THE ENTIRE 2011 IZOD INDYCAR SEASON ON DVD
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THE ENTIRE 2011 IZOD INDYCAR SEASON ON DVD

RndDateRace nameTrackLocation

1March 27United StatesHonda Grand Prix of St. PetersburgStreets of St. PetersburgSt. Petersburg, Florida

2April 10United States Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama presented by Legacy Credit UnionBarber Motorsports ParkBirmingham, Alabama

3April 17United States Toyota Grand Prix of Long BeachStreets of Long BeachLong Beach, California

4May 1
May 2
Brazil Itaipava São Paulo Indy 300 presented by NestléStreets of São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil

5May 29United States 95th Indianapolis 500Indianapolis Motor SpeedwaySpeedway, Indiana

6June 11United States Firestone Twin 275sTexas Motor SpeedwayFort Worth, Texas

7June 19United States The Milwaukee 225Milwaukee MileWest Allis, Wisconsin

8June 25United States Iowa Corn Indy 250 Presented by PioneerIowa SpeedwayNewton, Iowa

9
July 10CanadaHonda Indy TorontoExhibition PlaceToronto, Ontario

10July 24Canada Edmonton IndyEdmonton City Centre AirportEdmonton, Alberta

11August 7United States Honda 200 at Mid-Ohio presented by Westfield InsuranceMid-Ohio Sports Car CourseLexington, Ohio

12August 14United States MoveThatBlock.com Indy 225New Hampshire Motor SpeedwayLoudon, New Hampshire

13August 28United States Indy Grand Prix of SonomaInfineon RacewaySonoma, California

14September 4United States Baltimore Grand PrixStreets of BaltimoreBaltimore, Maryland

15September 18JapanIndy Japan 300Twin Ring Motegi (Road Course)Motegi, Japan

16October 2United States Kentucky Indy 300Kentucky SpeedwaySparta, Kentucky

17October 16United States IZOD IndyCar World ChampionshipLas Vegas Motor SpeedwayLas Vegas, Nevada





2011 IndyCar Series season






2011 IndyCar season
Izodindycar.png

Season
Races17
Start dateMarch 27
End dateOctober 16
Awards
Drivers' championUnited Kingdom Dario Franchitti
Teams' championUnited States Chip Ganassi Racing
Rookie of the YearCanada James Hinchcliffe
Indianapolis 500 winnerUnited Kingdom Dan Wheldon
Discipline champions
Oval championNew Zealand Scott Dixon
Road course championAustralia Will Power

Chronology




Dario Franchitti defended his series championship in 2011, clinching his fourth series title, and his third straight.

The 2011 Izod IndyCar Series season was the 100th season of American open wheel motor racing. The season consisted of seventeen events over the course of a seven-month season. Its premier event was the 95th Indianapolis 500, run on Sunday, May 29. It was the final season running the IR-05 Dallara spec cars, which has been the series' sole chassis supplier since 2007. The events took place in twelve states of the United States, as well as in Canada, Brazil, and Japan. The schedule featured ten street or road course races, and eight on oval tracks, including a return of the twin races format at Texas Motor Speedway.

Series champion Dario Franchitti claimed his fourth IndyCar title. Franchitti went into the final race of the season leading Will Power by 18 points. The race, and the season, was marred by a 15-car pile-up early in the race that claimed the life of two-time Indy 500 winner and 2005 champion Dan Wheldon. The race was canceled, and the final points total reverted back to the previous event, with Franchitti claiming the title.

Rookie of the Year honors went to Canadian James Hinchcliffe, who led American J. R. Hildebrand in the rookie standings by 6 points going into the final race. Hildebrand was also involved in the pile-up in the final race.

Contents


Series news

  • The 95th Indianapolis 500 marked the third race of the three–year long Centennial era, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the 100th anniversary of the first Indianapolis 500-mile race.
  • Sunoco would become the official fuel of the series starting in 2011 and running through 2014. Sunoco would work with APEX–Brasil and UNICA to provide ethanol for the series.
  • On January 11, the series made several announcements with regards to the upcoming season:
    • The name of the governing body, formerly "Indy Racing League," has been renamed IndyCar.
    • The "restart zone" on ovals will be moved from turn 3 to just before the start/finish line.
    • Restart procedures will mimic those of NASCAR, including double-file restarts, separate pitting for lead lap and non-lead lap cars, and the waving around of lapped cars that did not pit. The "free pass" rule will not be implemented.
    • Pit stall selection for each race will be determined by the qualifying order of the previous round at the track of the same type (e.g., road course or oval). Exceptions to this will be the season opener at St. Petersburg, which will be set by final entrants' points from 2010, and the Indy 500, which carries its own pit selection process.
  • On March 6, the series announced that the maximum field size for every IndyCar event this season would be limited to 26 cars, except for the Indianapolis 500 (which remains at the traditional 33) and the Las Vegas finale (30 cars).
  • Firestone has signed an extension to remain as the series' sole tire supplier through 2013.

2011 IndyCar series schedule

  • The series schedule was announced on September 10, 2010, with the season finale and start times released on February 22.
  Oval/Speedway
  Road Course/Street Circuit

Schedule development

Existing contracts

  • The São Paulo Indy 300 has a contract through 2019.
  • The Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will continue through 2013. City officials look to extend the contract through 2014.
  • Iowa Speedway is finalizing a two–year extension through 2011.
  • Infineon Raceway signed an extension through the 2011 season.
  • An agreement has been signed with the city of Long Beach to extend the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach to 2015 with an option through 2020.
  • Barber Motorsports Park signed a three–year deal through 2012.
  • Mid–Ohio has a contract through 2011.
  • The Octane Racing Group, who promotes the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Canada and the NASCAR Nationwide race at Circuit Gilles Villenueve, will take over as promoters of the Honda Edmonton Indy, having agreed a three-year extension. The race was announced as "cancelled" on November 3, 2010 due to an impasse in negotiations between the race promoters and the city of Edmonton. However, negotiations to revive the race restarted the next week. On November 26, 2010, the Edmonton, Alberta city council voted to restore the Honda Edmonton Indy using extra funding from private sources and new parking revenue. INDYCAR officially announced the race's return to the schedule on January 11, 2011.

New or returning races

Discontinued races

Team and driver chart

  • This chart reflects confirmed participants only. All drivers will compete in Honda-powered, Firestone-shod, Dallara chassis. (R) reflects an IZOD IndyCar Series rookie.

Team and driver movements

  • Chip Ganassi Racing: Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon return to the team for 2011. Graham Rahal and Charlie Kimball joined the group as part of a satellite team ran out of the raceshop of Don Prudhomme.
  • Team Penske: Shell will join the team as an associate sponsor for all three cars in 2011, replacing Mobil 1 and will sponsor the #3 car. Hélio Castroneves is signed to a multi–year contract that covers the 2011 season, and Will Power re–signed with Team Penske in September 2010. Roger Penske confirmed on November 12 that Ryan Briscoe would also be returning to the team.  was announced as being the primary sponsor on Ryan Briscoe's car and an associate sponsor on the other two cars.
  • Andretti Autosport: Tony Kanaan was signed to a multi–year deal with Andretti Autosport before the 2009 season, and his contract was supposed to run through to 2012. On the October 3 it was confirmed that sponsor 7-Eleven would not return in 2011, rendering Kanaan a free agent. Marco Andretti will is in the second year of a four–year contract with the team in 2011 along with his sponsor Venom Energy. It was announced on October 29 that Ryan Hunter-Reay would return to Andretti Autosport through to the 2012 season. DHL has signed a multi-year deal to sponsor Hunter-Reay's #28 car. Mike Conway was announced on February 2 as the team's 4th full-season driver. The team has confirmed John Andretti in the #43 for the Indy 500.
  • Sam Schmidt Motorsports: Driver Alex Tagliani is in the second year of a four–year contract with the team. The team will also run cars for Townsend Bell and Jay Howard at the Indy 500, and for Wade Cunningham in three events. The team is committed to running a second full–time car in 2011, according to manager Rob Edwards. On March 1, 2011, it was announced that Sam Schmidt Motorsports had purchased the assets of FAZZT. Some FAZZT personnel would be retained for the 2011 season and Alex Tagliani will continue to contest all seventeen races.
  • Bryan Herta Autosport: The team confirmed Dan Wheldon for the Indy 500. Bryan Herta Autosport and Wheldon will carry out testing of the 2012 Dallara chassis in August and September 2011.
  • Dragon Racing: Tony Kanaan was announced as the new driver of the #2 car during a December 20 press conference in Brazil, however failure to secure sufficient sponsorship meant that Kanaan was unable to secure the drive. The team officially announced that they were shutting down on February 24, 2011; however following a restructuring, Jay Penske announced that Dragon Racing would continue with Paul Tracy for a limited schedule, as well as an Indy 500 entry. On May 3, 2011 the team confirmed Ho-Pin Tung will be the driver of the #8 Dragon-Schmidt Racing entry.
  • SH Racing: On July 28, 2010, VPX Sports announced a partnership with newly–formed SH Racing, run by James Sullivan and T.J. Humphreys, for an entry into the 2011 Indianapolis 500 with the driver yet to be named. The team will be partnering with KV Racing Technology. On March 29. 2011 the team announced, South African veteran Tomas Scheckter will drive the #07 entry at the Indy 500.
  • Panther Racing: 2010 team driver Dan Wheldon confirmed in a Kentucky post–race interview that his contract expires after the 2010 season and he is unlikely to return to the team in 2011. 2009 Indy Lights champion J. R. Hildebrand signed a multi-year deal to drive the #4 National Guard car for the team. The team will field former Indy 500 winner Buddy Rice in a second car at Indy.
  • KV Racing TechnologyLotus: On September 28, 2010, it was announced that Lotus will provide sponsorship to two KV Racing Technology entries in 2011. On February 4, 2011, KV Racing confirmed that Takuma Sato and E. J. Viso would compete for the team for the 2011 IndyCar Series season. On March 21, 2011, it was reported that Tony Kanaan will join the team in a 3rd full-time entry.
  • Dreyer & Reinbold Racing: On November 11, Justin Wilson announced he will continue racing with the team in 2011. On March 3, 2011, the team announced Ana Beatriz will be joining Wilson full–time as the pilot of the #24 entry. The team also confirmed Paul Tracy for the Indy 500, prior to his signing to drive part-time for Dragon Racing.
  • Sarah Fisher Racing: SFR has signed Ed Carpenter for the 2011 season, who will compete in nine events. In addition, team owner Sarah Fisher has announced her retirement from driving to focus solely on team ownership.
  • HVM Racing: Team owner Keith Wiggins has secured sponsorship to return with Simona de Silvestro for the 2011 season. The team announced a three–year deal with Entergy Nuclear to sponsor an entry.
  • A. J. Foyt Enterprises: Driver Vitor Meira recently signed a two–year contract with the team through the 2012 season. The team will also field a car in the Indy 500 for Bruno Junqueira.
  • Dale Coyne Racing: The team announced two new drivers for the season: rookie Englishman James Jakes, who will run the full season; and Sébastien Bourdais, who will run at all road and street courses only owing to his Le Mans Series commitments. The team will still be fielding a second car at Indianapolis. On May 5, 2011, it was confirmed that Alex Lloyd will compete on all the oval races, as Bourdais won't.
  • Conquest Racing: On March 14, 2011, the team confirmed that Sebastián Saavedra will race for the team full–time during the 2011 season. On April 19, 2011, Conquest signed Indy Lights race-winner Pippa Mann to pilot the team's second car at Indianapolis.
  • Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing: Entrepreneur Mike Lanigan joined the ownership of the team on December 17, 2010, and the team was renamed Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. The team will run the Indy 500 in 2011 with Bertrand Baguette.
  • AFS Racing: On January 13, 2011, AFS Racing announced that Neil Micklewright will be joining the team as General Manager and Vice President of Operations. On March 12, 2011, the team announced that they will run an entry at St. Petersburg, and on March 17, announced that series veteran Raphael Matos will drive.
  • Newman/Haas Racing After the open test at Barber and months of speculation, Spaniard Oriol Servià revealed that he will race for the eight–time championship–winning team. Canadian James Hinchcliffe, runner–up in the 2010 Indy Lights championship standings to Jean–Karl Vernay was confirmed for the team's second car on April 5, 2011, for all remaining races.

Race results

Rd.RacePole positionFastest lapMost laps ledWinning driverWinning team
1United States St. PetersburgAustralia Will PowerBrazil Hélio CastronevesUnited Kingdom Dario FranchittiUnited Kingdom Dario FranchittiUnited States Chip Ganassi Racing
2United States BarberAustralia Will PowerNew Zealand Scott DixonAustralia Will PowerAustralia Will PowerUnited States Team Penske
3United States Long BeachAustralia Will PowerUnited Kingdom Dario FranchittiAustralia Ryan BriscoeUnited Kingdom Mike ConwayUnited States Andretti Autosport
4Brazil São PauloAustralia Will PowerSwitzerland Simona de SilvestroAustralia Will PowerAustralia Will PowerUnited States Team Penske
5United States IndianapolisCanada Alex TaglianiUnited Kingdom Dario FranchittiNew Zealand Scott DixonUnited Kingdom Dan WheldonUnited States Bryan Herta Autosport
6AUnited States TexasCanada Alex TaglianiVenezuela E. J. VisoUnited Kingdom Dario FranchittiUnited Kingdom Dario FranchittiUnited States Chip Ganassi Racing
6BBrazil Tony KanaanNew Zealand Scott DixonAustralia Will PowerAustralia Will PowerUnited States Team Penske
7United States MilwaukeeUnited Kingdom Dario FranchittiUnited Kingdom Dario FranchittiUnited Kingdom Dario FranchittiUnited Kingdom Dario FranchittiUnited States Chip Ganassi Racing
8United States IowaJapan Takuma SatoCanada Alex TaglianiUnited Kingdom Dario FranchittiUnited States Marco AndrettiUnited States Andretti Autosport
9Canada TorontoAustralia Will PowerUnited Kingdom Justin WilsonAustralia Will PowerUnited Kingdom Dario FranchittiUnited States Chip Ganassi Racing
10Canada EdmontonJapan Takuma SatoFrance Sébastien BourdaisAustralia Will PowerAustralia Will PowerUnited States Team Penske
11United States Mid-OhioNew Zealand Scott DixonNew Zealand Scott DixonNew Zealand Scott DixonNew Zealand Scott DixonUnited States Chip Ganassi Racing
12United States New HampshireUnited Kingdom Dario FranchittiNew Zealand Scott DixonUnited Kingdom Dario FranchittiUnited States Ryan Hunter-ReayUnited States Andretti Autosport
13United States SonomaAustralia Will PowerAustralia Will PowerAustralia Will PowerAustralia Will PowerUnited States Team Penske
14United States BaltimoreAustralia Will PowerAustralia Will PowerAustralia Will PowerAustralia Will PowerUnited States Team Penske
15Japan MotegiNew Zealand Scott DixonItaly Giorgio PantanoNew Zealand Scott DixonNew Zealand Scott DixonUnited States Chip Ganassi Racing
16United States KentuckyAustralia Will PowerUnited States Ed CarpenterUnited Kingdom Dario FranchittiUnited States Ed CarpenterUnited States Sarah Fisher Racing
17United States Las VegasBrazil Tony KanaanAbandoned after 13 laps

Race summaries

Round 1: Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg

Podium Finishers
PosGridNo.DriverTeamLapsTimeLed
1210United Kingdom Dario FranchittiChip Ganassi Racing1002:00:59.688694
2112Australia Will PowerTeam Penske100+7.16126
3882Brazil Tony KanaanKV Racing TechnologyLotus100+16.10450
Race average speed: 89.260 mph (143.650 km/h)
Lead changes: 3 between 2 drivers
Cautions: 5 for 13 laps

Round 2: Indy Grand Prix of Alabama presented by Legacy

Podium Finishers
PosGridNo.DriverTeamLapsTimeLed
1112Australia Will PowerTeam Penske902:14:42.952390
239New Zealand Scott DixonChip Ganassi Racing90+3.38280
3710United Kingdom Dario FranchittiChip Ganassi Racing90+15.52430
Race average speed: 92.194 mph (148.372 km/h)
Lead changes: None
Cautions: 6 for 20 laps

Round 3: Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach

Podium Finishers
PosGridNo.DriverTeamLapsTimeLed
1327United Kingdom Mike ConwayAndretti Autosport851:53:11.100014
2126Australia Ryan BriscoeTeam Penske85+6.320335
3710United Kingdom Dario FranchittiChip Ganassi Racing85+6.71630
Race average speed: 88.676 mph (142.710 km/h)
Lead changes: 7 between 6 drivers
Cautions: 3 for 12 laps

Round 4: Itaipava São Paulo Indy 300 presented by Nestle

  • Sunday May 1, 2011 – 1:20 p.m. BRT (12:20 p.m. EDT) & Monday May 2, 2011 – 9:05 a.m. BRT (8:05 a.m. EDT)
  • Streets of São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil; Temporary street circuit, 2.536 miles (4.081 km)
  • Distance: 75 laps / 190.200 miles (306.097 km); reduced to 55 laps / 139.480 miles (224.471 km) due to rain and two-hour time limit.
  • Race weather: 93 °F (34 °C), scattered showers (Sunday); 79 °F (26 °C), scattered clouds (Monday)
  • Television: Versus (Bob Jenkins, Jon Beekhuis, Wally Dallenbach, Jr., Kevin Lee, Robin Miller)
  • Nielsen ratings:
  • Attendance: 41,000 (Sunday)
  • Pole position winner: #12 Will Power, 1:21.8958 sec, 111.478 mph (179.406 km/h)
  • Most laps led: #12 Will Power, 32
  • Summary:
  • Race Report: 2011 São Paulo Indy 300
  • Summary: Rain forced a postponement of the race after 15 laps. On Monday morning, the race resumed. Leader Will Power pitted for fuel on lap 36, giving the lead to Takuma Sato. With rain soaking the course, Sato's team hoped to stretch out their fuel window in hopes of a caution, and the possibility of leading the race when the time limit expired. Sato was forced to pit on lap 48, and Power retook the lead. The race ended after 55 laps with Power the victor.
Podium Finishers
PosGridNo.DriverTeamLapsTimeLed
1112Australia Will PowerTeam Penske552:04:05.296432
2538United States Graham RahalChip Ganassi Racing55+4.67230
346Australia Ryan BriscoeTeam Penske55+7.90370
Race average speed: 67.442 mph (108.537 km/h)
Lead changes: 2 between 2 drivers
Cautions: 6 for 21 laps

Round 5: 95th Indianapolis 500

Top Three Finishers
Fin.
Pos
St.
Pos
Car
No.
DriverTeamLapsTimeLaps
Led
1698United Kingdom Dan WheldonBryan Herta Autosport2002:56:11.72671
2124United States J. R. HildebrandPanther Racing200+2.10867
32938United States Graham RahalChip Ganassi Racing200+5.59496
Race average speed: 170.265 mph (274.015 km/h)
Lead changes: 23 between 10 drivers
Cautions: 7 for 40 laps

Round 6: Firestone Twin 275s

  • Saturday June 11, 2011 – 7:45 p.m. CDT (8:45 p.m. EDT)
  • Texas Motor SpeedwayFort Worth, Texas; Permanent racing facility, 1.455 miles (2.342 km)
  • Distance: 2 races of 114 laps / 165.870 miles (266.942 km)
  • Race weather: 91 °F (33 °C), clear skies (Race 1); 87 °F (31 °C), clear skies (Race 2)
  • Television: Versus (Bob Jenkins, Jon Beekhuis, Dan Wheldon, Lindy Thackston, Robbie Floyd, Kevin Lee, Robin Miller)
  • Nielsen ratings: 0.55 rating, (0.38 overnight)
  • Attendance: 73,000 (announced crowd)
  • Pole position winner: #77 Alex Tagliani, 48.6834 sec, 215.186 mph (346.308 km/h) (Race 1, 2-lap qualifying); #82 Tony Kanaan (Race 2, draw)
  • Most laps led: #10 Dario Franchitti, 110 (Race 1); #12 Will Power, 68 (Race 2)
  • Race Report: 2011 Firestone Twin 275s
  • Summary: The popular "twin race" format from the 1970s and early 1980s returned to Indy car racing at Texas. Dario Franchitti dominated the first race, which saw only one caution. Wade Cunningham and Charlie Kimball crashed on lap 92, with Cunningham crashing Dan Wheldon's Indy 500 winning car from two weeks prior. At halftime, the drivers chose their starting positions for race #2 by a blind draw on a stage on the frontstretch. Tony Kanaan was the lucky driver who picked position number 1. Will Power picked starting position #3, but the winner of the first race, Franchitti, was mired back in 28th starting position. Controversy followed the race, as many in the paddock believed the blind draw was an unfair method to select the starting positions (many thought they should have simply inverted the field). The second race went without a caution, and Power went on to win. Franchitti was not a factor, but charged all the way to 7th at the finish.
Race One – Top Three Finishers
Fin.
Pos
St.
Pos
Car
No.
DriverTeamLapsTimeLaps
Led
1210United Kingdom Dario FranchittiChip Ganassi Racing11454:47.2787110
279New Zealand Scott DixonChip Ganassi Racing114+0.05271
3312Australia Will PowerTeam Penske114+0.20640
Race average speed: 181.649 mph (292.336 km/h)
Lead changes: 6 between 5 drivers
Cautions: 1 for 10 laps

Race Two – Top Three Finishers
Fin.
Pos
St.
Pos
Car
No.
DriverTeamLapsTimeLaps
Led
1312Australia Will PowerTeam Penske11448:08.973968
2189New Zealand Scott DixonChip Ganassi Racing114+0.94661
3126Australia Ryan BriscoeTeam Penske114+4.65243
Race average speed: 206.693 mph (332.640 km/h)
Lead changes: 8 between 6 drivers
Cautions: None

Round 7: Milwaukee 225

Top Three Finishers
Fin.
Pos
St.
Pos
Car
No.
DriverTeamLapsTimeLaps
Led
1110United Kingdom Dario FranchittiChip Ganassi Racing2251:56:43.5877161
21238United States Graham RahalChip Ganassi Racing225+1.42710
3102Spain Oriol ServiàNewman/Haas Racing225+2.77030
Race average speed: 117.390 mph (188.921 km/h)
Lead changes: 5 between 3 drivers
Cautions: 6 for 62 laps

Round 8: Iowa Corn Indy 250

Top Three Finishers
Fin.
Pos
St.
Pos
Car
No.
DriverTeamLapsTimeLaps
Led
11726United States Marco AndrettiAndretti Autosport2501:53:00.107442
2382Brazil Tony KanaanKV Racing TechnologyLotus250+0.793225
3239New Zealand Scott DixonChip Ganassi Racing250+1.10670
Race average speed: 118.671 mph (190.982 km/h)
Lead changes: 9 between 5 drivers
Cautions: 5 for 72 laps

Round 9: Honda Indy Toronto

Podium Finishers
PosGridNo.DriverTeamLapsTimeLed
1310United Kingdom Dario FranchittiChip Ganassi Racing851:56:32.150130
229New Zealand Scott DixonChip Ganassi Racing85+0.73450
3828United States Ryan Hunter-ReayAndretti Autosport85+6.01440
Race average speed: 76.805 mph (123.606 km/h)
Lead changes: 3 between 3 drivers
Cautions: 8 for 32 laps

Round 10: Edmonton Indy

Podium Finishers
Fin.
Pos
St.
Pos
Car
No.
DriverTeamLapsTimeLaps
Led
1212Australia Will PowerTeam Penske801:57:22.517757
293Brazil Hélio CastronevesTeam Penske80+0.80891
3410United Kingdom Dario FranchittiChip Ganassi Racing80+1.17352
Race average speed: 90.949 mph (146.368 km/h)
Lead changes: 6 between 5 drivers
Cautions: 2 for 8 laps

Round 11: Honda Indy 200

Top Three Finishers
Fin.
Pos
St.
Pos
Car
No.
DriverTeamLapsTimeLaps
Led
119New Zealand Scott DixonChip Ganassi Racing851:48:46.950950
2310United Kingdom Dario FranchittiChip Ganassi Racing85+7.65084
3528United States Ryan Hunter-ReayAndretti Autosport85+9.07840
Race average speed: 105.861 mph (170.367 km/h)
Lead changes: 7 between 5 drivers
Cautions: 2 for 9 laps

Round 12: MoveThatBlock.com Indy 225

Indy car racing returned to New Hampshire after a 13-year sabbatical. Dario Franchitti dominated the first half, but on a restart on lap 118, he touched wheels with Takuma Sato and crashed into the inside wall. On lap 206, the caution came out for rain, with Ryan Hunter-Reay leading. Despite the drivers pleading to their crews that the track was too wet to continue, officials decided to bring the green flag out with 7 laps to go. As the field accelerated, Danica Patrick spun on the frontstretch due to the wet conditions, which led to a controversial five-car pileup, involving championship contender Will Power among others. During the restart attempt, Oriol Servià passed Hunter-Reay as the restart began but before the caution was signaled, leading to controversy when the decision was made to abort the restart, a move common in USAC when a false start occurs, which typically means the cars return to their starting order for another start attempt. Officials accepted blame for the decision and red flagged the race. Scoring was reverted back to the standings prior to the restart attempt.
Within 30 minutes of the end of the race, Newman/Haas Racing and Chip Ganassi Racing filed protests regarding the finish of the race because of Servià's pass of Hunter-Reay on the aborted restart. The results of the race were not made official, and as a result of the protest, the finish was under review. Indy Racing League, LLC announced on August 16 that a hearing was scheduled for the week of August 22 on both protests filed, and the hearing would also include Andretti Autosport, as the results of the hearing may have resulted in the finishing order being changed. The hearing took place on August 23, with the finishing positions being upheld.
Top Three Finishers
Fin.
Pos
St.
Pos
Car
No.
DriverTeamLapsTimeLaps
Led
1528United States Ryan Hunter-ReayAndretti Autosport2151:58:01.584371
222Spain Oriol ServiàNewman/Haas Racing215+0.2361*0
379New Zealand Scott DixonChip Ganassi Racing215+1.48392
* Under caution
Race average speed: 112.030 mph (180.295 km/h)
Lead changes: 7 between 6 drivers
Cautions: 6 for 66 laps

Round 13: Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma

Top Three Finishers
Fin.
Pos
St.
Pos
Car
No.
DriverTeamLapsTimeLaps
Led
1112Australia Will PowerTeam Penske751:47:29.761971
223Brazil Hélio CastronevesTeam Penske75+3.24200
336Australia Ryan BriscoeTeam Penske75+6.44944
Race average speed: 96.408 mph (155.154 km/h)
Lead changes: 4 between 2 drivers
Cautions: 1 for 3 laps

Round 14: Baltimore Grand Prix

  • Sunday September 4, 2011 – 2:45 p.m. EDT
  • Streets of BaltimoreBaltimore, Maryland; Temporary street circuit, 2.040 miles (3.283 km)
  • Distance: 75 laps / 153.000 miles (246.230 km)
  • Race weather: 85 °F (29 °C), scattered clouds
  • Television: Versus (Bob Jenkins, Wally Dallenbach, Jr., Jon Beekhuis, Marty Snider, Lindy Thackston, Kevin Lee, Robin Miller)
  • Nielsen ratings: 0.6
  • Attendance: 75,000 (estimated raceday), 150,000+ (estimated weekend)
  • Pole position winner: #12 Will Power, 1:20.2447 sec, 91.520 mph (147.287 km/h)
  • Most laps led: #12 Will Power, 70
  • Race Report: 2011 Baltimore Grand Prix
  • Summary: The inaugural IndyCar race in Baltimore saw a large crowd, and a challenging course, with many deeming the race a popular success. Will Power led 70 of 75 laps en route to a dominating victory, closing the points lead to only 5 points with three races remaining. During practice, Tony Kanaan lost his brakes, touched wheels with Hélio Castroneves' car, and jumped over his car into the tire barrier. Kanaan was unhurt, but was forced to start the race from the rear in a back-up car, which he drove to a 3rd place finish. On lap 38, Ryan Briscoe clipped Ryan Hunter-Reay's car in the hairpin, creating a chain reaction pileup that involved or blocked as many as 18 cars.
Top Three Finishers
Fin.
Pos
St.
Pos
Car
No.
DriverTeamLapsTimeLaps
Led
1112Australia Will PowerTeam Penske752:02:19.499870
2142Spain Oriol ServiàNewman/Haas Racing75+10.20960
32782Brazil Tony KanaanKV Racing TechnologyLotus75+10.85570
Race average speed: 75.046 mph (120.775 km/h)
Lead changes: 7 between 5 drivers
Cautions: 2 for 16 laps

Round 15: Indy Japan: The Final

Top Three Finishers
Fin.
Pos
St.
Pos
Car
No.
DriverTeamLapsTimeLaps
Led
119New Zealand Scott DixonChip Ganassi Racing631:56:41.010762
2212Australia Will PowerTeam Penske63+3.43751
31026United States Marco AndrettiAndretti Autosport63+4.47820
Race average speed: 96.635 mph (155.519 km/h)
Lead changes: 2 between 2 drivers
Cautions: 3 for 8 laps

] Round 16: Kentucky Indy 300

Top Three Finishers
PosGridNo.DriverTeamLapsTimeLed
1467United States Ed CarpenterSarah Fisher Racing2001:42:02.78258
21110United Kingdom Dario FranchittiChip Ganassi Racing200+0.0098143
379New Zealand Scott DixonChip Ganassi Racing200+0.10480
Race average speed: 174.039 mph (280.089 km/h)
Lead changes: 7 between 4 drivers
Cautions: 3 for 32 laps

Round 17: IZOD IndyCar World Championship

  • Sunday October 16, 2011 – 12:45 p.m. PDT (3:45 p.m. EDT)
  • Las Vegas Motor SpeedwayNorth Las Vegas, Nevada; Permanent racing facility, 1.544 miles (2.485 km)
  • Distance: 200 laps / 308.800 miles (496.965 km)
  • Race weather: 87 °F (31 °C), partly cloudy
  • Television: ABC (Marty Reid, Scott Goodyear, Eddie Cheever, Vince Welch, Jamie Little, Rick DeBruhl)
  • Nielsen ratings:
  • Attendance: 50,000 (Sunday), 75,000 (total; includes NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race Saturday).
  • Pole position winner: #82 Tony Kanaan, 50.0582 sec, 222.078 mph (357.400 km/h) (2-lap)
  • Most laps led: Kanaan (race abandoned)
  • Race Report: 2011 IZOD IndyCar World Championship
  • Summary: The race was marred by a fifteen-car pile-up on the twelfth lap of the race and four drivers - Dan Wheldon, Will Power, JR Hildebrand and Pippa Mann - were taken to hospital as the race was red-flagged. It was formally abandoned two hours later with the announcement that Wheldon had died from his injuries, and the remaining drivers completed a five-lap tour of the circuit to honour Wheldon's memory. Power was later released from hospital, whilst Mann and Hildebrand were kept under observation, but were later released. Mann suffered a burn to her hand and Hildebrand suffered a bruised sternum. IndyCar does not use the FIA Code on race stoppages (which states a race is official once a race is on the fourth lap) and uses the customary 50% plus one lap rule (101 laps in this case), and the race was abandoned at that point. Only Friday points for qualifying were awarded. Franchitti was declared champion.

Final driver standings

PosDriverSTP
United States
ALA
United States
LBH
United States
SAO
Brazil

INDY United States
TXS United StatesMIL
United States
IOW
United States
TOR
Canada
EDM
Canada
MDO
United States
NHA
United States
SNM
United States
BAL
United States
MOT
Japan
KTY
United States
LSV2
United States
Pts
QL500R1R2
1United Kingdom Dario Franchitti1*3349121*71*5*13220*4482*C573
2Australia Will Power21*101*51431*42124*1*1451*1*219C555
3New Zealand Scott Dixon162181225*22732231*3551*3C518
4Spain Oriol Servià956536211531412228211256C425
5Brazil Tony Kanaan368222341151922645222831717C367
6Australia Ryan Briscoe18212*3272763116710168314208C364
7United States Ryan Hunter-Reay21142318DNQ1231992683731108245C347
8United States Marco Andretti24426142891361314147242425327C337
9United States Graham Rahal1718132303930215132524268101212C320
10United States Danica Patrick121772326101685101992162161110C314
11Brazil Hélio Castroneves207122116171049717219172172229C312
12Canada James Hinchcliffe
244913292019691415204724154C302
13Japan Takuma Sato516218103351281920214718181015C297
14United States J. R. Hildebrand11131710122231821481125212319720C296
15Canada Alex Tagliani615519128414181623176192074
C296
16Brazil Vitor Meira8129171115811241851210102292516C287
17United Kingdom Mike Conway232216DNQ2417122422826251623918C260
18Venezuela E. J. Viso192325131832710201792015129152123C241
19United States Charlie Kimball22102416291330231422211911926212313C233
20Switzerland Simona de Silvestro4920202431262725DNS10241216
121425C225
21Brazil Ana Beatriz14
19243321222217231113171413161924C212
22United Kingdom James Jakes15251515DNQ252815251818231819271321C189
23France Sébastien BourdaisDNS112726




669
6286

188
24United Kingdom Justin Wilson1019227201617211012155Wth





183
25Colombia Sebastián Saavedra13261411DNQ28292320251627151413

C178
26United States Ed Carpenter



81118161611

22112520
1C175
27United Kingdom Alex Lloyd



311914242213


13


26C85
28United Kingdom Dan Wheldon



61










14C275
29Canada Paul Tracy

16
25251213

1626





C68
30Brazil Raphael Matos7201125DNQ












67
31France Simon Pagenaud
8








13
15



56
32South Africa Tomas Scheckter



228






23
22

C52
33United Kingdom Martin Plowman










18
1211


49
34United States Buddy Rice



718










9C42
35United States Townsend Bell



426










11C40
36Italy Giorgio Pantano












172616

37
37New Zealand Wade Cunningham




2926








7C36
38United Kingdom Pippa Mann



3220






DNS


22C32
39Belgium Bertrand Baguette



147












30
40United Kingdom Jay Howard



21301520









C27
41United States Davey Hamilton



15242725









C26
42United States John Andretti



1722












16
43Japan Hideki Mutoh














18

12
44Brazil João Paulo de Oliveira














26

10
45China Ho-Pin Tung



DNQ







27



10
46United Kingdom Dillon Battistini















28
10
47Brazil Bruno Junqueira



19Wth1












4

Canada Patrick Carpentier



DNQ












0

United States Scott Speed



DNQ












0
PosDriverSTP
United States
ALA
United States
LBH
United States
SAO
Brazil
QL500R1R2MIL
United States
IOW
United States
TOR
Canada
EDM
Canada
MDO
United States
NHA
United States
SNM
United States
BAL
United States
MOT
Japan
KTY
United States
LSV
United States
Pts
INDY United StatesTXS United States
ColorResult
GoldWinner
Silver2nd place
Bronze3rd place
Green4th & 5th place
Light Blue6th–10th place
Dark BlueFinished
(Outside Top 10)
PurpleDid not finish
RedDid not qualify
(DNQ)
BrownWithdrawn
(Wth)
BlackDisqualified
(DSQ)
WhiteDid Not Start
(DNS)
WhiteRace abandoned
(C)
BlankDid not
participate
In-line notation
BoldPole position
(1 point)
Exception: Indianapolis 500
ItalicsRan fastest race lap
*Led most race laps
(2 points)
DNSAny driver who qualifies
but does not start (DNS),
earns half the points
had they taken part.
Rookie of the Year
Rookie

Points are awarded to drivers on the following basis:

Position123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233
All races (except Texas)504035323028262422201918171615141312121212121212101010101010101010
Texas2520181615141312111099887766666666555555555
Indy qualifying15131211109876444444444444444333333333
  • Extra points awarded for qualifying at Indianapolis based on drivers performance.
  • Texas is split into two races on the same day. Each one awards half points.
  • Ties in points broken by number of wins, followed by number of 2nds, 3rds, etc., and then by number of pole positions, followed by number of times qualified 2nd, etc.
Note

1 After qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 had concluded, Bruno Junqueira was replaced by Ryan Hunter-Reay, who did not qualify for the 500. Junqueira received full qualifying points for a 19th place qualification.
2 At the Las Vegas Indy 300, Dan Wheldon died from injuries sustained in a 15-car crash on lap 11. He was 33 years old. The Las Vegas race was abandoned, and only Kannan's point for the pole position was awarded, as it was on Friday.



   
 

 


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