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IndyCar Series Media
With the Detroit Indy Grand Prix presented by Firestone at Belle Isle Park looming as the penultimate race in the 2008 IndyCar Series championship this weekend, just two competitors remain eligible for the title – Scott Dixon and Helio Castroneves.
Heading to Infineon Raceway for last weekend’s round, the Brisbane-born Kiwi held a 78 point lead, however with Castroneves able to break through for his first win of the season that lead was shaved to just 43 points.
Castroneves’ first win of the season came after a record seven second places and an extremely consistent run this year – he is the only driver to finish in the top five from 13 of 15 races.
Now a number of scenarios present themselves in the chase for the title. If Castroneves can win both remaining hit-outs, Dixon must come at least fourth in both to claim the title; however if the 2008 Indy 500 winner can clinch a win this weekend Castroneves will be eliminated, while if he finishes 11th or worse the Brazillian will remain in with a chance.
Dixon qualified third last year at Belle Isle before a spin to finish eighth, while Castoneves won the pole there before being knocked out early and has a pole and two victories (including his first) from his CART days at the track.
Dixon’s 43-point advantage is slightly above the average margin with two races to go. From 2001-2007, the points leader averaged a 35.1-point advantage on the nearest competitor. Four times the leader with two to go went on to the title, while three times he was passed.
Deeper in the field, other tight battles are being fought, with Castroneves’ team-mate Aussie Ryan Briscoe, who claimed second last weekend at Infineon, looking to hold on to his fifth position in the standings where he is currently 56 points shy of Tony Kanaan in fourth and 45 points ahead of sixth-placed Danica Patrick. It will be his first visit to the track aboard an IndyCar, after taking the pole there last year in the American LeMans Series.
In the race for the Bombardier Learjet Rookie of the Year honours the battle still continues, with Briscoe’s fellow Australian Will Power of Queensland just 38 points shy of Hideki Mutoh with two rounds to run.
Following the Detroit Indy Grand Prix presented by Firestone the unified series will continue to the championship finale at Chicagoland on September 7, before heading down under for Australia’s own Nikon Indy 300.
The 2008 schedule has taken the teams and drivers to short ovals, superspeedways, and road and street courses on its way to the Nikon Indy 300 which is regarded as a ‘crown jewel’ in international motorsport.
