October 29, 2008
(Jim Haines/IRL)
Ryan Briscoe (No. 6 Team Penske Dallara/Honda/Firestone) became the first Australian driver to win on the Streets of Surfers Paradise, holding off 2008 IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon (No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing D/H/F) by 0.5019 seconds to win the Nikon Indy 300, a non-points paying Indy Racing League race that closed the season. Pole sitter Will Power (No. 8 Aussie Vineyards-Team Australia D/H/F), a native of nearby Toowoomba, Australia, led the initial 16 laps, but bounced off the barrier in the quick backstretch Esses, which ended his day. Briscoe, who started third, led nearly two-thirds of the tough 60-lap race for his third win of 2008. He took the lead for the final time on Lap 43 after the final round of pit stops and kept Dixon at bay as he dealt with traffic in the late stages of the race. Ryan Hunter-Reay, who won the 2003 Surfers Paradise Champ Car race, finished third in the No. 17 Team Ethanol D/H/F for Rahal Letterman Racing. Alex Tagliani was fourth in an excellent run in his third start for the No. 36 Conquest Racing D/H/F, while Oriol Servia was fifth in the KV Racing Technology Team Australia machine.
(Copyright © 2008, John Thawley ~ Creative Communications Group All rights reserved.)
Publisher's Note: Now, for something completely different, ace photographer John Thawley visited the world famous Naples Swamp Buggy Races over the weekend, a truly singular American event. We've enclosed a gallery of photos from the event here. Words fail us... - PMD