Wilson takes IndyCar triumph

FORT WORTH, Texas (AFP) –

Britain’s Justin Wilson celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the IndyCar Firestone 550 on June 9. Wilson, who started 17th, led only 11 laps but managed to collect his first oval triumph thanks to leader Graham Rahal’s blunder.

Britain’s Justin Wilson won the IndyCar Firestone 550 after leader Graham Rahal crashed in the fourth turn with just over two laps remaining in the oval-course showdown.

The Englishman, who started 17th, led only 11 laps but managed to collect his first oval triumph thanks to the American’s blunder.

“This one could haunt me forever that’s for sure,” Rahal said. “I just messed up. It’s my fault. There’s not much else I can say. Certainly disappointed because we had that one.”

The 228-lap matchup on the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway course was only the season’s second oval race after last month’s Indianapolis 500, won by Scotland’s Dario Franchitti.

Rahal appeared set for his first triumph since his 2008 IndyCar debut but his car struck the outer wall with just over two laps remaining. Despite the damage, Rahal managed to keep the weaving car going along the course.

Wilson closed up behind Rahal and passed him on the back straightaway of the penultimate lap, then kept the lead for the final 1.5 laps.

Britain’s Justin Wilson (R) passes Graham Rahal during the final laps of the IndyCar Firestone 550 on June 9. Wilson closed up behind Rahal and passed him on the back straightaway of the penultimate lap, then kept the lead for the final 1.5 laps.

“That’s just fantastic. I just can’t believe we managed to pull this off,” Wilson said.

“I saw him sliding more and more every lap. I didn’t think there was much chance. When I saw him hit the wall I knew I had to go for it. You had to hang on going around out there.”

Rahal hung on for second place and Australian Ryan Briscoe was third.

“It was a good result,” Briscoe said. “I had the track position at the end but just didn’t have the car at the end.

New Zealand’s Scott Dixon led 133 of the first 174 laps before Australian Will Power, the season points leader with three triumphs this year, passed him with 57 laps remaining.

Three laps later, Dixon crashed in turn three, setting up a caution period that allowed the leaders to make their final refuel stops.

After a restart, Power battled side-by-side with Briscoe when Brazil’s Tony Kanaan moved to the inside and Power moved to cut him off, Kanaan’s front wing hitting the rear of Power’s car.

Kanaan was forced to the pits and Power was ordered into the pits for a drive-through blocking penalty on lap 33, leaving Briscoe in the lead, only to have Rahal pass him with 29 laps remaining, setting up the dramatic finish.