Will Power points to the oval experience of Dario Franchitti, his closest pursuer for the IZOD IndyCar Series championship, as a potential difference-maker.
“He’s a very mistake-free, fast driver. And he’s very experienced,” Power said of Franchitti, who has prevailed in the two series title chases he’s been involved in (2007 and ‘09). “He knows how to win championships. He knows how to win races. I’ve just got to be a little bit better than that.”
Power, who with two races left is contending for his first championship, looked strong on a 1.5-mile oval for the second consecutive week, leading 83 laps in the Kentucky Indy 300 at Kentucky Speedway, but lost four positions late in the 200-lap race when the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske car got pushed up the track inches from the wall while he was lapping a car.
The loss of momentum during the blistering green-flag pace put Power eighth at the checkered flag. It opened the door for Franchitti, who finished fifth, to close to 17 points in the title chase. Scott Dixon is 83 points back. Third-place finisher Dan Wheldon surpassed Power’s laps led total to swipe the two bonus points, which also could prove to be crucial as the season winds down.
“I just went straight up towards the wall and thought I was going in, but just missed it,” Power said. “It took awhile to gather myself up again. Congratulations to Helio (Castroneves) and Team Penske for bringing home the victory. It’s unbelievable I’ve never finished better than fifth, but we’re getting there.
“We have our work cut out for us for the championship, but we still have the lead and onward we go.”
Twin Ring Motegi, where Power hasn’t competed and Franchitti has finished second and third his past two visits, is up next (Sept. 19). The finale is Oct. 2 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
“We finished ahead of Will, which was one of the things we needed to achieve, but it would have been nice to have finished a little further up,” said Franchitti, driver of the No. 10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing car.
CHAMPIONSHIP RACES WITH TWO RACES LEFT (2006-2009):
2009
Races remaining: Twin Ring Motegi, Homestead-Miami Speedway
Ryan Briscoe … 550*
Dario Franchitti … 525
Scott Dixon … 517
* - won third-from-last race at Chicagoland
Champion: Franchitti by 11 points over Dixon and 12 over Briscoe
2008
Races remaining: Belle Isle, Chicagoland
Scott Dixon … 576
Helio Castroneves … 533*
Dan Wheldon … 452
Tony Kanaan … 446
* - won third-from-last race at Infineon
Champion: Dixon by 17 points over Castroneves
2007
Races remaining: Belle Isle, Chicagoland
Scott Dixon … 560*
Dario Franchitti … 556
Tony Kanaan … 498
* - won third-from-last race at Infineon
Champion: Franchitti by 13 points over Dixon
2006
Races remaining: Infineon, Chicagoland
Sam Hornish Jr. … 418*
Helio Castroneves … 411
Dan Wheldon … 394
Scott Dixon … 385
* - won third-from-last race at Kentucky
Champion: Hornish (all four tied in points; Hornish won based on number of victories)
| 
|