AFTER NASHVILLE SUPERSPEEDWAY ROUND RICHARD ANTINUCCI MANAGES TO KEEP TOP SPOT IN THE FIRESTONE INDY LIGHTS CHAMPIONSHIP, ALTHOUGH HIS EDGE SHRINKS TO 15 POINTS
TITLE RACE HOTS UP AS SERIES LEADER WINDS UP 12TH IN SUNBELT RENTALS 100 AND BRAZILIANS RAPHAEL MATOS (FIFTH) AND RACE WINNER ANA BEATRIZ INCH CLOSER
Sunday, July 13, 2008
SATURDAY'S NOTES
LEBANON, TN. — The Firestone Indy Lights 2008 script continues to unfold according to this rule: unpredictability. At Nashville Superspeedway yesterday the first career victory for Ana Beatriz was recorded. The Brazilian driver —who Richard Antinucci had tipped on this web site as the 2008's rookie sensation— is the first woman to win a Firestone Indy Lights race. The race was delayed 1-hour and half because of a thunderstorm and the Sam Schmidt Motorsports driver led Laps 33-77. Posting his maiden win in the Sunbelt Rentals 100 she became the sixth different race winner in ten rounds. His team mate and series' leader Antinucci managed to make up two spots from his starting position, but since he qualified 14th he had to make do with a lackluster 12th place. Nevertheless the 18 points that came along with it helped the San Diegan to keep the lead in the championship, 15 points clear of Raphael Matos and 39 ahead of Nashville's race winner.
RICHARD'S TAKE
"First of all, I'd like to congratulate Bia and Sam Schmidt Motorsports on the dominat win they had at Nashville this weekend. Thoroughly deserved.
On my own account, things were much harder. I never got confidence in the qualyfing and race in order to be competitive. This led to a lacklustre result. But once again we picked up some very needed points. They all add up at the end of the day, so we'll take everyone they gave us...
I am really looking forward to next weekend's Mid-Ohio races. What a great, technical road course. This is where things really turned around for me last year, winning the race in the Cheever Racing no.51 car in '07. I aim to do my best and rack up as many points as we can over the double-header."
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FIRESTONE INDY LIGHTS - Sunbelt Rentals 100 - Saturday, 12 July, 2008: | ||
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1. |
Ana Beatriz — 77 laps 40:38.5208 avg. |
speed 147.778 mph (237.825 kph) |
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2. |
Bobby Wilson |
+ 1.2392 |
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3. |
Arie Luyendyk Jr. |
+ 3.5627 |
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4. |
JR Hildebrand |
+ 10.2598 |
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5. |
Raphael Matos |
+ 11.9599 |
|
6. |
Logan Gomez |
+ 14.0279 |
|
7. |
Franck Perera |
+ 14.6779 |
|
8. |
Sean Guthrie |
+ 15.7739 |
|
9. |
Andrew Prendeville |
+ 20.5381 |
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10. |
Pablo Donoso |
+ 20.6475 |
|
11. |
Brent Sherman |
+ 21.2578 |
|
12. |
Richard Antinucci |
- 2 laps |
|
13. |
Cyndie Allemann |
+ 7.8133 |
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14. |
Robbie Pecorari |
+ 25.4206 |
|
15. |
Jeff Simmons |
- 4 laps |
|
16. |
James Davison |
- 33 laps |
|
17. |
Jonny Reid |
- 34 laps |
|
18. |
Chris Festa |
- 38 laps |
|
19. |
Dillon Battistini |
- 54 laps |
|
20. |
Micky Gilbert |
- 68 laps |