Sebastien Bourdais needed only to start the race to win the Champ Car title. He did a whole lot better Sunday – winning the Lexmark Indy 300 in Surfers Paradise, Australia, for his second straight championship in the open-wheel series.
“I really wanted to clinch the championship with a win, and win it in style,” Bourdais said.
The Frenchman needed one point to take the 2005 crown, and he achieved that simply by starting. That guaranteed him at least a last-place finish and a point.
Bourdais avoided an opening-lap, first-turn crash involving pole sitter and Newman/Haas teammate Oriol Servia. He overtook early leader Paul Tracy with the help of an excellent first pit change and held on to win the 57-lap race on the 2.795-mile temporary street circuit.
As Bourdais came around the final turn, he stuck one arm in the air in celebration. Newman/Haas team co-owner Carl Haas stood and clapped in the pits, with his trademark cigar in his mouth.
Bourdais finished in 1 hour, 39 minutes, 26.671 seconds and averaged 96.123 mph. Thornton’s A.J. Allmendinger was second, 9.13 seconds behind, followed in order by Jimmy Vasser and Alex Tagliani.
It’s the first time the Newman/Haas team, owned by actor Paul Newman and former racer Haas, has had consecutive series winners in its 23-year history.
It was Bourdais’ fifth win in his last six races, and 16th overall in 44 starts. He has finished all 12 races on the 2005 schedule, a feat achieved by only four drivers since 1956.
Tracy, who started fifth, passed Bourdais during the first-turn accident between Servia and Cristiano da Matta. Servia stayed in the race, finishing fifth, guaranteeing him a second-place finish in the series championship.
NHRA: Top fuel champion Tony Schumacher pushed his weekend take to $590,000 with a victory at the fifth annual ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals.
It is the largest amount earned in a single weekend in the history of drag racing. Schumacher clinched his third series title Friday, which was worth $400,000, returned Saturday to capture the Budweiser Shootout special event for $100,000 more, scored another $40,000 for Sunday’s race win, and another $50,000 “double-up” bonus for winning both races this weekend.
There were no championship checks handed out in funny car. In fact, Ron Capps’ win over teammate and fellow contender and new points leader Gary Scelzi, combined with John Force’s first-round loss, put the three title hopefuls within 28 points of one another heading into the season finale. Kurt Johnson defeated Greg Anderson in the pro stock final, and Chip Ellis beat Angelle Sampey in pro stock motorcycle.
