IndyCar Series news

Dixon on pole at Motegi

Reigning Champion Scott Dixon carried his second practice form over to qualifying to clinch pole position ahead of Saturday's penultimate race of the season in Japan. The New Zealander lapped the Motegi Twin Ring quicker than Mario Moraes' second-placed KV Racing car as championship challengers Franchitti and Briscoe finished third and fourth.

With only two races to go this season including this weekend, Dixon is the third and final man in the standings who is able to clinch the 2009 crown. The Kiwi enters Japan with a 33-point deficit to championship leader Ryan Briscoe with second-placed Dario Franchitti trailing the Australian by 25 points.

Friday's battle for pole came down to a fight between Dixon, who had topped the timesheets in second practice, and the KV contender of Mario Moraes. The former eventually came out on top, with Moraes right behind him for the start on Saturday. The other two championship contenders will be, in-turn, right with him as Franchitti out-qualifies Briscoe.

In the other Penske, Helio Castroneves had hoped to clinch his fourth successive pole position in Japan; a fastest time in Practice 1 earlier in the morning looked to place the Brazilian in good shape although a qualifying mistake saw the Penske contact with the wall at Turn 4 - he joins Hideki Mutoh at the back after the home driver sustained a heavy impact one corner earlier.

Graham Rahal finished the day fifth, ahead of 2008 winner Danica Patrick as Servia, Wheldon, Wilson and Scheckter all qualified in the top ten. The three drivers returning to the series this weekend - Matsuura, Yasukawa and Barrett - finished 17th, 18th and 21st respectively.

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• 09 Oct.
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• 21 Sep.
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• 19 Sep.
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• 18 Sep.
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