Kahne In, Stewart Out of the Chase/ All But Two Open Wheelers Finish in the Top 20 at Richmond/ Hornish on the Pole for the Final Race
Kahne In, Stewart Out of the Chase
Kasey Kahne came from 20th to finish 3rd Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway clinching the final spot in the Chase. Kahne finished only 16 points ahead of Tony Stewart but the 16 points were good enough to clinch the final spot. Stewart had wrecked his primary car in practice Friday and was forced to a backup car and started 40th. He came from the back to finish 18th, a top 20 finish but that was not good enough. The 2006 winner of the spring Martinsville race, the summer Daytona race and the reigning champion obviously disappointed.
“It takes 26 weekends to get to this point,” Stewart told NBC. “I wish the guys who made it the best of luck.”
Jeff Gordon also made the Chase qualifying 8th. He started tonight’s race 3rd and finished 31’s but that was good enough to make the Chase. Gordon was relieved.
“I am really glad Richmond is not in the last ten (races),” Gordon told TNT. “I am excited about the last few races and to put this one behind us.”
The Chase Standings Points Back
1. 17 Matt Kenseth -
2. 48 Jimmie Johnson -57
3. 29 Kevin Harvick -304
4. 5 Kyle Busch -361
5. 11 Denny Hamlin -437
6. 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. -447
7. 6 Mark Martin -449
8. 31 Jeff Burton -463
9. 24 Jeff Gordon -464
10. 9 Kasey Kahne -466
Outside of the Chase Points Outside
11. 20 Tony Stewart -16
All But Two Open Wheelers in the Top 20
All of Our Open Wheelers but two finished in the top twenty. Kahne was 3rd and Dave Blaney had a top five finishing 4th. Ken Schrader finished in the top ten at 7th.
The only incident of the night related to an Open Wheeler was when Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards got together in turn one early in the race.
Cup Results Darlington
1. (29 Kevin Harvick)
3. 9 Kasey Kahne
4. 22 Dave Blaney
7. 21 Ken Schrader
11. 42 Casey Mears
13. 18 J.J. Yeley
18. 20 Tony Stewart
19. 7 Robby Gordon
20. 12 Ryan Newman
31. 24 Jeff Gordon
35. 99 Carl Edwards
Hornish on the Pole for the Final Race
Sam Hornish is on the pole for the final race of the season, a race that will decide the championship. Hornish reportedly said he will work with his teammate Helio Castroneves to try to give Roger Penske his first IndyCar Series title. All four title contenders have qualified in the top for positions for Sunday’s race. Dan Weldon and Scott Dixon have reportedly been given the green light by Chip Ganassi to do win the champioship at all cost. Second place means nothing to Chip. We will have a complete wrapup of the IRL Championship Sunday right here on Open Wheeler.
Season Finale at Chicagoland Lineup
1 Sam Hornish Jr
2 Scott Dixon
3 Dan Wheldon
4 Helio Castroneves
5 Scott Sharp
6 Vitor Meira
7 Tomas Scheckter
8 Kosuke Matsuura
9 Buddy Rice
10 Jeff Simmons
11 AJ Foyt IV
12 Ed Carpenter
13 Tony Kanaan
14 Marco Andretti
15 Danica Patrick
16 Sarah Fisher
17 Jeff Bucknum
18 Bryan Herta
19 Marty Roth
Howard Wins IPS Championship
Jay Howard won the Indy Pro Series championship today driving the No. 7 Lucas Oil/Isilon/Sam Schmidt Motorsports car. Veronica McCann finished 11th in her first IPS start.
Wallace Wins, Shepherd Scores Top 10 at Chicagoland
Steve Wallace won the ARCA RE/MAX Series today at Chicagoland. The win was his second this season in seven starts. Rusty Wallace was there in victory lane.
Rusty will call the IndyCar Series finale Sunday for ABC. Peter Shephed pitted in the final laps of the race. He finished 10th. Justin Allgaier made contact with the wall and was forced to retire early. He finished 29th.
Images Courtesy of ARCA, NASCAR Images, TNT and SPEED.
Kasey Kahne came from 20th to finish 3rd Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway clinching the final spot in the Chase. Kahne finished only 16 points ahead of Tony Stewart but the 16 points were good enough to clinch the final spot. Stewart had wrecked his primary car in practice Friday and was forced to a backup car and started 40th. He came from the back to finish 18th, a top 20 finish but that was not good enough. The 2006 winner of the spring Martinsville race, the summer Daytona race and the reigning champion obviously disappointed.
“It takes 26 weekends to get to this point,” Stewart told NBC. “I wish the guys who made it the best of luck.”
Jeff Gordon also made the Chase qualifying 8th. He started tonight’s race 3rd and finished 31’s but that was good enough to make the Chase. Gordon was relieved.
“I am really glad Richmond is not in the last ten (races),” Gordon told TNT. “I am excited about the last few races and to put this one behind us.”
The Chase Standings Points Back
1. 17 Matt Kenseth -
2. 48 Jimmie Johnson -57
3. 29 Kevin Harvick -304
4. 5 Kyle Busch -361
5. 11 Denny Hamlin -437
6. 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. -447
7. 6 Mark Martin -449
8. 31 Jeff Burton -463
9. 24 Jeff Gordon -464
10. 9 Kasey Kahne -466
Outside of the Chase Points Outside
11. 20 Tony Stewart -16
All But Two Open Wheelers in the Top 20
All of Our Open Wheelers but two finished in the top twenty. Kahne was 3rd and Dave Blaney had a top five finishing 4th. Ken Schrader finished in the top ten at 7th.
The only incident of the night related to an Open Wheeler was when Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards got together in turn one early in the race.
Cup Results Darlington
1. (29 Kevin Harvick)
3. 9 Kasey Kahne
4. 22 Dave Blaney
7. 21 Ken Schrader
11. 42 Casey Mears
13. 18 J.J. Yeley
18. 20 Tony Stewart
19. 7 Robby Gordon
20. 12 Ryan Newman
31. 24 Jeff Gordon
35. 99 Carl Edwards
Hornish on the Pole for the Final Race
Sam Hornish is on the pole for the final race of the season, a race that will decide the championship. Hornish reportedly said he will work with his teammate Helio Castroneves to try to give Roger Penske his first IndyCar Series title. All four title contenders have qualified in the top for positions for Sunday’s race. Dan Weldon and Scott Dixon have reportedly been given the green light by Chip Ganassi to do win the champioship at all cost. Second place means nothing to Chip. We will have a complete wrapup of the IRL Championship Sunday right here on Open Wheeler.
Season Finale at Chicagoland Lineup
1 Sam Hornish Jr
2 Scott Dixon
3 Dan Wheldon
4 Helio Castroneves
5 Scott Sharp
6 Vitor Meira
7 Tomas Scheckter
8 Kosuke Matsuura
9 Buddy Rice
10 Jeff Simmons
11 AJ Foyt IV
12 Ed Carpenter
13 Tony Kanaan
14 Marco Andretti
15 Danica Patrick
16 Sarah Fisher
17 Jeff Bucknum
18 Bryan Herta
19 Marty Roth
Howard Wins IPS Championship
Jay Howard won the Indy Pro Series championship today driving the No. 7 Lucas Oil/Isilon/Sam Schmidt Motorsports car. Veronica McCann finished 11th in her first IPS start.
Wallace Wins, Shepherd Scores Top 10 at Chicagoland
Steve Wallace won the ARCA RE/MAX Series today at Chicagoland. The win was his second this season in seven starts. Rusty Wallace was there in victory lane.
Rusty will call the IndyCar Series finale Sunday for ABC. Peter Shephed pitted in the final laps of the race. He finished 10th. Justin Allgaier made contact with the wall and was forced to retire early. He finished 29th.
Images Courtesy of ARCA, NASCAR Images, TNT and SPEED.
posted by Blake Johnson at 3:40 PM
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