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J. R. Hildebrand Cruises to Number 4 Win |
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August 23, 2009 – Sonoma. Californian J. R. Hildebrand applied his best of strategies again today at the Infineon Raceway road race to stretch out his driver’s season points lead – win the pole, stand on it from the start and don’t let anyone pass you on those 40 laps.
This was the third race AFS Racing/Andretti Green Racing’s J. R. pulled this strategy, giving him 6 poles, 4 wins and 9 podium finishes this season. Nothing like smoking them when you are at the closest track to your hometown, Sausalito, California.
The starting order had Sam Schmidt Motorsports’ Ana Beatriz in 2nd and Bryan Herta Autosport’s Felipe Guimaraes in 3rd. James Hinchcliffe, one of Ana’s teammates, started 4th.
When it was all over though Guimaraes had claimed 2nd place and Vision Racing’s James Davison stood in the 3rd podium spot. Beatriz ended in 5th and Hinchcliffe in 6th. As for 4th place finish, it was Richard Philippe with Team PBIR who had worked his way up from his 6th place start.
With the Carneros 100 race being the last of the road races this season now the championship comes down to two fast oval races – Chicagoland Speedway on August 29 and Homestead-Miami Speedway the finale on October 9.
Hildebrand now has a 100 points lead in the season’s driver points with 473, while teammate Saavedra is at 383. In 3rd is Davison at 376, Hinchcliffe with 361 and Wade Cunningham in the 5th slot showing 354.
Who will the hottest oval drivers be? Be sure to follow these last two races, because it’s not over ‘till it’s over even though it looks like J. R. will be the man.
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