Dario Franchitti always is looking to the “next” in the IZOD IndyCar Series: Next race, next victory, next championship.
For the student of motorsports history, however, it’s important to put his victory in the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio presented by Westfield Insurance into perspective – with a little “next” worked in.
It was the 25th open-wheel racing victory for Franchitti, who moved into a tie with Gordon Johncock for 12th on the all-time list. Next up is Rodger Ward.
It was his first victory at the 2.258-mile Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, where he holds the track record and won his first pole 12 years ago. Next up on the schedule is Infineon Raceway, where he won in 2009.
By fending off Will Power over the final 15 laps after a Lap 70 restart to win by 0.5234 (the third-closest road/street course finish in series history), Franchitti closed to 41 points of the overall championship leader. Next up, after the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma, are four oval races to close the season. IndyCar.com
Helio Castroneves was third, followed by Alex Tagliani and Scott Dixon.
The win capped a big day for owner Chip Ganassi, who captured the NASCAR race at Watkins Glen earlier in the day with driver Juan Pablo Montoya. It marked the second time in three weeks Ganassi cars have taken the checkered flag in NASCAR and IndyCar on the same day.
Power led Franchitti into the pits on lap 25 but Franchitti’s quick stop put his No. 10 Honda in front of Power, one of the rare times this season another driver has been able to put Power in their rearview mirror this season.
“That first pit stop today, that’s what won us the race,” Franchitti said. “Will and I were very evenly matched on pace.”
Franchitti’s team did it again when he and Power pitted together with 24 laps to go. The two dueled over the final laps but Power couldn’t muster enough horsepower to chase Franchitti down. The Associated Press
“I drove every lap like it was a qualifying lap today, whether I was behind Will or ahead of Will,” Franchitti said. “But the key was that first pit stop by the Target boys to get me out ahead.”
“Quite a lot of things running through my head right now, getting to that quarter century, doing it here at Mid-Ohio, a place I found almost every way to lose a race,” Franchitti added.
Power’s second-place finish allowed him to clinch the series’ first-ever road/street course championship. He now holds a 41-point lead over Franchitti in the overall rankings.
“It’s a real honor to wrap up the road course championship and the Mario Andretti Trophy,” Power said. “We got our sights set on winning the overall championship. That’s what I’ve been aiming for all year.”
Ryan Briscoe finished sixth, followed by Raphael Matos, Simona de Silvestro, Marco Andretti and Ryan Hunter-Reay. MiamiHerald.com
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