Franchitti Wins Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach

04.19.09 - Indycar.com - LONG BEACH, Calif. - Race 2 - Dario Franchitti drove a strong race and benefitted from two well-timed pit stops to win the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. The victory was the ninth of Franchitti's career and the 25th for Target Chip Ganassi Racing.

Franchitti started second but lost two spots in the first turn of the 85-lap race. He moved back up to second on Lap 15 before pitting on Lap 16. The stop for tires and fuel proved to be fortuitous as contact by Mike Conway brought out a full-course caution two laps later. As the rest of the field cycled through pit stops, Franchitti took the lead on Lap 32.

Franchitti benefited from a similar scenario later in the race, pitting under green conditions on Lap 53, one lap before another full-course caution. From that point, Franchitti led the final 29 laps, opening up a lead of several seconds over pole sitter Will Power.

Power finished second in the No. 12 Team Verizon Wireless car, two days after relinquishing the seat of the No. 3 Team Penske entry to Helio Castroneves. Castroneves finished seventh in his first race of the season.
Andretti Green Racing drivers Tony Kanaan, Danica Patrick and Marco Andretti all finished in the top 10 despite starting 11th or worse. Kanaan finished third, while Patrick improved from 22nd to fourth. Andretti finished sixth.

Post Race News and Notes

· Dario Franchitti records his ninth career victory in the IndyCar Series. His most recent victory was in the 2007 season finale at Chicagoland Speedway when he clinched the series championship.

· This is Franchitti's first IndyCar Series victory on a road/street course.

· This is Target Chip Ganassi Racing's 25th victory in the IndyCar Series.

· Will Power finished second, his best finish in the IndyCar Series. His previous best was fourth at Mid-Ohio in 2008.

· Tony Kanaan finished third, his 11th consecutive top-10 finish, the longest active streak in the IndyCar Series.

· Kanaan recorded his 68th career top-five finish, the most all-time in the IndyCar Series. This was Kanaan's 100th career start.

· Danica Patrick finished fourth, her 12th career top-five finish, her first top-five finish since Infineon last August.

· Patrick improved 18 positions during the race, most of any driver.

· Dan Wheldon finished fifth, his 55th top-five finish.

· Marco Andretti finished sixth, recording his 22nd top-10 finish in his 50th career start.

· Helio Castroneves finished seventh in his first race of the season. This is his 89th top-10 finish in 115 starts.

· Rookie Robert Doornbos finished a career-best ninth, his first top-10 finish.

· Alex Tagliani finished 10th, his second top-10 finish of the season.

· The top 10 finishers represent seven teams.