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Three Drivers, One Race, One Championship

It’s come down to one race. Scott Dixon, teammate Dario Franchitti and Ryan Briscoe go into the IndyCar finale in a winner takes all format. With less than ten points separating the trio, and ten points the difference between first and second, win the race, win the championship. This is the fourth year in the row in which the championship has gone down to the wire. An interesting turnabout is Team Penske driver Briscoe is considered the underdog of the trio. With the Target Chip Ganassi team running so strong, Briscoe will have to fight hard to get by the red cars.

Franchitti must be smiling, a year ago he was licking his wounds after an aborted NASCAR foray, which included a broken ankle from a grinding crash at Talladega. Now a year later after wins at Long Beach, Iowa, Toronto and Sonoma Franchitti is challenging to win his second IndyCar championship. Why did he make the move? “The end of ’07, the reason I went away is because I was looking for some motivation,” said Franchitti, who also recorded four victories and 13 top-five finishes in 17 races that year. “With going away, I realized how I much I missed actually what I love to do – driving in the IndyCar Series. So when I got the chance to come back with the Target team it was really a no-brainer.”

“From the first lap I’ve really enjoyed driving the car, and ultimately for me that’s what it’s all about — when you get in the car and how much I enjoy that or not. I thought at one point I would have retired maybe by the time I was 35. But I still love it. The fact I can still be competitive, I’m still out there winning races and challenging for championships, it’s just fun. Then there are the other things like being back in the paddock being with the people I grew up with – not only drivers but team members – being back with the fans and going to the places we get to go to with the unified series. It all just adds up.”

The Iceman, Dixon seems is always at or near the top. Dixon who won his first IndyCar championship in his inaugural season is well respected in the paddock as someone who gets the most from his car. In 2003, Dixon clinched the title with a runner-up finish in the finale at Texas Motor Speedway. “You’re definitely more relaxed going into the final race,” Dixon said. “You’re not over-thinking things too much; just trying to get into a rhythm. Especially when you have problems, you know how to deal with them a little better, rewrite them or get them fixed quicker.”
“I’m happy we’re in the chase and it’s definitely different from years previous where we’re chasing instead of being chased. Hopefully there will be a lot of pressure on Ryan and we can keep that building. It’s nice when you have a lot of points and you’re leading and things keep going your way, but I think when you’re being chased and it’s really close as it was in ’07 with Dario it’s a lot of pressure and you really start to see things change in the last few races as we did last year.”

“This year, it’s Dario and I 1-2 in the championship going down to the last race. It’s what we expect for IndyCar. It’s going to be a crazy race. Obviously, the three of us are going to be pushing to the maximum. It’s going to come down to the final lap, the final corner of Miami.”

Briscoe can trace his trajectory towards the top to last year. After a disastrous Indy 500 in 2008 in which he tangled with fan favorite Danica Patrick on pit lane, Briscoe came to the Milwaukee Mile with the media nipping at his heels. He quickly quieted his critics by winning the ABC Supply A.J. Foyt 225 and contending for the majority of the races since.

“Milwaukee was the most special win of my entire career, let alone of that season,” said Briscoe, who turned 28 on Sept. 24. “It was a breakthrough moment where I was having some bad luck at the beginning of the year and finally I got that race win. It was on an oval as well and I think it really catapulted me on to having a successful remaining 2008.”

Since his Milwaukee win, Briscoe has scored six wins, 18 top-5 finishes 22 top-10 finishes and seven pole starts. He has come a long way since I saw him in August of 2006 in street clothes in total anonymity at the ALMS event at Road America. Briscoe is excited with his chances, “It’s really exciting. At this point, it’s a highlight in my career. It’s going to be close, but the team’s been doing an unbelievable job this year and I feel as though I’ve stepped it up this year. Experience is the big thing; experience with the right people. I’ve been learning from the right people and really working hard on improving my game at becoming a better driver.”

The 2009 IndyCar Series season concludes Oct. 10 with the Firestone Indy 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The race will be telecast live in High Definition at 4 p.m. (ET) by VERSUS. The race will air live on the IMS Radio Network, XM channel 145 and Sirius channel 211. The radio broadcast also will be carried on www.indycar.com. A 90-minute qualifying show will air on VERSUS at 4:30 p.m. Oct. 9. The 2009 Firestone Indy Lights season concludes with the Homestead-Miami 100 on Oct. 9 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The race will be telecast live by VERSUS at 6 p.m. (ET).

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