Tony Kanaan, who was shooting for three straight victories on the Milwaukee Mile
was third, Dan Wheldon was fourth and Helio Castroneves fifth, while Briscoe and
Dixon’s ‘Down Under’ counterpart – Queenslander Will Power – was 14th after
qualifying for his career best oval starting position of fourth.
Briscoe’s win is the 300th victory in motorsports for his team owner
Roger Penske, and came after the 26 year old Australian started 11th in a 26 car
field, led his first ever laps on an oval course and passed Dixon for the lead
on lap 177.
The win also means all three of the Trans-Tasman brigade
competing in the IndyCar Series - of which Australia's own Gold Coast Indy 300
is a part - have won a race within the unified format. Dixon - who led 147 laps
today and retains the IndyCar Series points lead - won both the season-opener
and last weekend’s Indy 500, while Power claimed the Long Beach Champ Car World
Series Finale in April.
Briscoe relinquished the lead on Lap 194 when he
was the first car to cycle through a final round of green-flag pit stops.
By the time everyone had made a stop, Briscoe was back in the lead for
good on Lap 207, taking the checkered on Lap 225 under caution after pole sitter
Marco Andretti and Ed Carpenter made contact on Lap 223 in an accident that also
collected Indy 500 runner-up Vitor Meira.
The 2008 IndyCar Series now
heads to Texas Motor Speedway for the June 7 Bombardier Learjet 550k as the
series continues on a schedule that is the most diverse in world motorsports.
Australian fans can catch the Texas Motor Speedway action live by tuning in to
ESPN at 12noon on Sunday June 8, with a replay at 7.00pm the same day.
The 2008 schedule will take the teams and drivers to short ovals,
superspeedways, and road and street courses including the Gold Coast Indy 300
which is regarded as a ‘crown jewel’ in international motorsport.
Now
regarded as one of the world’s iconic motorsport events, the Gold Coast Indy 300
will now continue until and including 2013 with major plans already underway for
a massive 20th anniversary celebration in 2010.
With 96 hours of
non-stop excitement over October 23-26 as the Gold Coast comes alive to the
sound of the IndyCars burning up the track and Australia’s own V8 Supercars
scorching around one of the most famous beach-side cities in the world, the
event is the hottest ticket in town.
Tickets are now on sale for the
Gold Coast Indy 300 with ticket options to suit everyone's needs. Four day
Grandstand passes are available for those who prefer to watch the racing from
the comfort of their own reserved seat or for those who prefer to wander around
and soak up the atmosphere then a four day, weekend or single day General
Admission pass might be more their style. For more information on ticket options
go to www.indy.com.au. For information on Corporate Hospitality packages please
call our Sales Team on (07) 5588 6800.
WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY…
Ryan Briscoe - #6 Team Penske Racing Honda/Dallara/Firestone
“It feels so good to win, my first IndyCar (Series) win, and it feels so
good to do it here in Milwaukee,” said Briscoe.
“I’m really happy. Ever
since Indianapolis, we had that get-together in pit lane, and it was really
unfortunate.
“I was having a really good race and looking at a top-five
(finish). We just had to put it behind us and move on to this race.
“It’s a long championship, and it’s just great. We were focused on this
race. We knew we had a good car off of last year’s results of Helio
(Castroneves) and (Sam) Hornish (Jr.). (We) just stayed focused in the race.
It’s great to win my first race for Team Penske.”
Scott Dixon - #9
Target Chip Ganassi Honda/Dallara/Firestone
“It was a pretty good day
for Team Target. We were dominant early on, and the car was really good early on
in the stint,” said Dixon.
“I think where we struggled was towards the
end of the stint. It didn’t seem to be a problem early on, because the other
guys were falling off, too.
“Briscoe, you got to give him credit. He
drove the wheels off that thing. He could really take advantage of the high line
when I tried a couple of times and nearly ended up in the fence.
“It was
the most fun I’ve had in a long time, to be honest. It was a hell of a race
towards the end. I’m just glad it didn’t come down to traffic being the deciding
factor, and it almost was with Briscoe almost being taken out by those guys
crashing.
“It was a tough race. I’m a little disappointed we didn’t come
up with the win, but it is fantastic points for the championship.”
Tony Kanaan - #11 Team 7-Eleven Honda/Dallara/Firestone
“Ryan
(Briscoe) was really strong, and I’m always in favor of the fast car winning the
race,” said Kanaan.
“He deserved it from where he started. He earned
every position. He passed everybody at the racetrack, so congratulations to him.
“We’re happy with third. When you don’t have a car to win, you have to
understand what you have in your hands, and that’s what we had today.
“It’s good momentum for Team 7-Eleven and for the championship. To think
championship, you have to finish in the top three. The way these guys are going,
it’s how it has to be.”
Dan Wheldon - #10 Target Chip Ganassi
Honda/Dallara/Firestone
“I had a car that was just a little
conservative, so that’s why it was difficult for me to run up high. For the most
part, I think it was a pretty good race. (Racing) kind of swayed back and
forth,” said Wheldon.
Helio Castroneves - #3 Team Penske Racing
Honda/Dallara/Firestone
“Definitely, (Ryan Briscoe’s) car was much
quicker than mine,” said Castroneves.
“It’s good to see that he’s
coming. Now it’s going to get better and better. This place is amazing; there
are so many things happening.
"I broke the curse. Every time we were
here, I’ve never been able to finish. Finally I’ve been able to finish, and
fifth place is good enough for points. Not good enough for a win, but we’ll keep
working hard.”
RESULTS: ABC Supply/AJ Foyt Indy 225 at Milwaukee Mile
Results of the ABC Supply/AJ Foyt Indy 225 IndyCar Series event at
the 1-mile Milwaukee Mile, with order of finish, starting position in
parentheses, driver, chassis-engine, laps completed and reason out (if any):
1. (11) Ryan Briscoe, Dallara-Honda, 225, Running
2. (3) Scott
Dixon, Dallara-Honda, 225, Running
3. (6) Tony Kanaan, Dallara-Honda, 225,
Running
4. (7) Dan Wheldon, Dallara-Honda, 225, Running
5. (5) Helio
Castroneves, Dallara-Honda, 225, Running
6. (9) Oriol Servia, Dallara-Honda,
225, Running
7. (22) Justin Wilson, Dallara-Honda, 224, Running
8. (10)
EJ Viso, Dallara-Honda, 224, Running
9. (13) Danica Patrick, Dallara-Honda,
224, Running
10. (19) Buddy Rice, Dallara-Honda, 224, Running
11. (21)
Townsend Bell, Dallara-Honda, 224, Running
12. (14) Hideki Mutoh,
Dallara-Honda, 224, Running
13. (20) Darren Manning, Dallara-Honda, 223,
Running
14. (4) Will Power, Dallara-Honda, 223, Running
15. (12) Ryan
Hunter-Reay, Dallara-Honda, 223, Running
16. (8) Enrique Bernoldi,
Dallara-Honda, 222, Running
17. (18) A.J. Foyt IV,! Dallara-Honda, 222,
Running
18. (15) Bruno Junqueira, Dallara-Honda, 222, Running
19. (16)
John Andretti, Dallara-Honda, 222, Running
20. (17) Ed Carpenter,
Dallara-Honda, 221, Contact
21. (1) Marco Andretti, Dallara-Honda, 221,
Contact
22. (26) Vitor Meira, Dallara-Honda, 220, Contact
23. (23) Mario
Moraes, Dallara-Honda, 218, Running
24. (24) Jaime Camara, Dallara-Honda,
218, Running
25. (2) Graham Rahal, Dallara-Honda, 129, Contact
26. (25)
Mario Dominguez, Dallara-Honda, 107, Handling
27. (DNS) Marty Roth,
Dallara-Honda, 0, Did not start
RACE STATISTICS
Winner's
average speed: 133.428 mph
Time of race: 1:42:41.7387
Margin of victory:
Under caution
Cautions: 4 caution flags for 29 laps
Lead changes: 5
among 4 drivers
Lap leaders: Andretti 1-40, Dixon 41-176, Briscoe 177-193,
Dixon 194-204, Castroneves 205-206, Briscoe 207-225.
Point standings: Dixon
234, Castroneves 206, Wheldon 185, Kanaan 174, Patrick 144, Andretti 142, Servia
140, Briscoe 134, Carpenter 132, Mutoh 131.
INDYCAR SERIES POST-RACE
NOTES
- This is Ryan Briscoe’s first career victory in the IndyCar
Series. His previous best finish was third at Watkins Glen in 2006.
- This
is Team Penske’s 26th victory in the IndyCar Series and its first this season.
The team’s last victory came at Texas last June.
- This is Roger Penske’s
300th victory in motorsports.
- Scott Dixon finished second, his fifth
top-three finish of the season. Dixon led 147 laps today and has led 508 of the
last 825 laps. He has led 100 or more laps in four consecutive races.
- Tony
Kanaan finished third, his fourth top-five finish this season. This is his worst
finish at Milwaukee in five races.
- Dan Wheldon finished fourth, his fourth
top-five finish of the season.
- Helio Castroneves finished fifth. He is the
only driver to record top-five finishes in every race this season.
- Oriol
Servia finished sixth, his best finish in the IndyCar Series. His previous best
finish was seventh at St. Petersburg.
- Justin Wilson finished seventh, his
best finish in the IndyCar Series. His previous best finish was ninth at St.
Petersburg and Kansas.
- E.J. Viso finished eighth, his best finish on an
oval. His previous best finish on an oval was 14th at Kansas.
2008
INDYCAR SERIES POINTS STANDINGS - AFTER RACE 6
1. #9 Scott Dixon 234
2. #3 Helio Castroneves 206
3. #10 Dan Wheldon 185
4. #11 Tony
Kanaan 174
5. #7 Danica Patrick 144
6. #26 Marco Andretti 142
7. #5
Oriol Servia 140
8. #6 Ryan Briscoe 134
9. #20 Ed Carpenter 132
10.
#27 Hideki Mutoh 131
2008 BOMBARDIER ROOKIE OF THE YEAR STANDINGS -
AFTER RACE 6
1. #27 Hideki Mutoh 131
2. #8 Will Power 130
3. #33
EJ Viso 117
4. #36 Enrique Bernoldi 113
5. #06 Graham Rahal 108
AUSTRALIAN TV REPLAY
Monday 2nd June 2008
ESPN
10.30pm AEST
About the Gold Coast Indy 300
The annual
Gold Coast Indy 300 is a partnership between the Queensland Government and IMG.
The Gold Coast Indy 300 will be held from October 23 to 26 in 2008.
IMG
is the world's premier Sports, Entertainment and Media Company. IMG is a
diversified global business with two major business segments: IMG Sports &
Entertainment, and IMG Media. IMG employs over 2,300 people in 30 countries.
Forstmann Little & Co. purchased IMG in 2004.
IMG Sports &
Entertainment includes: consulting services; event ownership and management;
fashion events and models representation; licensing; golf course design; client
representation in golf, tennis, broadcasting, European football, rugby, cricket,
motorsports, coaching, Olympic sports and action sports. In addition, IMG
Academies are the world's largest and most advanced, state-of-the-art,
multi-sport training and educational facility, delivering world-class sports
training experiences to over 12,000 junior, collegiate, adult and professional
athletes each year.
IMG Media, which includes our content production
subsidiaries TWI, Darlow Smithson Productions (DSP) and Tiger Aspect Productions
(TAP), is recognized as a global leader in the delivery of traditional and new
media content and services, with Internet, broadband and mobile expertise,
transforming how audiences access and interact with content.
IMG Media
produces and distributes over 10,000 hours of sports, documentary, drama,
comedy, entertainment, popular factual and children’s content annually, over
multiple platforms across 200 countries, including award-winning television and
radio programming. It also represents the broadcast rights to many of the
world’s premier sporting events and has the world’s biggest sports archive with
more than 200,000 hours of footage.
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