Dario Franchitti scores second IndyCar Series win of the year in Iowa

Dario Franchitti extended the dominance of the Indy Racing League’s “Big Three” teams with a win Sunday in the Iowa Corn Indy 250 at Iowa Speedway, but his day was not easy.

Competition at the top of the field was the best the IndyCar Series has seen this season, even though Franchitti beat second-place finisher Ryan Briscoe by five seconds, and only four cars finished on the lead lap.

Hideki Mutoh finished third with Dan Wheldon fourth.

Scott Dixon finished a lap down in fifth. He made contact with Helio Castroneves on lap 18, sending both to the pits for repairs.

The first half of the 250-lap race was filled with accidents. In all, seven cars were knocked out, including Tony Kanaan with a crash in turn two for the third year in a row.

Franchitti’s win was his second of the season–along with Long Beach–and 10th career triumph in the IndyCar Series.

Finish, Starting Pos., Driver, Chassis-Engine, Laps, Reason Out (if any)

1. (4) Dario Franchitti, Dallara-Honda, 250, Running

2. (2) Ryan Briscoe, Dallara-Honda, 250, Running

3. (11) Hideki Mutoh, Dallara-Honda, 250, Running

4. (6) Dan Wheldon, Dallara-Honda, 250, Running

5. (3) Scott Dixon, Dallara-Honda, 249, Running

6. (16) Tomas Scheckter, Dallara-Honda, 249, Running

7. (1) Helio Castroneves, Dallara-Honda, 249, Running

8. (19) Mike Conway, Dallara-Honda, 249, Running

9. (5) Danica Patrick, Dallara-Honda, 249, Running

10. (13) Ed Carpenter, Dallara-Honda, 248, Running

11. (9) Graham Rahal, Dallara-Honda, 245, Running

12. (8) Marco Andretti, Dallara-Honda, 244, Running

13. (20) Jaques Lazier, Dallara-Honda, 237, Running

14. (7) Tony Kanaan, Dallara-Honda, 108, Contact

15. (14) Robert Doornbos, Dallara-Honda, 58, Handling

16. (12) Raphael Matos, Dallara-Honda, 53, Contact

17. (15) Mario Moraes, Dallara-Honda, 52, Contact

18. (10) Justin Wilson, Dallara-Honda, 33, Contact

19. (17) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Dallara-Honda, 2, Contact

20. (18) E.J. Viso, Dallara-Honda, 0, Contact

Race Statistics

Winner’s average speed: 134.371 mph

Time of race: 1:39:47.9077

Margin of victory: 5.0132 seconds

Cautions: 5 caution flags for 46 laps

Lead changes: 12 among 7 drivers

Lap leaders: Castroneves 1-16, Dixon 17, Franchitti 18-19, Briscoe 20-35, Patrick 36-57, Kanaan 58-105, Wheldon 106-113, Briscoe 114-125, Franchitti 126-137, Briscoe 138-194, Franchitti 195-197, Patrick 198-199, Franchitti 200-250.

Point standings: Briscoe 241, Franchitti 238, Dixon 226, Castroneves 212, Patrick 189, Wheldon 184, Kanaan 162, Andretti 159, Rahal 145, Mutoh 142.

via: www.autoweek.com