It was a perfect night for Target Chip Ganassi Racing.
Scott Dixon won the Cafes do Brasil Indy 300, while Dario Franchitti claimed his record-tying third IZOD IndyCar Series crown with an eighth-place finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Having already securing the bonus point for winning the PEAK Performance Pole Award, Franchitti needed to lead the most laps and outpace Will Power in the 200-lap event. One was achieved on Lap 118 of 200 when he clinched two points for leading the most laps, and he was on pace to win the race. That would seal the deal no matter where Power finished.
That became moot when Power’s No. 12 Verizon Team Penske car brushed the Turn 4 wall on Lap 135 while running fourth, which bent the right-rear wishbone. The crew wheeled the car behind the wall and made the parts change in 5 minutes, 6 seconds. After testing the patch for a few laps under caution, he brought the car into the pit stall and climbed out of the cockpit.
Power, who posted five victories in his first full season with Team Penske, suffered his first DNF of the season in the biggest race of his career. Franchitti, who entered the race 11 points arrears, earned the title by five points with an eighth-place finish.
Dixon, who started on the front row, held off Andretti Autosport teammates Danica Patrick, who tied her season-high of second, and Tony Kanaan to win his third race of the season. Team Penske’s Ryan Briscoe finished fourth and teammate Helio Castroneves was fifth. Alex Lloyd of Dale Coyne Racing clinched the Rookie of the Year award.
Results Saturday of the Cafes Do Brasil Indy 300 IZOD IndyCar Series event on the 1.485-mile Homestead Miami Speedway, with order of finish, starting position in parentheses, driver, chassis-engine, laps completed and reason out (if any):”
1. (2) Scott Dixon, Dallara-Honda, 200, Running
2. (11) Danica Patrick, Dallara-Honda, 200, Running
3. (8) Tony Kanaan, Dallara-Honda, 200, Running
4. (4) Ryan Briscoe, Dallara-Honda, 200, Running
5. (10) Helio Castroneves, Dallara-Honda, 200, Running
6. (21) Vitor Meira, Dallara-Honda, 200, Running
7. (16) Marco Andretti, Dallara-Honda, 200, Running
8. (1) Dario Franchitti, Dallara-Honda, 200, Running
9. (5) Dan Wheldon, Dallara-Honda, 200, Running
10. (18) Graham Rahal, Dallara-Honda, 199, Running
11. (20) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Dallara-Honda, 199, Running
12. (22) Alex Lloyd, Dallara-Honda, 199, Running
13. (7) Ed Carpenter, Dallara-Honda, 199, Running
14. (19) Alex Tagliani, Dallara-Honda, 199, Running
15. (14) Bertrand Baguette, Dallara-Honda, 199, Running
16. (24) Sebastian Saavedra, Dallara-Honda, 199, Running
17. (23) Raphael Matos, Dallara-Honda, 199, Running
18. (9) Takuma Sato, Dallara-Honda, 199, Running
19. (12) EJ Viso, Dallara-Honda, 198, Running
20. (26) Hideki Mutoh, Dallara-Honda, 198, Running
21. (6) Justin Wilson, Dallara-Honda, 198, Running
22. (17) Sarah Fisher, Dallara-Honda, 197, Running
23. (25) Simona de Silvestro, Dallara-Honda, 197, Running
24. (27) Milka Duno, Dallara-Honda, 170, Contact
25. (3) Will Power, Dallara-Honda, 143, Contact
26. (15) Ana Beatriz, Dallara-Honda, 42, Contact
27. (13) Mario Moraes, Dallara-Honda, 25, Mechanical
Race Statistics
Winners average speed: 158.905
Time of Race: 1:52:08.5580
Margin of victory: 2.7587 seconds
Cautions: Five for 39 laps
Lead changes: 18 among 7 drivers
Lap Leaders: Franchitti 1-42, Briscoe 43, Franchitti 44-52, Briscoe 53, Franchitti 54-55, Briscoe 56, Franchitti 57, Briscoe 58-61, Dixon 62-68, Kanaan 69-72, Franchitti 73-95, Dixon 96-97, Tagliani 98-100, Franchitti 101-151, Dixon 152-157, Andretti 158-167, Dixon 168-172, Castroneves 173, Dixon 174-200.
Point Standings: Franchitti 602, Power 597, Dixon 547, Castroneves 531, Briscoe 482, Kanaan 453, Hunter-Reay 445, Andretti 392, Wheldon 388, Patrick 367.
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