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IndyCar News
Dixon Wins 500
25/05/2008
Target Chip Ganassi’s Scott Dixon won the 92nd running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday 25 May, making the New Zealander the 19th pole to flag winner of the event.
Dixon led the majority of the 200 lap race, fighting off unsuccessful challenges from Brazilian Vitor Meira and American Marco Andretti during the final 24-lap sprint to the finish line.
Final standings saw Meira finishing second, Andretti in third and two-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves finishing fourth.
Spectators hoping to see Danica Patrick become the first female 500 winner were left disappointed after a late-race collision with Ryan Briscoe meant she had to retire in the pit-lane with damage to her vehicle.
The Patrick-Briscoe run-in was one of many in the eventful race which saw eight yellow flags and 69 of the 200 laps running under caution.
Scott Dixon, #9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing, said:
“I think the month went so smooth that you were waiting for something to go wrong. I can’t believe we got here and nothing went wrong. The Firestone tyres were fantastic today – almost too much grip towards the end. They were very consistent all day long. That was the least of our worries; the Firestones were fantastic.”
Chip Ganassi, owner, Target Chip Ganassi Racing, said:
“It’s been a while, but it’s great to be back in victory circle. You forget what it’s like to win races here, but you know why you come back. This is a special place, special time. The tyre performance was fabulous, real consistent. The first thing Dixon said when he got out of the car was how good the tyres were.”
Al Speyer, Executive Director, Firestone Racing, said: “Congratulations to Target Chip Ganassi Racing. Scott Dixon drove a great race today and is a very deserving winner, as he showed a strong performance all month long. The Indy 500 is known for surprises and races where the fastest car sometimes doesn’t win, but today, Scott put it all together and won the race that is many times the highlight in a driver’s career. We were very pleased with the Firestone Firehawk tyre performance. The tyres provided both very competitive racing and excellent tyre wear. Scott becomes the 59th winner to drive into the Indy 500 victory circle on Firestone tyres, and now we’ll start looking to next year to see who will become the 60th Firestone winner.”
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