Firestone Nashville 200 Grid and Race Results.

[marcus]

STARTING LINE UP

1. Buddy Rice 201.231 (4th Career Pole)
Rahal-Letterman Racing
26th Career start


2. Vitor Meira 200.967 (1st time starting 2nd)
Rahal-Letterman Racing
21st Career start


3.Bryan Herta 200.955 (1st time starting 3rd , Career best qualifying)
Andretti Green Racing
19th Career start


4. Dan Wheldon 199.992 (2nd time starting 4th)
Andretti Green Racing
24th Career start


5. Tony Kanaan 199.804 (4th time starting 5th)
Andretti Green Racing
25th Career start


6. Darren Manning 199.108 (2nd time starting 6th , equal best Career qualifying)
Target Chip Ganassi Racing
8th Career start


7. Dario Franchitti 199.089 (4th time starting 7th)
Andretti Green Racing
12th Career start


8. Scott Dixon 199.027 (1st time starting 8th)
Target Chip Ganassi Racing
24th Career start


9. Sam Hornish Jnr 199.003 (1st time starting 9th)
Marlboro Team Penske
60th Career start


10. Tomas Scheckter 198.829 (3rd time starting 10th)
Panther Racing
36th Career start


11. Helio Castroneves 198.801 (3rd time starting 11th)
Marlboro Team Penske
41st Career start


12. Townsend Bell 198.747 (1st time starting 12th)
Panther Racing
2nd Career start


13. Adrian Fernandez 198.701 (2nd time starting 13th)
Fernandez Racing
7th Career start


14. Kosuke Matsuura 198.381 (1st time starting 14th)
Super Aguri Fernandez Racing
8th Career start


15. Scott Sharp 198.162 (2nd time starting 15th)
Kelley Racing
90th Career start


16. Alex Barron 197.993 (2nd time starting 16th)
Red Bull Cheever Racing
34th career start


17. Jaques Lazier 197.400 (3rd time starting 17th)
Patrick Racing
38th Career start


18. Mark Taylor 197.237 (1st time starting 18th)
Access Motorsports
7th Career start


19. Felipe Giaffone 197.237 (3rd time starting 19th)
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
44th career start


20. Tora Takagi 196.653 (2nd time starting 20th)
Pioneer Mo Nunn Racing
24th Career start


21 Ed Carpenter 196.399 (1st time starting 21st)
Red Bull Cheever Racing
11th Career start


22. A J. Foyt IV 193.125 (1st time starting 22nd)
AJ Foyt Enterprises
24th Career start


POLE POSITIONS

Drivers
Homestead - Buddy Rice
Phoenix - Dan Wheldon
Motegi - Dan Wheldon
Indiananapolis - Buddy Rice
Texas 1 - Dario Franchitti
Richmond - Helio Castroneves
Kansas - Buddy Rice
Nashville - Buddy Rice

Teams
Homestead - Team Rahal
Phoenix - Andretti Green Racing
Motegi - Andretti Green Racing
Indiananapolis - Team Rahal Letterman
Texas 1 - Andretti Green Racing
Richmond - Malboro Team Penske
Kansas - Team Rahal Letterman
Nashville - Team Rahal Letterman

Engines
Homestead - Honda
Phoenix - Honda
Motegi - Honda
Indiananapolis - Honda
Texas 1 - Honda
Richmond - Toyota
Kansas - Honda
Nashville - Honda

Chassis
Homestead - G-Force
Phoenix - Dallara
Motegi - Dallara
Indiananapolis - G-Force
Texas 1 - Dallara
Richmond - Dallara
Kansas - G-Force
Nashville - G-Force



RACE RESULTS

1 Tony Kanaan (4TH CAREER VICTORY)
2 Sam Hornish Jr
3 Helio Castroneves
4 Darren Manning (EQUAL CAREER BEST FINISH)
5 Townsend Bell (CAREER BEST FINISH)
6 Buddy Rice
7 Mark Taylor (CAREER BEST FINISH)
8 Scott Dixon
9 Kosuke Matsuura
10 Adrian Fernandez
11 Tora Takagi
12 Vitor Meira
13 Dan Wheldon
14 Scott Sharp
15 Felipe Giaffone
16 A.J. Foyt IV


DNF's

Alex Barron Suspension
Bryan Herta Accident
Tomas Scheckter Accident
Dario Franchitti Transmission
Jaques Lazier Mechanical
Ed Carpenter Accident


CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

1 Tony Kanaan 325
2 Dan Wheldon 264
3 Buddy Rice 253
4 Helio Castroneves 242
5 Sam Hornish Jr. 200
6 Scott Dixon 188
7 Darren Manning 187
8 Bryan Herta 177
9 Dario Franchitti 173
10 Vitor Meira 170
11 Alex Barron 162
12 Adrian Fernandez 154
13 Tora Takagi 151
14 Kosuke Matsuura 145
15 Scott Sharp 140
16 Tomas Scheckter 125
17 A.J. Foyt IV 118
18 Ed Carpenter 106
19 Mark Taylor 105
20 Greg Ray 99
21 Felipe Giaffone 86
22 Robbie Buhl 44
22 Al Unser Jr. 44
24 Townsend Bell 43
25 Roger Yasukawa 39
26 Bruno Junqueira 30
27 Jeff Simmons 26
28 Sarah Fisher 12
28 Richie Hearn 12
29 Jaques Lazier 12
30 Buddy Lazier 12
31 Robby McGehee 12
32 Marty Roth 12
34 Larry Foyt 10
34 Robby Gordon 10
35 PJ Jones 10



ROOKIE OF THE YEAR POINTS

1 Kosuke Matsuura 145
2 Ed Carpenter 106
3 Mark Taylor 105
4 Jeff Simmons 26
5 Marty Roth 12
6 Larry Foyt 10



DRIVER WINS

Drivers
Homestead - Sam Hornish jr
Phoenix - Tony Kannan
Motegi - Dan Wheldon
Indiananapolis - Buddy Rice
Texas 1 - Tony Kanaan
Richmond - Dan Wheldon
Kansas - Buddy Rice
Nashville - Tony Kanaan

TEAM WINS

Homestead - Penske
Phoenix - Andretti Green Racing
Motegi - Andretti Green Racing
Indiananapolis - Team Rahal Letterman
Texas 1 - Andretti Green Racing
Richmond - Andretti Green Racing
Kansas - Team Rahal Letterman
Nashville - Andretti Green Racing

ENGINE WINS

Homestead - Toyota
Phoenix - Honda
Motegi - Honda
Indiananapolis - Honda
Texas 1 - Honda
Richmond - Honda
Kansas - Honda
Nashville - Honda

CHASSIS WINS

Homestead - Dallara
Phoenix - Dallara
Motegi - Dallara
Indiananapolis - G-Force
Texas 1 - Dallara
Richmond - Dallara
Kansas - G-Force
Nashville - Dallara

Did you know ...?
That Downforce usually does the results summary , thought I'd have a go this week

Highlights
broadband Dial up

Whats next ?

Menards A.J. Foyt Indy 225 Milwaukee Mile - July 25th


Previous results
Homestead
Phoenix
Japan
Indianapolis
Texas 1
Richmond
Kansas

[Down F0rce]

Nicely done I was at a freinds house last night so I just finished watching the race thanks to the good old VCR

[Raven]

Good race. I prefer this kind of track without the endless side by side stuff where neither car has the power to complete a pass.

Rice could have and should have won. I felt he was a bit hasty going for that pass on Wheldon. You can't really blame Dan for moving down the track. Right front contacting left rear, it was more in the hands of the spotter, or Buddy's responsibility to back out.

[JohnSSC]

This was the first IRL race that I have sat down and watched start to finish (aside from the 500). I have seen parts of other races in the past, but not the whole deal.

I was impressed with the action, and I agree that it was Rice's race once Meira dropped back. Why he decided to try to pass Wheldon and not just take him on corner exit I will never know particularly when he had to know that Wheldon was on tires leftover from the last Ice Age - well 74 laps old, anyway!

Good event though!

[GP Racer]

That's what it takes John!

Get to know the drivers and teams, then sit down and watch a race, and you'll be hooked! IMHO, this is the best open wheel racing to be found anywhere. It's quite a show.

[JohnSSC]

Why did Wheldon stay out with such crappy tires, anyway? The positions gained by less time in the pits seemed to be lost in raw speed.

Also, can Paul Page talk? He mangles more sentences than any announcer I know! Why can't they just let Goodyear yak?

Seriously the race was enjoyable. Lorrie and I both like F1 better (no offense) but as I have said many times before I love open wheel racing here - there is nothing like it! There was good action, good strategy and some drama when the Rahal cars broke/took themselves out!