Danica returns to site of first win
Last year Danica Patrick made history at Twin Ring Motegi, becoming the first woman to win an IndyCar Series race. Patrick passed Helio Castroneves for the lead on Lap 198 and crossed the finish line 5.5894 seconds ahead of Castroneves. This season Patrick has produced some of the most consistent results of her IndyCar Series career, including a third-place finish in the Indianapolis 500. Can Patrick repeat at Twin Ring Motegi?
Championship contenders head to Motegi
The closely contested battle for the IndyCar Series championship heads to Twin Ring Motegi with Ryan Briscoe, Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon remaining in contention. None of the contenders have yet to find Victory Lane in Japan. Franchitti and Dixon have both finished on the podium while points leader Briscoe’s best finish is ninth. This is the first time that the Indy Japan 300, previously run in April, will factor into the championship race. How will the race at Twin Ring Motegi shake up the championship battle?
Nine drivers to make their Twin Ring Motegi debut
The Indy Japan 300 will mark the first race at Twin Ring Motegi featuring a unified field. In the wake of unification of open-wheel racing under the IndyCar Series banner in 2008, the race dates for Twin Ring Motegi and Long Beach fell on the same weekend. The IndyCar Series regulars competed in Japan while the transitioning teams participated in the Champ Car finale. Now, the unified field travels to Japan with nine drivers making their first IndyCar Series start at Twin Ring Motegi. How will the newcomers fair at the 1.5-mile oval?
Familiar faces return for Indy Japan 300
2004 IndyCar Series Rookie of the Year Kosuke Matsuura returns to the driver’s seat for his first IndyCar Series race since 2007. Matsuura will be in the No. 34 entry for Conquest Racing. Stanton Barrett returns to the No. 98 Team 3G entry for his first race since Kansas Speedway in April.
Race Notes:
The Indy Japan 300 will be the seventh IndyCar Series event conducted at Twin Ring Motegi. Previous race winners entered are: Danica Patrick (2008), Tony Kanaan (2007), Helio Castroneves (2006) and Dan Wheldon (2005, ‘04).
Previous polesitters entered are:
Helio Castroneves (2008, ‘07, ‘06), Dan Wheldon (2005) and Scott Dixon (2003). Nine drivers will make their first IndyCar Series start at Twin Ring Motegi: Stanton Barrett, Mike Conway, Robert Doornbos, Raphael Matos, Mario Moraes, Graham Rahal, Oriol Servia, E.J. Viso and Justin Wilson.
Championship Notes:
Ryan Briscoe leads the IndyCar Series championship for the fifth time this season.
Three drivers – Ryan Briscoe, Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon – remain eligible for the championship. There have been four different points leaders (Ryan Briscoe, Scott Dixon, Dario Franchitti and Tony Kanaan) and 13 lead changes in 15 races.
The 25-point differential between first and second is the fifth-closest in IndyCar Series history with two races remaining. Four points separated Dixon and Franchitti in 2007, Sam Hornish Jr. led Helio Castroneves by seven in 2006, Castroneves led Dixon by 12 in 2003 and Castroneves led Gil de Ferran by one point in 2002 with two races remaining.
The 33-point differential between first and third place is the fourth-closest in IndyCar Series history with two races remaining. In 2006 Hornish, led third place Wheldon by 24 points, Castroneves led Kanaan by 14 points in 2003 and Castroneves led Hornish by eight points in 2002.
The driver leading the championship with two races remaining has gone on to win the title five times since 2001.
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