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Meijer Indy 300 Preview

Aug 5, 2008 - 5:57 PM

August 9, 2008
Kentucky Speedway 
Sparta, Kentucky
Race 14 of 18 in the 2008 IndyCar Series season

TV: ESPN2, 6:30 p.m. EDT

Length: 200 laps 
Race length: 300 miles
Track length: 1 1/2-mile oval

Qualifying record: Sarah Fisher, 221.390 mph, 2002
Race record: Sam Hornish Jr., 197.897 mph, 2003

DRIVERS TO WATCH
----------------

Marco Andretti
Team: Andretti Green Racing
2008 Points: 276 (10th)

Finished 17th at Edmonton last week, dropping to 10th in the 
standings; finished 25th at Mid-Ohio a week after running last at 
Nashville; 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; 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 
fourth here last year.

Ryan Briscoe
Team: Team Penske
2008 Points: 324 (5th)

The Australian secured his second career win at Mid-Ohio and 
jumped up to fifth in the standings; remains in fifth after placing
sixth last week at Edmonton; first career win came at Milwaukee, a 
week after being in the spotlight for wrecking Danica Patrick on pit 
road in the Indianapolis 500; won the pole at Watkins Glen and led 
the most laps before being wrecked by Scott Dixon under caution and 
wound up 12th; started seventh and finished fifth in last year's 
Indianapolis 500 for Luczo Dragon Racing; followed up first win by 
running third at Texas; 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 race here last year.

Helio Castroneves
Team: Team Penske
2008 Points: 440 (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, fifth at Milwaukee and second at Texas and 
Mid-Ohio; finished in second for the third straight race last week
at Edmonton; sits second in the standings, 65 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 103 career IRL starts, has 12 wins, 80 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; ran ninth here last season.

Scott Dixon
Team: Target Chip Ganassi Racing
2008 Points: 505 (1st)

Continued his stellar season last week, winning his fifth race of 
the season at Edmonton; became the first driver from New Zealand 
to win the Indy 500; also won at Texas and Nashville; spun under 
caution at Watkins Glen and finished 11th; holds a 65-point lead 
in the standings over Castroneves after running third at Mid-Ohio; 
opened the season 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 Ryan 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; won at Nashville last season 
after starting on the pole to became the first repeat winner there;
ran second to Tony Kanaan here last year.

Tony Kanaan
Team: Andretti Green Racing
2008 Points: 387 (4th)

Picked up first win on the season at Richmond; followed with a 
third at Watkins Glen, fourth at Nashville and seventh at 
Mid-Ohio; ran ninth at Edmonton; wrecked during the Indy 500 and 
finished 29th, then bounced back to run third at Milwaukee and 
fifth at Texas; 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 Dario 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.

Danica Patrick
Team: Andretti Green Racing
2008 Points: 296 (6th)

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; made headlines when pit-road argument 
with Milka Duno at Mid-Ohio was videotaped and plastered over 
the internet; ran a disappointing 18th at Edmonton; 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; finished 16th in 
this race last year.

Dan Wheldon
Team: Target Chip Ganassi Racing
2008 Points: 390 (3rd)

Moved up third, three points ahead of Tony Kanaan after finishing
seventh at Edmonton; ran 17th at Mid-Ohio; finished fourth at 
Texas and 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 88 career starts 
has 14 wins, 67 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 17th
here last year.


2007 Top 10
-----------
 1. Tony Kanaan (11)
 2. Scott Dixon (9)
 3. A.J. Foyt (22)
 4. Marco Andretti (26)
 5. Tomas Scheckter (2)
 6. Scott Sharp (8)
 7. Ed Carpenter (20)
 8. Dario Franchitti (27) 
 9. Helio Castroneves (3) 
10. Vitor Meira (4)

Past Champions
--------------
2007  Tony Kanaan, 180.588 mph
2006  Sam Hornish Jr., 170.676 mph
2005  Scott Sharp, 175.981 mph
2004  Adrian Fernandez, 180.588 mph
2003  Sam Hornish Jr., 197.897 mph
2002  Felipe Giaffone, 149.024 mph
2001  Buddy Lazier, 174.910 mph
2000  Buddy Lazier, 164.601 mph