INDYCAR SERIES Bombardier Learjet 550K
Final
for this game
Bombardier LearJet 550K Preview
Jun 3, 2008 - 9:36 PMJune 7, 2008
Texas Motor Speedway
Fort Worth, Texas
Race 7 of 18 in the 2008 IndyCar Series season
TV: ESPN2, 10 p.m. EDT
Length: 200 laps
Track length: 1 1/2 miles
Race length: 300 miles
Qualifying record: Billy Boat, 225.979 mph, 1998
Race record: Helio Castroneves, 185.710 mph, 2006
DRIVERS TO WATCH
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Marco Andretti
Team: Andretti Green Racing
2008 Points: 142 (6th)
Was involved in a late-race crash with Ed Carpenter and finished
21st at Milwaukee; finished third in the 92nd Indianapolis 500;
was involved in an accident in last year's Indy race and
wound up 24th; finished 11th in last year's IndyCar Series
standings; recorded career-best six top-five finishes, with best
result of second at Iowa and Michigan; currently sits sixth in
the standings; opened the season by running second at Homestead;
was 25th at St. Petersburg and 18th at Japan before bouncing
back with a fifth at Kansas; finished 19th here last year.
Ryan Briscoe
Team: Team Penske
2008 Points: 134 (8th)
The Australian captured his first career win at Milwaukee, a
week after being in the spotlight for wrecking Danica Patrick on
pit road in the Indianapolis 500; started seventh and finished
fifth in last year's Indianapolis 500 for Luczo Dragon Racing;
took over at Penske this season for Sam Hornish Jr., who left
the IRL for NASCAR; finished 21st in 2006 IndyCar standings
while driving a limited schedule with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing;
made four starts that season, finishing third at Watkins Glen in
debut with team; also recorded a ninth-place finish at
Nashville; finished 19th in 2005 IndyCar standings for Target
Chip Ganassi Racing, with a best finish of eighth at Nashville;
ran 10th at the 2005 Indy 500; did not run this race last year.
Helio Castroneves
Team: Team Penske
2008 Points: 206 (2nd)
Opened the year by finishing fourth at Homestead and second in
St. Petersburg and Japan; took fourth at Kansas; finished fourth
in the Indy 500 and fifth at Milwaukee; sits second in the
standings, 28 points behind 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 99 career IRL
starts, has 12 wins, 76 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; is only the fifth driver in
Indianapolis 500 history to win in consecutive appearances;
finished 16th in this race last year.
Scott Dixon
Team: Target Chip Ganassi Racing
2008 Points: 234 (1st)
Became the first driver from New Zealand to win the Indy 500;
opened the season with with a solid win at Homestead, but had
mechanical issues at St. Petersburg and finished 22nd; bounced
back with thirds in Japan and Kansas; ran second to Briscoe at
Milwaukee; 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 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; 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 12th at this race last year.
Tony Kanaan
Team: Andretti Green Racing
2008 Points: 174 (4th)
Wrecked during the Indy 500 and finished 29th, then bounced back
to run third at Milwaukee; ran eighth at Homestead to open the
season, but rebounded to claim third place at St. Petersburg,
fifth at Japan and second at Kansas; 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 last season;
won the 2004 IndyCar Series championship; finished second in the
2004 Indy 500 to Buddy Rice; finished second to Sam Hornish Jr.
here last season.
Danica Patrick
Team: Andretti Green Racing
2008 Points: 144 (5th)
Has become one of the most recognizable female athletes in the
United States - especially after winning her first race at
Japan in her 50th start; became the first woman to win a race in
a major auto racing series; followed by finishing 19th at Kansas
with mechanical problems; started the season by running sixth
at Homestead and 10th at St. Petersburg; finished 22nd in the
Indy 500 after a pit road incident with Ryan Briscoe; posted a
second-place finish at Detroit last year; 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; ran third here last year.
Dan Wheldon
Team: Target Chip Ganassi Racing
2008 Points: 185 (3rd)
Finished fourth last week at Milwaukee after running 12th in the
Indianapolis 500; kicked off the season by running third at
Homestead, 12th at St. Petersburg and fourth in Japan; entered
the Indy 500 having won at Kansas; finished fourth in the final
standings last year with two wins and a pole at Homestead-Miami;
recorded six top-fives 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 84 career starts has 14 wins, 64 top-10s and five
poles; finished second in the final standings in 2004 and 2006;
won the 89th Running of the Indianapolis 500 in 2005 from 16th
starting position; ran 15th in this race last season.
2007 Top 10
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1. Helio Castroneves (3)
2. Scott Dixon (9)
3. Dan Wheldon (10)
4. Sam Hornish Jr. (6)
5. Scott Sharp (8)
6. Vitor Meira (4)
7. Tony Kanaan (11)
8. Kosuke Matsuura (55)
9. Ed Carpenter (20)
10. Tomas Scheckter (2)
Past Champions
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2006 Helio Castroneves
2005 Tomas Scheckter
2004 Tony Kanaan
2003 Al Unser Jr.
2002 Jeff Ward
2001 Scott Sharp
2000 Scott Sharp
1999 Scott Goodyear
1998 Billy Boat
1997 Arie Luyendyk
