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Marco Andretti becomes youngest open-wheel winner in history
SONOMA, Calif. (AP) -- The champagne remained corked. Marco
Andretti sipped sparkling cider Sunday to celebrate becoming the youngest winner of a major open-wheel race.
The 19-year-old gambled twice on fuel, then benefited from a
caution late in the race to hold off Dario Franchitti by 0.66
seconds and win the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma at Infineon Raceway.
"We knew this is one track we could have a shot at it, but we
knew how tough it was going to be. It was definitely close on
fuel," Andretti said.
His first gamble came on lap 51 of the 80-lap IndyCar Series
race, when he stayed out to take the lead while much of the field pitted during a caution. Andretti had stopped for fuel on lap 44, then stretched it the rest of the way to take the checkered flag in the next-to-last race of the season.
His father and team owner, Michael Andretti, told his son to
conserve fuel in the final 10 laps. That lasted until Franchitti got around Tony Kanaan and began closing in.
"I knew he was coming," Andretti said. "It was the toughest
thing I had to do -- go fast and try to save fuel."
Andretti won in front of his father, the co-owner of Andretti
Green Racing, and his famous grandfather, Mario, winner of the 1969 Indy 500.
"Being able to bounce things off the two best in the business
definitely helps," Marco Andretti said.
The previous youngest open-wheel winner was Scott Dixon at 20.
Andretti said it was a bigger thrill than finishing second this year in the Indianapolis 500, one spot ahead of his father.
"This was a win. It's definitely the best feeling all year for
sure," he said.
He also won here a year ago in an Indy Pro Series race.
Michael Andretti just shrugged when asked if his son could have finished the race without the caution on the 73rd lap.
"We'll never know for sure if he would have made it on fuel
without the yellow. He was driving hard and was the fastest car on the track," Michael Andretti said.
Vitor Meira finished third, 10.65 seconds behind the winner,
followed by Dixon and Helio Castroneves.
Castroneves' finish edged him into the IndyCar points lead by
one over his Marlboro Team Penske teammate, Sam Hornish. Hornish, who entered the race with a seven-point lead over Castroneves, finished ninth. Target Chip Ganassi teammates Dan Wheldon and Dixon are 19 and 21 points, respectively, behind Castroneves.
"It's really close. We came here to take as many points as we
could," Castroneves said. "Now, let's go to Chicago. The odds are it probably will help Sam a little because he's more familiar with the ovals. I can't wait. I wish the race could be next week."
The event at Infineon Raceway's 12-turn, 2.26-mile road course
eliminated Meira and Kanaan from championship contention, setting up a two-team shootout at the final race on Sept. 9.
Franchitti, who could not gain ground on Andretti after a final yellow with seven laps to go, praised the rookie.
"He was definitely a little bit faster than I was today. He
drove a great race," Franchitti said. "That last yellow probably cost us the win, because Marco was having fuel problems."
It was Franchitti's best finish of the season after a third in
Richmond.
Michael Andretti said he was relieved his son was being chased
at the end by a teammate.
"I was happy that Dario was out there behind him, because I
knew he wouldn't do anything too stupid."
It gave the team a 1-2 finish and its second victory of the
season. Kanaan got the other one.
Marco Andretti, who fought a nagging chest cold all weekend,
started the race second, next to pole sitter Dixon. Dixon ran away from the field at the outset until problems with a tire change on lap 51 dropped him out of contention.
Mario Andretti said his grandson drove well beyond his age.
"He was so smart and so patient. He managed his fuel and his
tires, and he was still fast," he said. "Marco drove like a true
champion today."
