Motor Sports Weekly News

By: Drew Hierwarter 

   Danica Patrick is running out of time.  When she moved to the Andretti-Green race team at the beginning of the season, most thought that now everything was in place for her to win.  She always had the talent, and now she had the equipment.  AGR has been one of the strongest teams in the IRL and with teammates like Dario Franchitti and Tony Kanaan to work with, Danica should’ve had no problems.  That first win was just a matter of time. Ah, but motor racing is cruel, unpredictable, and unforgiving sport.  And bad luck has a way of cancelling even the best efforts.  This past Sunday at California’s Infineon Raceway Danica started on the front row and ran well most of the day, but a botched pit stop (she stalled the car on exit) relegated that good performance to a sixth place finish.  With only two races left in her season, time is running out for a Danica Patrick victory.   The race was won by Scott Dixon who has now pushed past Dario Franchitti into the points lead as the season draws to a close.  Franchitti’s two consecutive crashes at Kentucky and Michigan opened the door for Dixon to gain the lead.  And Franchitti’s third place finish, due to some earlier damage to his car, would’ve been much worse but for teammate Tony Kanaan driving interference behind him and preserving his position.  Team Penske’s Helio Castroneves was the second place finisher. 

    The series’ next race is on Belle Isle in Detroit over the Labor Day weekend followed a week later by the finale at Chicagoland Speedway.

         Craig Dollansky won the World of Outlaws feature event Saturday night at Skagit Speedway in Washington.  He took full advantage of a rare driveline failure in Steve Kinser’s car and then sped past Joey Saldana to take over the lead when Saldana lifted to avoid the slowing Kinser.   It was Dollansky’s third win of the season and the twenty first of his career.