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Going into the SunTrust Indy Challenge this time last year, Scott Dixon already had wins at the Miami Homestead Speedway and Pikes Peak Int. Raceway, but this year Dixon is winless in 5 outings. I’m thinking that is about to change this weekend as the IndyCars return to a repaved RIR this weekend. Dixon dominated every practice and the Pole position as well last year, and the lack of relative Toyota horsepower, rather than hurting him at Richmond, probably is an asset. Richmond isn’t a horsepower track, Dixon’s G Force is probably the chassis to have and Dixon could win on driving ability alone. Last year weather was an issue, and the event was rain shortened, but Scott was so much in control that there was little doubt of the winner had the race gone full distance.
This will be my first visit to RIR for an Indy car event, and my first non-test trip to a short track IndyCar race, I’m more than ready. The speeds of the IndyCars are such that we will see lap times in the mid-16 second range on a ¾ mile track, and with all three engine manufacturers down about 80-90 horsepower, Richmond may be the track that benefits the most from the power reduction. Private engine testing has shown the cars to me close to the 2003 pace as well.
If everyone accepts the premise that Honda has the most horsepower, their drivers may have the most trouble hooking up when the usual lineup of IndyCar teams takes to the track Friday morning. At last years event Toyota probably had the most power, but only Dixon was able to put it to the track, qualifying at 168 mph, Sarah Fisher was 2nd in the “Q” order. There was a rain issue after those two runs, and by the time the other cars made to the track, conditions had changed and the rest of the field couldn’t come close to the earlier speeds. Rain is again in the forecast for tomorrow, but race day should be dry.
IndyRaceReports.Com will do session-by-session updates on the IndyCars; the link will be on the home page. For those of you reading this at OWR, here is the link to the update page.
http://www.indyracereports.com/Articles/RichmondUpdates1.htm
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