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Championship Contenders Start in Front at Miami
Homestead-Miami Speedway
Miami, FL
10/09/2009
Last Year's Winner:
Scott Dixon (Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) 171.248 mph average
Weather:
Sunny, hot, 91 degrees F
The three IndyCar Series championship contenders -- Dario Franchitti, Scott Dixon and Ryan Briscoe -- qualified 1-2-3 Friday at Homestead-Miami Speedway in preparation for Saturday's season-ending Homestead-Miami Indy 300.
Franchitti's pole was worth one championship point, bringing him within four points of his Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammate and series leader Scott Dixon. Third-starting Briscoe is third in the points, eight behind Dixon. There are a variety of scenarios for each driver to claim the title. Either Dixon or Franchitti can claim the crown by winning the race, while Briscoe can also win the championship with a race victory -- as long as Dixon does not finish second and earn the two bonus points available for leading the most laps. With a series-leading five race victories this season, Dixon would claim the title on a tie-breaker with either Franchitti or Briscoe.
This weekend's 200-lap race, the 17th and final round of the 2009 IndyCar season, starts Saturday at 5 p.m. EDT, with live television coverage on Versus.
Dario Franchitti (#10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) pole qualifier, his fifth pole of 2009 and 11th career IndyCar pole: "The extra point certainly helps, and I'll take it. But there's still a lot of work to do tomorrow. I know that both Scott [Dixon] and Ryan [Briscoe] will be giving it everything they have, and so will we. I'm relaxed and confident, and looking forward to taking the green flag tomorrow, then seeing how the race -- and championship -- plays out."
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