Jaime Camara Gets an Early Lead and
Wins the Race.
photo
by Dan Peters
Jaime Camara leads early, wins 3rd Futaba Freedom 100 at Indy
by Dan Peters
Oak Park Journal
Friday, May 27, 2005 –Jaime Camara outdueled Wade Cunningham and the
weather to win his first Menards Infiniti Pro Series race in the
Futaba Freedom 100 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The day started sunny and mild... but as it has been all month, clouds
and a few rain showers moved into the area just as the race started.
After a brief caution for a minor incident in turn three involving
driver Cole Carter (son of Legendary Poncho Carter)
rain began to fall on the south end of the speedway, causing officials
to put the red flag out. Not a heavy shower, just enough
to cause about a 15 minute delay.
When the green flag came out... it was fast and furious... nearly going
green to the checkered flag.
The two rookies dueled throughout the 100-mile event that saw
six lead changes between Laps 12-19, including one by Jon Herb. The
middle section of the 40-lap race on the historic Indianapolis Motor
Speedway oval was a drafting battle, with Camara, driving the No. 1
CELG – Sam Schmidt Motorsports Dallara / Infiniti/ Firestone, in front
but not able to pull away from the No. 33
Visit New Zealand entry.
The
Start of the Race....
photo
by Dan Peters
The last lap was a drag race – with Camara beating Cunningham
to the finish line by 0.1319 of a second for his first Menards
Infiniti Pro Series victory.
“Man, when the race started, Wade passing me on the first lap,
I was surprised,” said Camara, who became the fourth winner
in as many Menards Infiniti Pro Series races this season. “But I knew I
had a good car and I saw the way he was driving. I saw
that I could pass him one or two laps later.
“We were fastest in the first practice, qualifying we were the
fastest and the last practice we were the fastest again. So it was
one of those weekends that you can’t believe how good the car
is. It’s amazing. I have no words. It’s my first victory here in
Indianapolis and the biggest race of the year.”
Cunningham, who recorded his second-straight second-place,
took the series points lead with his fourth top-four finish in as
many events. Jay Drake, who also planned to race in the Hoosier Hundred
USAC Silver Crown event at the Indiana State Fairgrounds later in the
day, finished a career-best third after
Indy Racing League officials reviewed video replays and Timing
& Scoring information of the Lap 37 restart. It was determined
that the No. 3 car driven by Al Unser passed Drake’s No. 20 Vision
Racing car after the yellow caution flag flew.
Unser was credited with fourth place. Roth, Travis Gregg, Jeff Simmons,
Chris Festa, Taylor Fletcher and Quiroga completed the top 10.
INDIANAPOLIS -
Results Friday of the Futaba Freedom 100 IRL Menards
Infiniti Pro Series event May 27 at the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor
Speedway, with order of finish, starting position in parentheses,
driver, chassis-engine, laps completed and reason out (if any) and
money earned:
1. (1) Jaime Camara, Dallara-Infiniti, 40, running
2. (5) Wade Cunningham, Dallara-Infiniti, 40, running
3. (4) Jay Drake, Dallara-Infiniti, 40, running
4. (7) Al Unser, Dallara-Infiniti, 40, running
5. (6) Marty Roth, Dallara-Infiniti, 40, running
6. (2) Travis Gregg, Dallara-Infiniti, 40, running
7. (11) Jeff Simmons, Dallara-Infiniti, 40, running
8. (17) Chris Festa, Dallara-Infiniti, 40, running
9. (15) Taylor Fletcher, Dallara-Infiniti, 40, running
10. (12) German Quiroga, Dallara-Infiniti, 40, running
11. (14) Mishael Abbott, Dallara-Infiniti, 40, running
12. (13) Tom Wood, Dallara-Infiniti, 40, running
13. (9) Jon Herb, Dallara-Infiniti, 39, running
14. (16) Imran Husain, Dallara-Infiniti, 39, running
15. (8) Nick Bussell, Dallara-Infiniti, 39, running
16. (10) Marco Andretti, Dallara-Infiniti, 38, running
17. (18) Rocky Moran Jr, Dallara-Infiniti, 4, transmission
18. (3) Cole Carter, Dallara-Infiniti, 0, accident
Race Statistics
Winner's average speed: 146.780 mph
Time of race: 00:40:52.6390
Margin of victory: 0.1319 of a second
Cautions: 4
Lead changes: 7
Lap leaders: Cunningham 1-4, Camara 5-14, Herb
15, Camara 16-17,
Cunningham 18, Camara 19–20, Cunningham 21, Camara 22-40.
Point standings: Cunningham 147, Gregg 138, Camara 129, Herb 123,
Bussell 108, Festa 108, Unser 106, Drake 102, Roth 98, Simmons 84
.
INDY FINAL PRACTICE NEWS...
Danica Patrick continues to see her domination Friday...posting
the fastes speed in Friday's last practice for the 89th Indianapolis
500.
The rookie, who will start fourth (inside of Row 2) in the May 29
classic, topped the speed chart for the final practice session, the
final opportunity for teams to fine-tune their cars before Race Day.
Driving the No. 16 Rahal Letterman Racing Argent Pioneer
Panoz/Honda/Firestone, posted a fast lap of 225.597 mph (39.8942
seconds) during the one-hour window on the 2.5-mile oval. She also
recorded the fastest overall lap (229.880 mph) of the month on May 15.
MBNA Pole winner Tony Kanaan (225.451 mph) was second fastest, Andretti
Green Racing teammate and points leader Dan Wheldon third
(225.262) with Sam Horish fourth (225.003).
There was only one incident in the Final PPractice...
Buddy Lazier, who qualified ninth, crashed his Chevrolet-powered
Dallara early in the session, when his car suffered a mechanical
failure. Lazier was uninjured and Panther Racing intended to
repair the damage to Lazier’s car.
Also on Miller Lite Carb Day, Sam Hornish Jr. hopes that winning the
Checkers Rally’s Pit Stop Competition on Miller Lite Carb Day at the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a good omen. There is precedent.
Hornish, driving the No. 6 Marlboro Team Penske Dallara / Toyota /
Firestone, defeated Andretti Green Racing’s Bryan Herta in the
championship round. His pit crew received the $30,000 first prize for
its speed and accuracy.
The winner of the competition has gone on to win the Indianapolis 500
five times, most recently in 2004 (Buddy Rice). Penske
Racing teams have won the pit stop competition a record eight times,
the last with Helio Castroneves in 2002. The race winner?
Castroneves.
Though Hornish stalled the car in the final, it didn’t cross the
timing line (pit stops were elapsed time). His crew completed the
four-tire change and simulated fueling in 8.9704 seconds. The
crew for Herta’s No. 7 XM Satellite Radio Dallara/ Honda/ Firestone
completed its stop in 9.9170 seconds.
.
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