Castroneves Breaks Streak Of Poor Finishes With Fourth-Place Run

JOLIET, Ill. — Ryan Hunter-Reay didn’t start his first IndyCar Series race until July 22 at Mid-Ohio. Despite the late start, he was able to easily win the Bombardier Learjet Rookie of the Year Award for Rahal Letterman Racing.
Hunter-Reay, who replaced Jeff Simmons in the Team Ethanol ride, broke the record of fewest IndyCar starts to win the rookie award with six. The old record was eight starts shared by Robby Unser and Scott Harrington.
“We accomplished more in six races than I ever thought would be possible when I joined the team,” Hunter-Reay said. “This is a great team, with a bright future. I see the Rookie-of-the-Year award as not so much a great honor for me, but more as a symbol of what we accomplished as a team this season.”
Hunter-Reay finished seventh at Chicagoland Speedway to clinch the award.
Rahal Letterman Racing becomes the first team in IndyCar Series history to win the rookie honor twice. Danica Patrick won the award in 2005.
 
• Danica Patrick appeared to be heading to another top-five finish before she spun out entering the pits on lap 193 for what would have been her final pit stop.
She finished 11th.
“I’m so disappointed; I can’t even put it into words,” Patrick said. “I knew we needed to make great time with our last pit stop and I was pushing so hard. We’ll just have to learn from it and come back stronger than ever next year.” 

• Apparently, Dario Franchitti doesn’t mind distractions. With a move to NASCAR Nextel Cup for team owner Chip Ganassi all but certain, Franchitti won the pole Saturday evening for Sunday’s IndyCar season finale.
Franchitti ran a lap of 214.646 miles per hour around the 1.5-mile Chicagoland Speedway early in the session and it held up for the pole.
 
• Three-time IndyCar champion Sam Hornish, Jr. drove in what likely was his final series race as he moves to NASCAR Nextel Cup next season.
“I love IndyCar racing and I’m sure I will miss it no matter what, but at some point in time I will quit driving IndyCars, whether it’s to go do something else or retire or take a break or whatever. I’ve come to grips that there would be some time I’d have to quit,” Hornish said. “I don’t think this will be my last IndyCar race 100 percent.”
Hornish finished third, one-lap down to winner Dario Franchitti and second-place Scott Dixon.

• Helio Castroneves finished fourth, breaking a streak of bad finishes that plagued him throughout the 2007 season.
“The Team Penske cars were incredible out there,” Castroneves said. “When the No. 4 car (Vitor Meira) hit the wall, there was a lot of confusion during the caution period about who would get waved around and whether the pits were open or closed. It’s unfortunate that the race officials made the call that left only two cars on the lead lap.
“If it wasn’t for this, I’m confident that either Sam or I would have come away with the win. Regardless of the outcome, I can’t say enough about the crew. We definitely ended the season on a high note. The car was awesome and the pit stops were flawless. I guess we’ll have to wait until next year and hope we can carry this momentum into the first race of the season.”
 
• Tony Kanaan’s outside shot at winning the IndyCar title ended quickly when he suffered a tire problem early but was still able to finish sixth.
“It was a frustrating day for us,” Kanaan said. “We went a lap down right away because of a (tire) puncture and we never recovered. We had a fast car, and the key was to never give up. We came here with one goal, win a championship.
“I told you guys from the beginning that (Dario Franchitti) had a better chance than I did. This proves that when it’s your day. It’s your day. So, I want to run and give him (Dario) a big hug right now.”
 
• Brad Forth acknowledged he made a mistake when he converted his family’s chili recipe to bulk quantities for the 2006 Indy Racing League Chili Cook-off. He perfected it for 2007.
Forth, a member of the Indy Racing League transportation department was declared the winner of the fourth annual chili cook-off for “Mum’s Canadian Brown Sugar Chili.”
“It’s an old family recipe that was actually invented at a racetrack,” Forth said. “My mom first used the recipe at Mosport about 45 years ago. We’ve always loved it and I’m pretty pleased that everyone loved it. I’m ready to share it with everyone else.”