2007 IRL Rd. 13--Firestone Indy 400

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 8:51 am

With about 55-60 laps remaining, this has become a "last man standing" race; the only drivers remaining ontrack at the moment are Marco Andretti, Danica Patrick, Kosuke Matsuura, Buddy Rice, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Scott Sharp and Tony Kanaan

Talk about lucky...........this wreck happens about 5-10 seconds further down the track and you could scratch both Marco and Danica from the list of drivers still running, that is how close they were to the wreck.........

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 8:53 am

Buddy Rice back in pitlane; the crew looks like they're working on the car a little bit; Tomas Scheckter looks to be back out(appears there was light damage to his car, so his team has fixed the problems on the #2 and he is back out, but he is 4 laps out from 1st

Order at lap 149............
Andretti
Matsuura
Kanaan
Patrick
Sharp
Hunter-Reay
Scheckter
Rice(still on pitlane)

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 8:58 am

Race control reporting that the #6 crew is working on the car, hoping to get Hornish back out possibly to gain a few spots(currently Hornish is 14th; looking at timing/scoring, Hornish could conceiveably go as high as possibly 8th-11th, depending on how everything shakes out

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 9:01 am

47 laps remaining

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 9:02 am

while the caution laps reel off, both Patrick and Hunter-Reay topped off for fuel, possibly setting themselves up to make the conclusion of the race

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 9:04 am

Race control reporting that TGR crews are working on both the #9 and #10 cars alongside the #6 Penske car, working feverishly to potentially get back out ontrack

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 9:08 am

Fuel calculations.........35 to 37 laps of green-flag fuel consumption; could Patrick and RHR possibly try to stretch the fuel out a little bit(no, I don't think either of them can make the race distance remaining, but the way this race has gone...............)

Matsuura tops off for fuel...............
Sharp peels off for fuel; looks like Marco is the only one not to pit during this caution.........

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 9:13 am

Running order at lap 159............

Patrick, Dixon, RHR, Kanaan, Matsuura, Sharp and Andretti*
*--Andretti did indeed make a stop for fuel now; drops back to 7th

Race control reporting that we will remain yellow for at least a few more laps; with as many yellow-flag laps that have been run, could everyone possibly make it to the end??

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 9:14 am

Patrick rolls back onto pitlane to top off the fuel; she'll drop back to 7th at the moment, but now she could have enough fuel to make it to the end..........

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 9:16 am

Race control reporting that the #22 of A.J. Foyt, IV has returned to the track, 18 laps behind but currently showed in 8th

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 9:17 am

Race control reporting that a "weeper" has developed at the top of turn 1, necessitating the lengthened yellow

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 9:18 am

Andretti peels back onto pitroad for a splash of ethanol; he, like Patrick, should be good for fuel the rest of the way

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 9:23 am

Race control reporting the green flag could come back out within 2-3 laps; race control also reporting that there is a chance that both the #9 and #10 will rejoin the field, hoping to gain a few spots by race's end

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 9:24 am

Lights out on the safety car; green flag next time by........and Scott Dixon's back out ontrack; considering the way that accident looked, that is yeomans' work by the TGR team, getting him back out ontrack

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 9:25 am

GREEN FLAG!! GREEN FLAG!!! We're back to racing, 29 laps left

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2007 IRL Rd. 13--Firestone Indy 400

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