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2006 INDYCAR IRL 

SCOTT DIXON WINS

• DIXON: "It definitely took a bit of luck to win today, but the team made all the right calls for me concerning the weather and when to change from the rain tires to slicks. It was just extremely tough out there today. The track conditions were changing all the time, especially at the end when the rains returned. When we went green for the final time, it was difficult to know how hard you could push when the rain was getting even heavier. But I think we were due for some good fortune and it came our way today."

RACE RESULT

HONDA RACE REPORT

• Dixon Defends at Wet & Wild Watkins Glen

  On a day of changing weather and often treacherous track conditions, Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon once again proved his mastery of the 3.37-mile Watkins Glen International road course in upstate New York, successfully defending his 2005 race victory to record his first win of the 2006 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series.

  Sunday's race was the stiffest test yet for Honda Performance Development and the HI6R Series Indy V-8 engine, in HPD's new role as sole engine supplier for the IRL. Engines run at the Watkins Glen road course this weekend were also utilized at last week's Indianapolis 500, and once again performed without a single failure.

  In total, 33 drivers ran a total of 12,587.5 miles on race day at Indianapolis, while 19 drivers put another 6,369.3 miles [1,890 laps] on the same engines here at Watkins Glen, for a total of 18,956.8 miles at racing speeds with 100% reliability.

  The first IRL-sanctioned race to be run in the rain in the 10-year history of the series, the scheduled 60-lap event began on a wet-but-drying track surface with the entire 19-car field starting on treaded "rain" tires. Although the track dried enough for teams to switch over to "slicks" on their first pit stops, scattered showers and a heavier rain near the end of the event resulted in ever-changing track conditions.

  The variable weather was a contributing factor to several spins and crashes, all without injury. There were a total of seven caution periods, and the race was shortened five laps from its scheduled 60-lap distance as a result. Dixon ran in the lead group all day, but only moved into the lead on Lap 47, leading the final nine laps as the rain reached his heaviest point in the race.

  Vitor Meira also had his best race since moving to Panther Racing at the start of the season, finishing second for the fifth time in his five-year IndyCar career. Ryan Briscoe, making his return to IndyCar racing since being injured in a massive crash at Chicagoland last year, rounded out the top three in his first appearance for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.

  Scott Dixon (#9 Energizer/Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) Started 4th, finished 1st, second consecutive IndyCar win at Watkins Glen: "It definitely took a bit of luck to win today, but the team made all the right calls for me concerning the weather and when to change from the rain tires to slicks. It was just extremely tough out there today. The track conditions were changing all the time, especially at the end when the rains returned. When we went green for the final time, it was difficult to know how hard you could push when the rain was getting even heavier. But I think we were due for some good fortune and it came our way today."

  Robert Clarke (President, Honda Performance Development) on Honda performance in today's race: "It was another successful event for us, with no engine problems among any of the cars. This was a good test of the versatility of the Honda Indy V-8, with the same engines running both this event and the Indianapolis 500 last week. Our congratulations to Scott [Dixon] on his excellent victory; to Vitor [Meira] for a hard-fought second place; and to Ryan Briscoe for an excellent performance in his return to the IndyCar Series with the Dreyer and Reinbold team."

CHIP GANASSI RACING REPORT

• Dixon Keeps Going and Going...
  Energizes Target Team with Win at Watkins Glen

  Watkins Glen, NY, Sunday, June 4, 2006--Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon drove the no.9 Target Energizer car to his second consecutive victory at the historic 3.37-mile undulating road circuit of Watkins Glen International, giving the team its second win of the 2006 IndyCar season.

  Dixon took control of the race on lap 47 and led the final nine laps of the timed race (55 laps) staying clear of trouble as a steady rain began to fall with 10 minutes remaining. As cars began to pit for rain tires that they used to start the race, the Target Team and the defending race winner gambled and kept the slicks, a decision that paid off and gave Dixon his fifth career IndyCar Series win.

  "I think it was a day where we were pretty confident throughout the race, knowing that we had the speed to do it," said Dixon, who started fourth and became the first repeat winner in five IndyCar Series road/ street races. "I think all year, the Target team with Dan and I, have had fast cars, we just weren't able to put it all together. We've won two races this year. We're back in winner's circle and the Energizer car is looking cool. We're just happy. It was extremely tough because of the conditions. It just started raining and it was hard to tell how hard to push it because you have 10-15 guys behind you that will push as hard. I think we had enough of a jump to hold them off. We definitely have a bit of luck here at Watkins Glen."

  After leading 13 laps of his own, luck was decidedly not on Target teammate Dan Wheldon's side when a drive train failure ended his race prematurely in the pits following his final stop.

  "It was a good day and bad day for the No. 10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing team but I am very happy to see my teammate Scott Dixon win in the Target-Energizer car," said Wheldon who was credited with a 15th place finish. "For me personally to lose another race that we were very competitive at makes it disappointing day but it only makes me that much more motivated to win next weekend in Texas."

  With the win at the Watkins Glen Indy Grand Prix, Target Chip Ganassi Racing now boasts a total of 48 wins since 1994 (IRL and Champ Car), 28 of which have come on road or street courses.

  The Championship race tightens up even more as Scott Dixon (170 points) leapfrogs into second place, just 12 points behind Helio Castroneves. Dan Wheldon is now fourth with 157 points, just behind Sam Hornish Jr. (162 points).