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Wheldon Wins Road Runner Turbo Indy 300

KANSAS CITY, KAN., Sunday, April 27, 2008 – Dan Wheldon won for the first time in a year, taking the checkered flag in the Road Runner Turbo Indy 300 at Kansas Speedway to become the first two-time winner in eight IndyCar Series races at the track.

Wheldon, the 2005 Indianapolis 500 champion, hadn’t visited Victory Lane since winning at Kansas last April when he led 177 of 200 laps.

This year, the Target Chip Ganassi Racing driver led only the final 49 laps, but it was enough for his 14th career victory.

“It was a really good weekend for everyone at Target Chip Ganassi Racing,” Wheldon said. “It’s unfortunate for Scott (Dixon) about when the yellow fell. I’m sure he’ll make up for that later in the year. The cars were very competitive the whole weekend. The crews performed flawlessly, and that’s the kind of weekend you want. It’s great to have that weekend leading into Indianapolis.”

Wheldon’s teammate Scott Dixon dominated the race, leading 145 laps, but Dixon, the 2003 Kansas winner, went in for a final pit stop two laps before a yellow flag came out. Dixon shuffled back to seventh but only had time to climb back to third in the final 28 laps.

Andretti Green Racing’s Tony Kanaan finished second, his best finish of the season.

Helio Castroneves finished fourth and retains the series points lead heading into the Indianapolis 500.

Danica Patrick, who recorded her first career victory one week ago, was seventh when she went in for her final pit stop, however a bent wheel ended her race. She was 19th.

Also on April 27, Californian J.R. Hildebrand earned his first victory in Firestone Indy Lights competition, leading 47 of 67 laps in the Kansas Lottery 100. Robbie Pecorari was second and Arie Luyendyk Jr. finished third.

ROAD RUNNER TURBO INDY 300 POST-RACE NOTES:

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