Wheldon wins third straight IndyCar opener

Autoracing Betting Lines

03/25/2007 - Homestead, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dan Wheldon captured Saturday's XM Satellite Radio Indy 300 season opener. It was the third consecutive win for Wheldon at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. The No.10 Target Chip Ganassi driver took the checkered flag 6.4993 seconds ahead of his Target Chip Ganassi teammate Scott Dixon.

The victory was the 12th of Wheldon's IndyCar career.

"It's fantastic over everybody at Target and Chip Ganassi Racing," said Wheldon in Victory Lane. "Its a fabulous way to open the season."

After a rain-delay Wheldon, the pole winner, led the field to the green flag to begin the 2007 IndyCar season. Wheldon and his primary rival Sam Hornish Jr. quickly jumped out to a lead over third-place Dixon and the remainder of the field.

They stayed one-two until a caution flag on lap seven for a stopped Alex Barron. Barron appeared to have a fuel pressure problem. The field split on strategies with Wheldon and Hornish Jr. staying out but a number of others taking the opportunity to refuel.

Starting at lap 18, Dixon began to reel in the two leaders and he joined the top pair about two seconds ahead of the field by lap 25.

Wheldon continued to post laps at about 211 m.p.h. and his pace was too much even for Hornish Jr. and Dixon. By lap 35 Wheldon extended his lead to more than one second over the three-time series champion Hornish Jr. and two seconds over Dixon.

Helio Castroneves sudden was way off the pace, more than 10 m.p.h. below Wheldon's pace as the field hit lap 42. Two laps later Castroneves resumed lapping over 205 m.p.h., but he was more than 14 seconds behind Wheldon.

Wheldon made his first stop on lap 51 giving the lead up to Tony Kanaan. After all the pit stops had cycled through Wheldon was still the race leader but now by almost three seconds.

Marco Andretti brought his car down pit road on lap 53, an unexpected stop. The youngster got out of the car, his chance at a win gone.

"I can't tell you what's wrong," said Andretti. "It was undriveable, I've never been so scared in my life in an IndyCar."

A rain cloud moved through forcing officials to wave the yellow flag on lap 66. The race restarted on lap 76 after the moisture quickly evaporated.

Wheldon, Hornish Jr. and Dixon again showed their superiority opening up another big lead on the field until a caution flag on lap 92. The caution was for a three-car crash which sent A.J. Foyt IV, Kosuke Matsuura and Jeff Simmons to the garage. None of the drivers were injured, but their cars were destroyed. It started when Simmons spun out and collected the other two drivers.

At the mid-point, Wheldon had led 94 of 100 laps. But on a pit stop just after they cleaned the track from the three-car crash, Wheldon stalled his car and had to restart in ninth place. By lap 119, Wheldon regained the lead from his teammate Dixon.

The teammates lead over Hornish Jr. grew to more than three seconds through 135 laps. The gap between "Team Ganassi" and Hornish Jr. was over five seconds at lap 145.

There would be one final pit stop for drivers in hopes to improve their cars to compete with Wheldon and Dixon. Hornish Jr. was the first to pit on lap 153. It was a clean seven-second stop with no mistakes.

Two laps later Wheldon came in for a nine-second stop, but at least he didn't stall it this time. After the stop, Wheldon took no prisoners. By lap 165 he led his teammate by 4.8 seconds and Hornish Jr. by 7.2 seconds.

Dixon dominated the rest of the way, winning without challenge by more than six seconds.

Hornish Jr., Vitor Meira and Kanaan completed the top-five. The two women in the race, Sarah Fisher and Danica Patrick finished 11th and 14th. respectively.

The second race of the 2007 IndyCar season is scheduled for Sunday, April 1st on the streets of St. Petersburg, FL.

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