Sunday, August 9, 2009

Mid-Ohio Race Reactions


The IndyCar Series completed their 13th race of the 2009 season at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course this past Sunday. Scott Dixon won his fourth race of the 2009 season by outlasting Ryan Briscoe and his teammate Dario Franchitti. Dixon’s win spring boarded him into first place in the point’s championship race, but only by very small margin of four points. IndyCarGarage breaks down four race reactions from Sunday’s Race.

1. Dixon’s dominating day leads to IRL history

Scott Dixon led 51 laps in Sunday’s race and crossed the finish line 30 seconds before Ryan Briscoe. Dixon’s dominating performance moved him into first place in the point’s championship and made him the career all-time win leader in the IndyCar Series, breaking the record held by Sam Hornish Jr. Dixon’s record only dates back to 1996 as the career win leader in open wheel history would be A.J. Foyt, who won 67 open wheel events. Dixon now finds himself in prime position for his third career IndyCar Series Championship.

2. Ryan Hunter-Reay great day

Ryan Hunter-Reay had his best performance of the 2009 season in the A.J. Foyt A.B.C Supply Machine. Hunter-Reay started in eighth position and finished a season high fourth. Hunter-Reay was quoted in the pre-race interviews as saying Mid-Ohio was one of his favorite places to run and it showed on Sunday. For all the bad luck that Hunter-Reay has experienced this season, he was long overdue for a top five finish.

3. Danica’s luck runs out

Danica Patrick finished in 19th position in Sunday’s race, her worst finish of the 2009 season. Mike Conway made contact with Patrick mid-way through the race on lap 45, which brought out the second full course caution. Danica has been a model of consistency this year, as she has recorded the most top five finishes of any season in her career. Sunday’s bad break was hardly her fault as Mike Conway nudge sent her flying into the sand trap. Keep an eye on Danica on the last three ovals, as those three tracks will give her best chance of reaching a podium and possibly scoring another victory.

4. One more road course and then back to ovals

The IndyCar Series will run one more road course this year, at Infineon road course in Sonoma California. The IRL will then finish off the season with three straight ovals, Chicagoland, Motegi, and Homestead. The Mid-Ohio race offered some excitement, but nothing compared to what was served up last week at Kentucky. The IndyCar Series needs the type of excitement that Kentucky generated in the last four races of the year to generate momentum into the 2010 season and quite the doubters of American Open Wheel Racing.

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