California Indy 400 Race Report
Circuit: California Speedway (2.0 mile oval), Fontana, Calif.
2003 Winner: Sam Hornish Jr. (Chevrolet) 207.151 mph [fastest open-wheel
average speed on record]
Weather: Clear, windy, 83 degrees F
Race Results:
Ps. |
St. |
Driver |
Team |
Engine |
Chassis |
Laps |
Average Speed/Notes |
1 |
5 |
Adrian Fernandez |
Fernandez Racing |
Honda |
Panoz G-Force |
200 |
178.826 mph average |
2 |
22 |
Tony Kanaan |
Andretti Green Racing |
Honda |
Dallara |
200 |
-0.018 seconds |
3 |
14 |
Dan Wheldon |
Andretti Green Racing |
Honda |
Dallara |
200 |
-0.208 seconds |
4 |
3 |
Sam Hornish Jr. |
Team Penske |
Toyota |
Dallara |
200 |
-0.307 seconds |
5 |
7 |
Buddy Rice |
Rahal Letterman Racing |
Honda |
Panoz G-Force |
200 |
-0.494 seconds |
6 |
10 |
Dario Franchitti |
Andretti Green Racing |
Honda |
Panoz G-Force |
200 |
-0.672 seconds |
7 |
1 |
Helio Castroneves |
Team Penske |
Toyota |
Dallara |
200 |
-0.755 seconds |
8 |
2 |
Scott Dixon |
Target Chip Ganassi |
Toyota |
Panoz G-Force |
199 |
Running |
9 |
16 |
Townsend Bell |
Panther Racing |
Chevrolet |
Dallara |
199 |
Running |
10 |
12 |
Mark Taylor |
Access Motorsports |
Honda |
Panoz G-Force |
199 |
Running |
11 |
14 |
Scott Sharp |
Kelley Racing |
Toyota |
Dallara |
199 |
Running |
12 |
11 |
Ed Carpenter |
Cheever Indy Racing |
Chevrolet |
Dallara |
198 |
Running |
13 |
18 |
Kosuke Matsuura |
Super Aguri Fernandez |
Honda |
Panoz G-Force |
198 |
Running |
17 |
9 |
Bryan Herta |
Andretti Green Racing |
Honda |
Dallara |
188 |
Running |
21 |
6 |
Vitor Meira |
Rahal Letterman Racing |
Honda |
Panoz G-Force |
170 |
Not running-mechanical |
Victory for Fernandez, Title to Kanaan
A thrilling last-lap shootout between Honda-powered competitors Adrian Fernandez
and Tony Kanaan was decided in favor of the former Sunday at California Speedway,
as Fernandez edged his rival by just the length of a nosecone to win his
third Indy Racing League IndyCar Series race of the year, and second consecutive
event.
Although he came up 18-thousandths of a second short of a victory, second
place was more than enough for Andretti Green Racing's Kanaan to clinch
the IndyCar Drivers' Championship with one race remaining in the 2004
season. Kanaan's season has been a marvel of both speed and consistency,
with the Brazilian winning three times, coupled with six more top-three results
and completing every possible race lap this season.
A late-race caution set
up the final lap fireworks. When the green and white
flags waved at the start of Lap 199, Kanaan led from Fernandez and Team Penske's
Sam Hornish Jr. Kanaan held the low line throughout the final lap around the
2.0-mile super speedway, but Fernandez was able to use the draft and power
past his rival around the outside of Turn Three, and hold his advantage to
the finish. The victory for Fernandez, owner/driver of the Fernandez Racing
team, was Honda's 14th consecutive win this season. Honda clinched the
Manufacturers' title at Kentucky Speedway à the site of Fernandez's
first win à in August.
Dan Wheldon, the sole remaining challenger to Kanaan
at the start of Sunday's
200-lap run, made a sensational last-lap charge up from seventh to third at
the checkered, giving Honda its eighth 1-2-3 sweep of the season. Indianapolis
500 champion Buddy Rice and Dario Franchitti gave Honda five of the top six
finishing positions. Rookie Mark Taylor rounded out the top 10 for Access Motorsports,
his second-best result for the team since joining it at mid-season.
Super Aguri
Fernandez Racing's Kosuke Matsuura ran 13th today, and can
clinch Rookie of the Year honors with an 11th or better finish at the 2004
season finale, October 17th at Texas Motor Speedway.
Drivers' Championship (after 15 of 16 races)
1. Tony Kanaan |
578 points (3 wins)* |
8. Bryan Herta |
348 |
2. Dan Wheldon |
498 (3 wins) |
9. Vitor Meira |
344 |
3. Buddy Rice |
473 (3 wins) |
10. Scott Dixon |
327 |
4. Adrian Fernandez |
415 (3 wins) |
11. Darren Manning |
323 |
5. Helio Castroneves |
408 |
12. Alex Barron |
294 |
6. Dario Franchitti |
394 (3 wins) |
13.Kosuke Matsuura |
268 |
7. Sam Hornish Jr. |
374 (1 win) |
19. Mark Taylor |
206 |
Manufacturers' Championship: |
Rookie of the Year: |
1. Honda |
147 (14 wins) |
1. Kosuke Matsuura |
268 |
2. Toyota |
104 (1 win) |
2. Ed Carpenter |
233 |
3. Chevrolet |
79 |
3. Mark Taylor |
206 |
*Clinches Championship
Adrian Fernandez (#5 Telmex/Quaker State Fernandez Racing Honda) Started
4th, finished 1st, third IndyCar win of 2004, second consecutive victory, moves
to fifth in the points standings: "I'm so excited about these past
five races. I can't believe this; it's my best season ever. I have
to give credit to a great team led by Tom Anderson and Gustavo Del Campo. This
win is very significant, especially battling Tony Kanaan. Tony is a great competitor;
I couldn't be happier for him. He will be a great champion, and to fight
with him for the last few laps, and actually beat the champion, is a privilege.
No one can take this one away from us. Coming into the last lap, Tony and I
were running together. I knew I couldn't lift, I had to stay right beside
Tony and when I called on the car, the speed was there."
Tony Kanaan (#11
7-Eleven Andretti Green Racing Honda) Started 21st, finished 2nd, clinches
2004 IRL Drivers' Championship: "I don't think
it [winning the championship] has sunk in yet, it's been such a long
weekend for us. I tried not to get down after our [mechanical] problems yesterday,
I knew I had a good car and could pass out there. On the last lap, I wanted
the win and did my best. I raced Adrian [Fernandez] hard, but gave him room,
and he gave me room. I held on to the inside line, but he was stronger today.
The best moment of my life was when we crossed the [finish] line and then all
four of us [the Andretti Green team] did the doughnuts."
Dan Wheldon (#26
Jim Beam/Klein Tools Andretti Green Racing Racing Honda) Started 13th, finished
3rd, remains second in the points standings: "I think 'TK' [Kanaan]
will be the best champion in the history of the IRL. It's a great credit
to the entire Andretti Green organization that, all year long, we've
had four equal cars that are all quick, race-in and race-out. It's an
incredible result for the team and I'm proud of the part I played in
it. On the last lap [moving up from seventh to third], I don't know what
happened. I just knew I wanted to get to the front!"
Buddy Rice (#15 Pioneer/Argent
Mortgage Rahal Letterman Racing Honda) Started 6th, finished 5th, remains third
in the points standings: "The car was
pretty good today. We could hang in there with Tony [Kanaan] and Helio [Castroneves]
for the most of the day. But when you have a one or two lap shootout [at the
finish], people come out of nowhere that have been in the back of the pack
most of the day. Some guys really make their cars wide too. Our plan was to
run with leaders, and get the car ready for the last 20 laps. But I don't
think we had the speed that we needed at the end. We just missed a little bit
on the setup for today. I think it is cooler today than we thought it would
be."
Mark Taylor (#13 University Lofts Access Motorsports Honda) Started
11th, finished 10th: "The car was good, but pitting out of sequence early
cost us. We never had a drafting partner all day, and it steadily cost us track
position.
But it's our second top-ten result, and a great finish for all the guys
at the shop. That was a pretty big crash we had at [the previous race] Chicago,
but they were able to completely rebuild the car in just the couple of weeks
since then. So this is a bit of a reward for them."