INDYCAR SERIES Nikon Indy 300
Final
Nikon Indy 300 Preview
Oct 24, 2008 - 11:16 AMOctober 25, 2008
Streets of Surfers Paradise
Queensland, Australia
Race 19 of 19 of the IndyCar Series
(non-points race)
Laps: 59
Track length: 2.795 miles
Race length: 165 miles
TV: ESPN Classic, 10:30 p.m.
DRIVERS TO WATCH
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Helio Castroneves
Team: Team Penske
2008 Points: 629 (2nd)
Broke 29-race winless streak by winning at Sonoma, snapping a
string of four consecutive runner-up finishes; finished second
in the standings, 17 points behind champion Scott Dixon despite
winning at Chicago; 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 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; in 107 career IRL starts, has
14 wins, 83 top-10s and 25 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; was indicted on
tax evasion charges last month in Miami.
Scott Dixon
Team: Target Chip Ganassi Racing
2008 Points: 646 (1st)
Capped off stellar season by winning second career IndyCar title
and first since the 2003 season by finishing second at Chicago;
won six races this year and 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; 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 year after starting on the pole to became the
first repeat winner there.
Tony Kanaan
Team: Andretti Green Racing
2008 Points: 513 (3rd)
Finished third in the standings; 133 points behind Scott Dixon;
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 eighth at Kentucky; 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; won the 2004
IndyCar Series championship; finished second in the 2004 Indy
500 to Buddy Rice.
Danica Patrick
Team: Andretti Green Racing
2008 Points: 379 (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; finished sixth in the final standings; 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 2007 final standings with four top-fives and 11 top 10s.
Dan Wheldon
Team: Target Chip Ganassi Racing
2008 Points: 492 (4th)
Dropped to fourth in the standings behind Tony Kanaan after
finishing 20th at Detroit and finished the season there; ran
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 92 career starts has 14 wins, 69 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.
- savbyroy Finally, closure on one of the weirdest seasons in memory.
INDYCAR SERIES Nikon Indy 300Oct 21 11:15 PM