004 and 2006; ran second here last
season.
2007 Top 10
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1. Tony Kanaan (11)
2. Dan Wheldon (10)
3. Dario Franchitti (27)
4. Scott Dixon (9)
5. Sam Hornish Jr. (6)
6. Scott Sharp (8)
7. Helio Castroneves (3)
8. Jeff Simmons (17)
9. Tomas Scheckter (2)
10. Buddy Rice (15)
Past Champions
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2007 Tony Kanaan, 162.295 mph
2006 Helio Castroneves, 153.248 mph
2005 Dan Wheldon, 139.618 mph
2004 Dan Wheldon, 166.114 mph
2003 Scott Sharp, 129.090 mph
