New Zealand’s Scott Dixon won his fifth race of the Indy-car season, holding off Brazil’s Helio Castroneves in the final laps to take Saturday’s Edmonton Indy and boost his points lead.
Dixon, who won the Indianapolis 500 in May, moved ahead thanks to a quicker pit stop and kept the edge all the way to the checkered flag, which came after only 91 of 95 scheduled laps due to series time limits for events.
“It has been fantastic,” Dixon said. “We saved enough fuel. That’s what enabled us to make the jump in the pit stop. We played it textbook.”
PHOTO: AFP
The first road-course victory of the season for Dixon gave him 505 points in the season championship chase, stretching his edge over Castroneves by seven to 65 points with only four races remaining in the season.
England’s Dan Wheldon is third, 115 points back, with Brazil’s Tony Kanaan another point adrift and Australian Ryan Briscoe, the Edmonton pole-sitter, 181 points behind in fifth.
The next race in the series will be Aug. 9 at the Kentucky Speedway oval. Two road course races follow before the season concludes at the Chicago oval on Sep. 7.
Castroneves has not won a race all season and would lose a most-wins tie-breaker to Dixon if they finish even in season points after losing on the 1.9-mile Edmonton airport circuit.
England’s Justin Wilson was third with Canadian Paul Tracy fourth in a one-off appearance in his homeland. The veteran racer is trying to show he deserves a chance for a full-time ride in the series.
Tracy was undone after his team folded when Champ-car merged with the Indy-car Series earlier this year.
Castroneves, a two-time Indy 500 winner, matched Sam Hornish’s Indy-car Series record by leading his 67th career race in his 110th career start. He is also the only driver to complete every race this season.
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