Weldon wins but Sam is the Champion
Weldon wins but Sam is the Champion
Dan Weldon did everything he could to win the championship including winning the final race of the year but in the end it was Sam Hornish that raced conservatively and finished third, good enough to become the 2006 IndyCar Series Champion.
The program started out with several montages about how each of the four contenders ended up with a chance to win the championship.
ABC also ran a brief final goodbye to Paul Dana who lost his life at the season opener at Homestead. Dana brought Ethanol to the IRL and in 2007 all IndyCar Series cars will run on 100% ethanol.
The day was overcast but still a good day for racing.
It is time to start the race and crown a champion. Green flag and we are underway.
Immediately both Dan Weldon and Scott Dixon race to the front. Both are fighting for the extra three points which might make the difference in the championship.
Chip Ganassi guys touch several times while running side by side. At 12:52pm central, we get our first I tell you what from Rusty.
Our first caution for debris comes out when Vitor Meira and Thomas Scheckter touched. Weldon beats everyone off pit road while AJ Foyt IV stays out to lead a lap. Helio Castroneves was black flagged for speeding on pit road and started from the rear. This mistake was critical as Castroneves will have trouble in getting up to the front for the rest of the race.
Marco Andretti had to make a green flag pit stop due to a flat right rear tire. This bad luck will also doom Marco’s chances for the day.
Later into the race, green flag pit stops and all of the contenders make it in and out with no problems. Dan Weldon got the three points he was looking for as he led the most laps. In the last five races that Weldon has led a lap, he has not won.
We are now nearing the end of the race and its time for final pit stops.
Hornish beats Weldon to the end of pit road when Weldon fishtales giving Sam the lead.
No worries for Weldon as he passes Hornish for the lead on the restart. For Weldon to win the championship, Weldon would have to win and Hornish finish fourth or worse. Nearing the final laps now and Weldon and Dixon are again racing side by side. Roger Penske is telling Hornish to stay back and take it easy. Hornish remains in third.
Dan Werldon and Scott Dixon touch bringing an end to the side by side racing and causing hearts to race.
To the checkerd flag now and it is Dan Weldon followed by teammate Scott Dixon and Sam Hornish. Dan Weldon wins his second IndyCar Series race of the season.
Sam Hornish wins the 2006 IndyCar Series title.
Chip Ganassi is dissappointed. Technically Hornish and Weldon finish the season tied in the points but Sam Hornish is the champion because he won more races during the season (4) than Dan Weldon (2).
Sam celebrates by nosing his car into the wall and gunning the throttle and smoking the tires. Meanwhile in a relatively quiet victory lane, Dan Weldon climbs out of his car and huggs his teammates.
He was so close and 2007 looks so bright for the Brit.
Sam Hornish holds up his million dollar check for the fans.
Roger Penske is brought onto the stage.
This is Penske’s first IndyCar Series championship. There is confetti and champaign for everyone. Another season comes to a close. It was quite a memorable one from the sad opener to Sam edging out Marco Andretti at the Indy 500 to Marco getting his first win. What a season. It is now time for silly season and
ABC’s Jamie Little reports that Danica Patrick will unveil her sponsors for the 2007 season later this week.
More news and notes will come out in the next few weeks including the 2007 schedule. We will have it all for you here at Open Wheeler.
Top 5 2006 IndyCar Series Points
1. Sam Hornish Jr. 475
2. Dan Weldon 475 tied (Sam wins because tiebreaker is who won most races.)
3. Helio Castroneves 473 -2
4. Scott Dixon 460 15
5. Vitor Meira 411 -64
Season Finale at Chicagoland Results
1 Dan Wheldon
2 Scott Dixon
3 Sam Hornish Jr
4 Helio Castroneves
5 Ed Carpenter
6 Vitor Meira
7 Tony Kanaan
8 Jeff Simmons
9 Scott Sharp
10 Tomas Scheckter
11 Kosuke Matsuura
12 Danica Patrick
13 Buddy Rice
14 AJ Foyt IV
15 Bryan Herta
16 Sarah Fisher
17 Jeff Bucknum
18 Marco Andretti
19 Marty Roth
Images appearing in this blog courtesy of ABC, SPEED, IMS Productions and the Indy Racing League.
Dan Weldon did everything he could to win the championship including winning the final race of the year but in the end it was Sam Hornish that raced conservatively and finished third, good enough to become the 2006 IndyCar Series Champion.
The program started out with several montages about how each of the four contenders ended up with a chance to win the championship.
ABC also ran a brief final goodbye to Paul Dana who lost his life at the season opener at Homestead. Dana brought Ethanol to the IRL and in 2007 all IndyCar Series cars will run on 100% ethanol.
The day was overcast but still a good day for racing.
It is time to start the race and crown a champion. Green flag and we are underway.
Immediately both Dan Weldon and Scott Dixon race to the front. Both are fighting for the extra three points which might make the difference in the championship.
Chip Ganassi guys touch several times while running side by side. At 12:52pm central, we get our first I tell you what from Rusty.
Our first caution for debris comes out when Vitor Meira and Thomas Scheckter touched. Weldon beats everyone off pit road while AJ Foyt IV stays out to lead a lap. Helio Castroneves was black flagged for speeding on pit road and started from the rear. This mistake was critical as Castroneves will have trouble in getting up to the front for the rest of the race.
Marco Andretti had to make a green flag pit stop due to a flat right rear tire. This bad luck will also doom Marco’s chances for the day.
Later into the race, green flag pit stops and all of the contenders make it in and out with no problems. Dan Weldon got the three points he was looking for as he led the most laps. In the last five races that Weldon has led a lap, he has not won.
We are now nearing the end of the race and its time for final pit stops.
Hornish beats Weldon to the end of pit road when Weldon fishtales giving Sam the lead.
No worries for Weldon as he passes Hornish for the lead on the restart. For Weldon to win the championship, Weldon would have to win and Hornish finish fourth or worse. Nearing the final laps now and Weldon and Dixon are again racing side by side. Roger Penske is telling Hornish to stay back and take it easy. Hornish remains in third.
Dan Werldon and Scott Dixon touch bringing an end to the side by side racing and causing hearts to race.
To the checkerd flag now and it is Dan Weldon followed by teammate Scott Dixon and Sam Hornish. Dan Weldon wins his second IndyCar Series race of the season.
Sam Hornish wins the 2006 IndyCar Series title.
Chip Ganassi is dissappointed. Technically Hornish and Weldon finish the season tied in the points but Sam Hornish is the champion because he won more races during the season (4) than Dan Weldon (2).
Sam celebrates by nosing his car into the wall and gunning the throttle and smoking the tires. Meanwhile in a relatively quiet victory lane, Dan Weldon climbs out of his car and huggs his teammates.
He was so close and 2007 looks so bright for the Brit.
Sam Hornish holds up his million dollar check for the fans.
Roger Penske is brought onto the stage.
This is Penske’s first IndyCar Series championship. There is confetti and champaign for everyone. Another season comes to a close. It was quite a memorable one from the sad opener to Sam edging out Marco Andretti at the Indy 500 to Marco getting his first win. What a season. It is now time for silly season and
ABC’s Jamie Little reports that Danica Patrick will unveil her sponsors for the 2007 season later this week.
More news and notes will come out in the next few weeks including the 2007 schedule. We will have it all for you here at Open Wheeler.
Top 5 2006 IndyCar Series Points
1. Sam Hornish Jr. 475
2. Dan Weldon 475 tied (Sam wins because tiebreaker is who won most races.)
3. Helio Castroneves 473 -2
4. Scott Dixon 460 15
5. Vitor Meira 411 -64
Season Finale at Chicagoland Results
1 Dan Wheldon
2 Scott Dixon
3 Sam Hornish Jr
4 Helio Castroneves
5 Ed Carpenter
6 Vitor Meira
7 Tony Kanaan
8 Jeff Simmons
9 Scott Sharp
10 Tomas Scheckter
11 Kosuke Matsuura
12 Danica Patrick
13 Buddy Rice
14 AJ Foyt IV
15 Bryan Herta
16 Sarah Fisher
17 Jeff Bucknum
18 Marco Andretti
19 Marty Roth
Images appearing in this blog courtesy of ABC, SPEED, IMS Productions and the Indy Racing League.
posted by Blake Johnson at 2:37 PM
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