Sat Mar 29 22:45:46 2008

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Dixon takes advantage of Kanaan bad luck

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Homestead, FL (Sports Network) - Scott Dixon was more than a second back in second place when a backmarker spun in front of leader Tony Kanaan taking him out of the race and Dixon went on to capture the 2008 IndyCar season opener at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. The No.9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing driver crossed the finish line 0.5828 seconds ahead of Marco Andretti.

The victory was the 11th of his IndyCar career.

With eight laps to go and a huge lead, Kanaan was collected in an Ernesto Viso spin and the win that was right in front of him was out of reach.

Kanaan ended up driving on three wheels and still leading the race - at least until the race went back to green. Had the race ended until yellow, he could have still been credited with the win.

But the cleanup went quickly and the race went back to green on lap 197. Dixon inherited the lead with Andretti and Dan Wheldon just behind. Dixon charged from the green flag and neither Andretti nor Wheldon could catch him. It was his second win in Homestead (also won in 2003).

"TK had a great car and we were struggling on long runs, but we came through with the win and that's what counts," said Dixon.

The "new and improved" 2008 season got underway as pole winner Dixon brought the field to the green flag for 200 laps of close side-by-side racing. Kanaan got around AGR teammate Danica Patrick and went after Dixon.

Meanwhile, Wheldon, who crashed in qualifying, was making a charge from the drop of the green flag. After five laps he was 15th. He cracked the top-10 on lap 8.

Kanaan got around Dixon after a couple of side-by-side laps to take the lead on lap 16 and one lap later the first caution flag (debris) slowed the field. A quick stop by the No.9 Target Chip Ganassi team put Dixon back on top.

Ed Carpenter, after going to the back of the field for failing post-qualifying inspection, was up to eighth after the first stop.

Dixon was maintaining about a one-second lead on Helio Castroneves as the field passed the 40-lap mark with Kanaan falling back to third after touching wheels with the No.3 down the backstretch. Wheldon, the three-time defending GAINSCO champion, was still on the move getting around Ryan Briscoe for fifth before lap 50.

Then both Castroneves and Kanaan fell into the clutches of Andretti, who grabbed second place on lap 57. Wheldon followed Andretti, passing Kanaan a few laps later.

Green flag pit stops began around lap 69 and finished by lap 74 with Dixon returning to the lead after they had cycled through. But the No.9 Dallara Honda got loose on his first out lap and Andretti took advantage by squeezing by on the high side for the lead.

At the mid-point of the 200-lap event, Andretti held a 1.8109-second lead on Dixon. Wheldon was third more than five second behind. Andretti was putting on quite a show and had lapped up to ninth-place A.J. Foyt IV.

By lap 115 it was Wheldon leading the chase to catch Andretti after he sped past his Target teammate Dixon.

This time Andretti pitted first of the leaders - on lap 118. But no cautions came out through the refueling cycle and Andretti maintained his lead on Wheldon after everyone had stopped.

Then on lap 126 Milka Duno spun collecting Ryan Briscoe in turn No.2 to bring out the caution flag. When the race restarted on lap 140, there were just five drivers on the lead lap - Andretti, Wheldon, Dixon, Kanaan and Castroneves.

Castroneves made a late stop to top off his fuel tank. Would he try to go 65 laps on one tank? The most anyone had run so far was 53 laps by Wheldon.

On the restart, Kanaan got past a slow starting Dixon for third place. But Andretti was flying and already the lead was one second.

Kanaan pulled close to Andretti as they began to lap slower traffic. When Andretti went the wrong way on lap 162 and was forced to let off the pedal, Kanaan slipped past for the lead.

Castroneves was dropping back, 12 seconds behind with 35 laps to go. It was now a four-car race. Kanaan's lead was one second on Andretti with 30 laps remaining. Wheldon and Dixon were still less than two seconds back.

It was time for final stops and Kanaan was the first to pit on lap 173. Andretti was next followed by Dixon. Castroneves would not try to stretch his fuel to the checkered flag and pitted with 20 laps remaining returning Kanaan to the top spot. His lead was more than two seconds on Dixon.

That's when Ernesto Viso spun and yanked the victory out of Kanaan's hands.

The next race is a road-course event in St. Petersburg, FL on Sunday, April 6th.