The 2007 IRL IndyCar Series began with a night race on Saturday March 24 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The season's premiere event, the 91st Indianapolis 500 was held on May 27. The season finale was held at Chicagoland Speedway on September 9. Dario Franchitti won four races during the season, including the Indy 500, clinched the 2007 IndyCar Series championship after he won the final race of the season at Chicagoland Speedway, after points leader Scott Dixon ran out of fuel in turn 3 of the final lap.
2007 IndyCar season | |
---|---|
IndyCar Series | |
Season | |
Races | 17 |
Start date | March 24 |
End date | September 9 |
Awards | |
Drivers' champion | Dario Franchitti |
Rookie of the Year | Ryan Hunter-Reay |
Indianapolis 500 winner | Dario Franchitti |
At the conclusion of the season, Danica Patrick was voted Most Popular Driver for the third consecutive year.[1]
All races were televised on the ESPN family of networks. In addition, all races were broadcast live on the IMS Radio Network, and XM IndyCar Channel 145 and simulcast on XM Sports Nation.
The 2007 schedule was the twelfth season of the IRL IndyCar Series, and part of the 96th recognized season of top-level American open wheel racing. It was the final season that IndyCar Series ran independently before the IRL merged with Champ Car in 2008. It also marked A. J. Foyt's 50th anniversary of participation in IndyCar racing.
It was also the final season that all IndyCar Series cars ran with the sequential manual gearbox shifters before all IndyCar Series cars switched to sequential semi-automatic paddle-shifters for the following season.
2007 was also the first season that all IndyCar Series entrants utilized Dallara spec-chassis all-season long although Panoz chassis were still only used by part-time drivers for Indianapolis 500 event, but without factory support from Panoz.
All entries utilize Honda engines and Firestone Firehawk tires.
The schedule consisted of 12 oval races, 3 road course races, and 2 street track races.
O Oval/Speedway
R Road/Street course
BOLD indicates Superspeedways.
The full schedule was ratified on October 13, 2006. Instead of a single schedule announcement, the venues for the 2007 season were announced separately between August and October 2006. Before that, the only race beyond the Indianapolis 500 that had been confirmed was the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on April 1, 2006.[4]
On December 14, 2006, it was announced that Marquis Sports Marketing, a Dallas-based company, was in coordination to add another race to the 2007 schedule. A non-points, exhibition race in the streets of Biloxi, Mississippi was in the planning stages for September or October 2007 as an effort to revitalize the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast. The race would be the first step in what were plans to build an oval track in the area by 2009.[21] However, none of these efforts eventually came to fruition.
Top Five Finishers | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fin. Pos |
St. Pos |
Car No. |
Driver | Team | Laps | Time | Laps Led |
Points |
1 | 1 | 10 | Dan Wheldon | Chip Ganassi Racing | 200 | 1:48:06.8893 | 179 | 53 |
2 | 6 | 9 | Scott Dixon | Chip Ganassi Racing | 200 | +6.4993 | 15 | 40 |
3 | 2 | 6 | Sam Hornish Jr. | Team Penske | 200 | +17.4754 | 0 | 35 |
4 | 10 | 4 | Vítor Meira | Panther Racing | 200 | +22.5373 | 0 | 32 |
5 | 4 | 11 | Tony Kanaan | Andretti Green Racing | 200 | +23.1179 | 3 | 30 |
Race average speed: 164.825 mph (265.260 km/h) | ||||||||
Lead changes: 5 between 4 drivers | ||||||||
Cautions: 3 for 32 laps |
Top Five Finishers | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fin. Pos |
St. Pos |
Car No. |
Driver | Team | Laps | Time | Laps Led |
Points |
1 | 1 | 3 | Hélio Castroneves | Team Penske | 100 | 2:01:07.3512 | 95 | 53 |
2 | 4 | 9 | Scott Dixon | Chip Ganassi Racing | 100 | +0.6007 | 0 | 40 |
3 | 6 | 11 | Tony Kanaan | Andretti Green Racing | 100 | +7.9130 | 0 | 35 |
4 | 2 | 26 | Marco Andretti | Andretti Green Racing | 100 | +13.5090 | 3 | 32 |
5 | 3 | 27 | Dario Franchitti | Andretti Green Racing | 100 | +14.5935 | 0 | 30 |
Race average speed: 89.166 mph (143.499 km/h) | ||||||||
Lead changes: 4 between 3 drivers | ||||||||
Cautions: 5 for 20 laps |
Top Five Finishers | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fin. Pos |
St. Pos |
Car No. |
Driver | Team | Laps | Time | Laps Led |
Points |
1 | 3 | 11 | Tony Kanaan | Andretti Green Racing | 200 | 1:52:23.2574 | 26 | 50 |
2 | 2 | 10 | Dan Wheldon | Chip Ganassi Racing | 200 | +0.4828 | 126 | 43 |
3 | 7 | 27 | Dario Franchitti | Andretti Green Racing | 200 | +11.5538 | 0 | 35 |
4 | 6 | 9 | Scott Dixon | Chip Ganassi Racing | 200 | +13.0623 | 2 | 32 |
5 | 2 | 6 | Sam Hornish Jr. | Team Penske | 199 | +1 Lap | 3 | 30 |
Race average speed: 162.295 mph (261.188 km/h) | ||||||||
Lead changes: 9 between 5 drivers | ||||||||
Cautions: 3 for 30 laps |
Top Five Finishers | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fin. Pos |
St. Pos |
Car No. |
Driver | Team | Laps | Time | Laps Led |
Points |
1 | 4 | 10 | Dan Wheldon | Chip Ganassi Racing | 200 | 1:36:56.0586 | 177 | 53 |
2 | 6 | 27 | Dario Franchitti | Andretti Green Racing | 200 | +18.4830 | 0 | 40 |
3 | 3 | 3 | Hélio Castroneves | Team Penske | 200 | +33.2280 | 0 | 35 |
4 | 5 | 9 | Scott Dixon | Chip Ganassi Racing | 200 | +34.4208 | 16 | 32 |
5 | 7 | 2 | Tomas Scheckter | Vision Racing | 199 | +1 LAP | 0 | 30 |
Race average speed: 188.169 mph (302.829 km/h) | ||||||||
Lead changes: 9 between 3 drivers | ||||||||
Cautions: 3 for 15 laps |
Top Five Finishers | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fin. Pos |
St. Pos |
Car No. |
Driver | Team | Laps | Time | Laps Led |
Points |
1 | 3 | 27 | Dario Franchitti | Andretti Green Racing | 166 | 2:44:03.5608 | 34 | 50 |
2 | 4 | 9 | Scott Dixon | Chip Ganassi Racing | 166 | +0.3610 | 11 | 40 |
3 | 1 | 3 | Hélio Castroneves | Team Penske | 166 | +1.8485 | 19 | 35 |
4 | 5 | 6 | Sam Hornish Jr. | Team Penske | 166 | +4.6324 | 2 | 32 |
5 | 7 | 12 | Ryan Briscoe | Luczo-Dragon Racing | 166 | +5.2109 | 0 | 30 |
Race average speed: 151.774 | ||||||||
Lead changes: 23 between 9 drivers | ||||||||
Cautions: 11 for 55 laps |
Top Five Finishers | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fin. Pos |
St. Pos |
Car No. |
Driver | Team | Laps | Time | Laps Led |
Points |
1 | 3 | 11 | Tony Kanaan | Andretti Green Racing | 225 | 1:47:42.4393 | 25 | 50 |
2 | 10 | 27 | Dario Franchitti | Andretti Green Racing | 225 | +2.5707 | 0 | 40 |
3 | 4 | 10 | Dan Wheldon | Chip Ganassi Racing | 225 | +3.1149 | 37 | 35 |
4 | 2 | 9 | Scott Dixon | Chip Ganassi Racing | 225 | +3.4026 | 0 | 32 |
5 | 9 | 4 | Vítor Meira | Panther Racing | 225 | +5.2864 | 0 | 30 |
Race average speed: 127.22 mph (204.74 km/h) | ||||||||
Lead changes: 8 between 4 drivers | ||||||||
Cautions: 6 for 51 laps |
Top Five Finishers | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fin. Pos |
St. Pos |
Car No. |
Driver | Team | Laps | Time | Laps Led |
Points |
1 | 2 | 6 | Sam Hornish Jr. | Team Penske | 228 | 1:52:15.2873 | 159 | 53 |
2 | 4 | 11 | Tony Kanaan | Andretti Green Racing | 228 | +0.0786 | 1 | 40 |
3 | 6 | 7 | Danica Patrick | Andretti Green Racing | 228 | +0.3844 | 2 | 35 |
4 | 3 | 27 | Dario Franchitti | Andretti Green Racing | 228 | +3.9765 | 0 | 32 |
5 | 13 | 4 | Vítor Meira | Panther Racing | 228 | +4.0019 | 3 | 30 |
Race average speed: 177.314 | ||||||||
Lead changes: 16 between 7 drivers | ||||||||
Cautions: 3 for 28 laps |
Top Five Finishers | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fin. Pos |
St. Pos |
Car No. |
Driver | Team | Laps | Time | Laps Led |
Points |
1 | 3 | 27 | Dario Franchitti | Andretti Green Racing | 250 | 1:48:14.1344 | 96 | 53 |
2 | 12 | 26 | Marco Andretti | Andretti Green Racing | 250 | +0.0681 | 4 | 40 |
3 | 4 | 8 | Scott Sharp | Rahal Letterman Racing | 250 | +1.0577 | 4 | 35 |
4 | 17 | 15 | Buddy Rice | Dreyer & Reinbold Racing | 250 | +4.2426 | 5 | 32 |
5 | 15 | 14 | Darren Manning | A. J. Foyt Enterprises | 250 | +5.2156 | 0 | 30 |
Race average speed: 123.896 mph (199.391 km/h) | ||||||||
Lead changes: 13 between 8 drivers | ||||||||
Cautions: 6 for 67 laps |
Top Five Finishers | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fin. Pos |
St. Pos |
Car No. |
Driver | Team | Laps | Time | Laps Led |
Points |
1 | 1 | 27 | Dario Franchitti | Andretti Green Racing | 250 | 1:24:19.6684 | 242 | 53 |
2 | 3 | 9 | Scott Dixon | Chip Ganassi Racing | 250 | +0.4194 | 0 | 40 |
3 | 4 | 10 | Dan Wheldon | Chip Ganassi Racing | 250 | +1.3629 | 0 | 35 |
4 | 2 | 11 | Tony Kanaan | Andretti Green Racing | 250 | +2.9088 | 8 | 32 |
5 | 12 | 15 | Buddy Rice | Dreyer & Reinbold Racing | 250 | +5.9130 | 0 | 30 |
Race average speed: 133.408 | ||||||||
Lead changes: 4 between 3 drivers | ||||||||
Cautions: 4 for 33 laps |
Top Five Finishers | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fin. Pos |
St. Pos |
Car No. |
Driver | Team | Laps | Time | Laps Led |
Points |
1 | 2 | 9 | Scott Dixon | Chip Ganassi Racing | 60 | 1:43:51.5094 | 23 | 53 |
2 | 5 | 6 | Sam Hornish Jr. | Team Penske | 60 | +6.2591 | 0 | 40 |
3 | 3 | 27 | Dario Franchitti | Andretti Green Racing | 60 | +9.7492 | 0 | 35 |
4 | 4 | 11 | Tony Kanaan | Andretti Green Racing | 60 | +14.4830 | 0 | 32 |
5 | 6 | 26 | Marco Andretti | Andretti Green Racing | 60 | +15.4749 | 9 | 30 |
Race average speed: 116.813 | ||||||||
Lead changes: 5 between 5 drivers | ||||||||
Cautions: 3 for 7 laps |
Top Five Finishers | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fin. Pos |
St. Pos |
Car No. |
Driver | Team | Laps | Time | Laps Led |
Points |
1 | 1 | 9 | Scott Dixon | Chip Ganassi Racing | 200 | 1:35:06.2615 | 105 | 53 |
2 | 2 | 27 | Dario Franchitti | Andretti Green Racing | 200 | +2.2400 | 88 | 40 |
3 | 7 | 7 | Danica Patrick | Andretti Green Racing | 200 | +3.1884 | 0 | 35 |
4 | 4 | 6 | Sam Hornish Jr. | Team Penske | 200 | +3.2914 | 0 | 32 |
5 | 8 | 26 | Marco Andretti | Andretti Green Racing | 200 | +4.1409 | 0 | 30 |
Race average speed: 164.030 mph (263.981 km/h) | ||||||||
Lead changes: 6 between 4 drivers | ||||||||
Cautions: 3 for 25 laps |
Top Five Finishers | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fin. Pos |
St. Pos |
Car No. |
Driver | Team | Laps | Time | Laps Led |
Points |
1 | 6 | 9 | Scott Dixon | Target Chip Ganassi | 85 | 1:47:24.0663 | 29 | 50 |
2 | 5 | 27 | Dario Franchitti | Andretti Green Racing | 85 | +2.6917 | 6 | 40 |
3 | 1 | 3 | Hélio Castroneves | Team Penske | 85 | +8.6783 | 37 | 38 |
4 | 3 | 11 | Tony Kanaan | Andretti Green Racing | 85 | +8.9611 | 13 | 32 |
5 | 2 | 7 | Danica Patrick | Andretti Green Racing | 85 | +25.2578 | 0 | 30 |
Race average speed: 107.222 mph (172.557 km/h) | ||||||||
Lead changes: 8 between 4 drivers | ||||||||
Cautions: 2 for 9 laps |
Top Five Finishers | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fin. Pos |
St. Pos |
Car No. |
Driver | Team | Laps | Time | Laps Led |
Points |
1 | 8 | 11 | Tony Kanaan | Andretti Green Racing | 200 | 2:49:38.0509 | 29 | 50 |
2 | 13 | 26 | Marco Andretti | Andretti Green Racing | 200 | +0.0595 | 12 | 40 |
3 | 4 | 8 | Scott Sharp | Rahal Letterman Racing | 200 | +0.3867 | 11 | 35 |
4 | 14 | 55 | Kosuke Matsuura | Panther Racing | 200 | +0.4703 | 0 | 32 |
5 | 17 | 15 | Buddy Rice | Dreyer & Reinbold Racing | 200 | +4.9097 | 0 | 30 |
Race average speed: 141.481 mph (227.692 km/h) | ||||||||
Lead changes: 23 between 9 drivers | ||||||||
Cautions: 6 for 63 laps |
Top Five Finishers | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fin. Pos |
St. Pos |
Car No. |
Driver | Team | Laps | Time | Laps Led |
Points |
1 | 1 | 11 | Tony Kanaan | Andretti Green Racing | 200 | 1:38:21.7078 | 131 | 53 |
2 | 4 | 9 | Scott Dixon | Chip Ganassi Racing | 200 | +1.7457 | 4 | 40 |
3 | 10 | 22 | A. J. Foyt IV | Vision Racing | 200 | +2.1070 | 13 | 35 |
4 | 15 | 26 | Marco Andretti | Andretti Green Racing | 200 | +2.2998 | 0 | 32 |
5 | 6 | 2 | Tomas Scheckter | Vision Racing | 200 | +2.3660 | 0 | 30 |
Race average speed: 180.558 | ||||||||
Lead changes: 10 between 4 drivers | ||||||||
Cautions: 3 for 23 laps |
Top Five Finishers | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fin. Pos |
St. Pos |
Car No. |
Driver | Team | Laps | Time | Laps Led |
Points |
1 | 5 | 9 | Scott Dixon | Chip Ganassi Racing | 80 | 1:51:58.5533 | 15 | 50 |
2 | 4 | 3 | Hélio Castroneves | Team Penske | 80 | +0.5449 | 0 | 40 |
3 | 1 | 27 | Dario Franchitti | Andretti Green Racing | 80 | +8.3814 | 62 | 41 |
4 | 3 | 11 | Tony Kanaan | Andretti Green Racing | 80 | +8.9864 | 0 | 32 |
5 | 6 | 6 | Sam Hornish Jr. | Team Penske | 80 | +9.9473 | 0 | 30 |
Race average speed: 98.593 mph (158.670 km/h) | ||||||||
Lead changes: 9 between 4 drivers | ||||||||
Cautions: 2 for 5 laps |
Top Five Finishers | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fin. Pos |
St. Pos |
Car No. |
Driver | Team | Laps | Time | Laps Led |
Points |
1 | 4 | 11 | Tony Kanaan | Andretti Green Racing | 89 | 2:11:50.5097 | 20 | 50 |
2 | 11 | 7 | Danica Patrick | Andretti Green Racing | 89 | +0.4865 | 9 | 40 |
3 | 16 | 10 | Dan Wheldon | Chip Ganassi Racing | 89 | +1.2207 | 0 | 35 |
4 | 8 | 14 | Darren Manning | A. J. Foyt Enterprises | 89 | +1.9217 | 0 | 32 |
5 | 14 | 55 | Kosuke Matsuura | Panther Racing | 88 | +1 Lap | 0 | 30 |
Race average speed: 83.841 mph (134.929 km/h) | ||||||||
Lead changes: 5 between 5 drivers | ||||||||
Cautions: 6 for 19 laps |
Top Five Finishers | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fin. Pos |
St. Pos |
Car No. |
Driver | Team | Laps | Time | Laps Led |
Points |
1 | 1 | 27 | Dario Franchitti | Andretti Green Racing | 200 | 1:44:53.7950 | 10 | 50 |
2 | 6 | 9 | Scott Dixon | Chip Ganassi Racing | 200 | +1.8439 | 41 | 40 |
3 | 2 | 6 | Sam Hornish Jr. | Team Penske | 199 | +1 Lap | 90 | 38 |
4 | 3 | 3 | Hélio Castroneves | Team Penske | 199 | +1 Lap | 56 | 32 |
5 | 11 | 8 | Scott Sharp | Rahal Letterman Racing | 199 | +1 Lap | 0 | 30 |
Race average speed: 173.886 mph (279.842 km/h) | ||||||||
Lead changes: 13 between 5 drivers | ||||||||
Cautions: 3 for 27 laps |
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