IRL: Kansas-Road Runner Turbo Indy 300

I watched this race Monday morning due to the fact it was tape delayed. Race Notes:

• Teams talk race strategy, rain forecast, plan for half distance in case of rain as well as full race distance.


• Clean start, Doornbos keeps it together and manages to only lose one spot on his first oval race.


• Kannan from p6 makes a move on Partick, p5, and Ej Visio, p4. Patrick sees him coming and pops out and blocks Kannan, passes Viso, Kannan jumps on the breaks. Great team work and communication.


• Back from break, Yellow flag. Helio has run into the back of Vito Meria, Helio keeps it off the wall and looks like all he needs is a new nose, Meria's day is done.


• Helio into the pits, can't get the old nose cone off, team sends him back out to keep him on the lead lap.


• Entire field into the pits next lap.


• Doornbos out first but hits tire in next pit box -- penalty coming?


• Doornbos sent to back of field for hitting the tire. Dixion back in front.


• Lap 21 ... restart, Dixion, Rahal, Moraes, Brisco, Kannan


• Rahal challenges Dixion for the lead on the high side, can't get it done.


• Helio driving like a mad man. Started from the back, moved to the front, accident put him at the back again, and is now fighting his way back to the front again.


• High side doesn't seem to be working for anyone today. Kannan tries it on Rahal for second and can't get it done.


• Dixion running first, is first of the lead pack to pit under green.


• Puts Helio into p1, two laps later he pits, and Dixion back to p1.


• Lap 79 and the talk turns to weather, rain shortened race now a possibility.


• 96 yellow flag ... Matos makes contact with the wall in turn 4 bringing out the pace car out.


• Have I mentioned how much I like Versus' coverage? Announcers are on the ball, camera's everywhere, awesome replays.


• Another round of pits, Dixion in first followed by Brisco, and Kannan. Brisco out first followed by Kannan then Dixion.


• At half way mark, more talk of rain.


• Lap 104 green, Dixion takes Kannan for second.


• Everyone feeling racy. Rahal making some moves.


• More Versus behind the scenes coverage, egg on the throttle demonstration, pretty cool.


• Helio finally figures how to get it done on the high side, gets by Kannan for 3rd.
  Danica uses traffic to get by Dario Franchitti for 6th.


• Leader Brisco into pits, Dario into the wall, yellow out, pits closed before Brisco got to the timing line, and has to do a drive through instead of stopping for fuel.


• Replay shows Franchitti way too fast following Rahal into pits, takes evasive action to avoid hitting Rahal, and ends up putting it into the wall and bringing out a full course yellow -- what was Dario thinking?


• Pits open, everyone in.


• Dixion out p1, Helio p2, Kannan p3, Brisco p4 --Brisco comes out the loser. Nice job Franchitti, you just cost Brisco the race.


• 41 laps to go .. green flag, everyone give the ok to go racing, no more fuel conservation.


• 4 laps to go .. Marco suddenly challenging teammate Patrick for 5th. Can he keep it together and finish the race without taking out his teammate?


• Final lap .. Dixion wins, Helio second and Kannan brings it home third.


• Nice interview by Scotts wife, who claims Dixion has been grumpy at home for the last three weeks because he has not won a race. This should put a smile on his face.