ONLY IN TEXAS
They chose to run two races here in Texas. Something that they haven't done in 30 years. Didn't they know that there was a reason for that. Dario Franchitti, on the left, won the first race and Will Power, winning his first oval, won the second race. Both men are in the race for the championship and this setting wasn't exactly fair to Franchitti.
Here's the rub:
• The lineup for the first race was determined by Friday's qualifications. But the second race's starting lineup was determined by a blind draw as a stage was brought out to the start/finish line and the drivers drew for position in inverse order of the their finish. That meant 30th place driver Charlie Kimball was the first to draw and race winner Franchitti was the last to draw his starting position.
• Will Power, who finished third in the first race, was the third to last driver to draw for position and he drew the No. 3 starting spot.
• Franchitti, who won the first race, was the last to draw and when second-place finisher Scott Dixon drew the No. 18 starting position that left Franchitti with the 28th spot in the field.
Power won the race on the pre-race stage, not on the racetrack itself.
photo credit: © 2011 AP
edited text: © 2011 Bruce Martin via © 2011 si.com
edited text: © 2011 Bruce Martin via © 2011 si.com
