2007 IRL Rd. 16--Belle Isle Indy Grand Prix

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 6:55 am

Wheldon fighting to hold off Rice; Wheldon's had an absymal weekend, especially in qualifying when he qualified 16th.........

Rice still trying to get around the Brit.........

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 6:55 am

And Rice gets by him..............Rice takes over 10th

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 6:56 am

Kanaan resets fast lap, at 1:13.989

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 6:58 am

The race is now official; 46 laps in the books...............

Race control reporting that Hornish has returned to the track, 14 laps down from the leader

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 7:00 am

Caution's out for the third time today..............Sharp and Patrick touched wheels going into turn 8; Patrick reported over the radio that "there might be left-front damage"

Patrick drives away, but Sharp's firmly embedded into the tirewalls at 8 and it looks like his day might be done...........

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 7:04 am

And everyone's piling into pitlane..............watching the pitstops..................................

Exiting out, Kanaan gets out first, then Franchitti, Dixon.................race control considering making this a timed event

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 7:05 am

Green's back out!

Rice and Patrick stayed out, meaning that they are now out of sequence w/everyone else, but if there are more cautions...............

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 7:06 am

Top-5 at lap 51............

Rice
Patrick
Wheldon
Kanaan
Franchitti

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 7:08 am

Engineers for both Rice and Patrick are telling both of them to "watch their fuel, watch the throttles, this could be a timed event........."

Kanaan and Wheldon battling' for 3rd/4th; Franchitti creeping up to them in 5th

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 7:08 am

Rice and Patrick starting to check out on the field(3.5-sec. gap btwn. Patrick and Wheldon)

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 7:10 am

Going back to the radio traffic w/the frontrunners..........they didn't mention whether the race would be timed, but........if there isn't another caution, both he and Patrick will have to stop in about 11-12 laps

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 7:11 am

Rice now 3 seconds ahead of Patrick; Patrick's ahead of Wheldon by about 4.2 seconds; however, Wheldon, Kanaan and Franchitti are in a close-run fight for 3rd-5th

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 7:13 am

Carpenter's spun it around in turn 13 and we have another full-course caution; this could indeed become a timed event and if that happens..........there's going to be an absolute dogfight for the win

Pitcrews for both Rice and Wheldon are setting up for a stop......................Rice has about 26 or so laps from his last stop, Patrick about 22 laps and the next three about 7-8 laps

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 7:16 am

Expecting Rice, Patrick and Wheldon to stop for fuel and tires....................Rice in, Kanaan also in, but Patrick stays out, however and inherented the lead

Green flag! Green flag!

Patrick leads from Wheldon, w/Franchitti, Kanaan and Dixon in tow

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 7:20 am

Patrick running as hard as possible; she will have to pit in a few laps, so she is trying to build as large a gap as possible

Doing some quick counts, this looks as though it will be a timed race, so every team is gambling now on fuel mileage...........

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2007 IRL Rd. 16--Belle Isle Indy Grand Prix

Who will win the Belle Isle Indy Grand Prix?