UpdateF1 >> Formula 1 News > Franchitti claims second IndyCar crown

Scotsman wins finale with cunning strategy

Dario Franchitti took his second IndyCar title after winning the season finale at Homestead.

The Ganassi driver outsmarted rivals Scott Dixon and Ryan Briscoe by opting for a bold fuel-saving strategy and jumped into the lead when the pair had to make a last-minute pitstop. The Homestead double tops off a remarkable comeback campaign by Scotsman Franchitti, who spent a year in NASCAR after winning the IndyCar crown in 2007 for Andretti-Green.

"What a year for this Target team," said 36-year-old Franchitti. "It was so much fun to be a part of it. I've been really lucky my whole career to have a great team. Scott and I raced each other the whole season and it just came down to this. I'm bloody delighted right now."

The IndyCar season finale shaped up to be an awkward affair at best. Only the three title contending cars finished on the lead lap on the 1.5 mile oval, as fourth-placed Tony Kanaan got lapped well before the halfway point. Most drivers were several miles off the pace and tried to stay out of the way of the three musketeers.

As soon as polesitter Dario dropped back to third behind Dixon and Briscoe, he opted to go for a fuel-saving strategy that would allow him to complete the 200-lap race with just three pitstops.

Meanwhile, Briscoe and Dixon kept burning off fuel while racing wheel to wheel for the lead. The pair banked on a common full-course caution period to allow them to stay on a three-stop strategy, ahead of Franchitti. However, the race circumstances played out in the hands of the fortunate Scotsman. For the first time in IndyCar's 14-year history, the yellow flags stayed away and Dixon and Briscoe were forced to make another pitstop just a handful of laps before the end.

While the two made their 'splash and dash' stop, Franchitti gratefully moved back into the lead and cruised to his fifth season victory and the second IndyCar title of his career.

"It's pretty frustrating," said Briscoe, who finished second for the eighth time this season - a series record. "It was one of the best races I've ever run. I just hate that it came down to fuel strategy. I thought it was going to be between me and Scott, definitely. I guess Franchitti's car had the advantage."

For good measure, Tony Kanaan and Helio Castroneves finished a lap down in fourth and fifth respectively, but in truth the fans witnessed a three car race that draws question marks over the level of competition in the series and casts a minor shadow over the tense three-way title battle.

Full Results:

1. Dario Franchitti - Target Chip Ganassi
2. Ryan Briscoe - Penske
3. Scott Dixon - Target Chip Ganassi
4. Tony Kanaan - Andretti Green
5. Helio Castroneves - Penske
6. Hideki Mutoh - Andretti Green
7. Mario Moraes - KV
8. Alex Lloyd - Newman/Haas/Lanigan
9. Tomas Scheckter - Dreyer & Reinbold
10. Justin Wilson - Dale Coyne
11. Graham Rahal - Newman/Haas/Lanigan
12. Ed Carpenter - Vision
13. Ryan Hunter-Reay - A.J. Foyt
14. Raphael Matos - Luczo Dragon
15. Mike Conway - Dreyer & Reinbold
16. EJ Viso - HVM
17. Milka Duno - Dreyer & Reinbold
18. Sarah Fisher - Sarah Fisher
19. Danica Patrick - Andretti Green

20. Robert Doornbos - HVM
21. Dan Wheldon - Panther
22. Marco Andretti - Andretti Green
23. Jaques Lazier - 3G

Filip Cleeren

Written: Sun, 11 Oct 2009 12:52:33