Kanaan wins 2007 Detroit Grand Prix
Andretti Green Racing wins big at Belle Isle; Patrick takes second


By Shawn Wright
Writer/Reporter
Art Landino/HB Meeks
Photographers
Tell Us Detroit


Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon came into the 2007 Detroit Grand Prix on Belle Isle locked in a heated points battle to be champion of the IndyCar Series.

But with less than a minute to go in Sunday’s race, Dixon sideswiped opposing driver Buddy Rice, which caused a collision with Franchitti. Franchitti who trailed behind the two at the time.

It would prove costly for the points leaders, but all of it was behind Andretti Green driver Tony Kanaan, who coasted safely over the finish line and into the winners circle.

“This place (Belle Isle) gave me my first victory in America back in 1996,” Kanaan, who hails from Brazil, said. “I backed that up in ’97. I ended up winning the championship that year.”

Kanaan also experienced his worst career accident at Belle Isle, breaking his arm in 2000.

With the win, Kanaan is now 39 points behind fellow teammate Franchitti and 36 behind Dixon, leaving him in third place in the standings.

Coming into the race’s last lap on Turn 12 of 14, Dixon, who was running in third at the time, tried to pass Rice. Rice’s car had slowed down considerably because it was running out of gas.

“I wasn’t trying to pass Buddy (Rice),” said Dixon, who finished in eighth. “I was in a good position and would not have risked it. He ran out of fuel.

“I sideswiped Buddy but tried to keep going. I was trying to stay ahead of Franchitti for valuable points. I would never have done anything intentional to jeopardize our race.”

Kanaan felt differently about Dixon’s plea of innocence.

“He can say he didn’t mean to do it,” Kanaan said. “Do I think it was on purpose? Yes.”

Rice took the blame for the incident and offered his own apology.

“Obviously, it was a crash-fest,” Rice said, “and I just hate to get involved in the points championship because of where I’m at.”

Rice drives for Dreyer & Reinbold and is out of contention to be the IndyCar Series champion.

“Those two (Franchitti and Dixon) were battling it out and to take them out with a lap to go or get involved in an accident because I ran out of fuel is just disappointing for everybody involved,” Rice said.

Even though Franchitti wound up placing sixth, he was able to vault three points ahead of Dixon for the overall points lead.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for Scott,” Franchitti said. “I said at the beginning of the year that this was going to be one hell of a championship series.

“Scott has raced me cleanly all year and I’ve raced him cleanly. So going on past form this season, I don’t think he would have done it intentionally…As I say, my owners have a different opinion of it.”

Danica Patrick, another Andretti Green driver, led nine laps before a round of stops dropped her back into the middle of the pack.

At one point, Patrick allowed teammate Franchitti to pass her.

“I was informed that Dario (Franchitti) was behind me,” Patrick said. “I wanted him to go at Dixon. The story is who’s going to win the championship.”

She finished in second place – her best career finish – after being in fifth before the crash. It was her first race on a street course.

“It was a fun-filled day for me,” Patrick said. “We weren’t the fastest car but we were fast enough to be in contention.”

Dan Wheldon, Dixon’s teammate for Target Chip Ganassi, benefited from the crash and finished in third.
“It was a little unfortunate for Scott (Dixon), but he’s still in a great position to be able to win the championship and that’s what we need.”

This is the second consecutive season that the points lead has changed with two races remaining and then again with one race remaining. It also occurred in 2002.