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INDY LIGHTS: Scott Dixon wins in Vancouver and extends title lead

3 September 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

(Vancouver, Canada)--PacWest Racings Scott Dixon won his fourth race of the season and extended his championship lead in the eighth round of the Dayton Indy Lights Championship at the Molson Indy of Vancouver in Canada today.

Dixon, a 20 year-old New Zealander, made a brilliant move on leader Felipe Giaffone on lap 36 of the 42-lap contest on the outside of turn six and raced away to the checkered.

Dixon, driver of the #17 Invensys/Powerware PacWest Lights entry, now has 113 championship points and leads Dorricott Racings Townsend Bell by 21 points.

The race was forced into full-course yellow conditions soon after the start when Chris Menninga and Andy Boss crashed into a tire barrier at turn one. Australian Jason Bright was an innocent victim in this drama and was also forced into the pits for some major repairs to the left-hand front corner on his car he rejoined the field to finish 14th. There was another full-course yellow less than a lap after the re-start when Luis Diaz tried to pass Jonny Kane on the inside forcing both of them into a tire barrier.

Tony Renna, driver of the #18 Motorola PacWest Lights entry, made use of the early yellows and had moved from eighth to fifth before a full racing lap had been completed. He held that position until half a lap from home when Mario Dominguez managed to get by him the result was Rennas fifth consecutive top-six finish and sees him remain sixth in the championship with 64 points.

SCOTT DIXON #17 INVENSYS/POWERWARE PACWEST LIGHTS 1st

"We sat in behind Felipe (Giaffone) for a lot of the race waiting for our chance," said Dixon.

"He finally made a mistake and we had enough momentum to get around him on the outside. To his credit he gave me enough room, if it had been anyone else maybe I could have been in the wall. I was prepared to sit in second and collect the championship points, but then Jeff Simmons was closing the gap and we had to make a decision to do something. The Invensys/Powerware team gave me a great car today. It was very fast in the mid-speed corners. We had a chance to show how fast the car really was in the last few laps."

TONY RENNA # 18 MOTOROLA PACWEST LIGHTS 6th

"We got a clean start which was good and we stayed out of trouble," said Renna.

"Once in the top five we could not make any ground on the leaders.

"I think we burnt up the rears by the end and Dominguez managed to get me at turn six on the final lap. It was a great win by Scott which is terrific for the entire team."

CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS: 1: Scott Dixon 113; 2: Townsend Bell 92; 3: Felipe Giaffone 82; 4: Casey Mears 74; 5: Jason Bright 72; 6: Tony Renna 64; 7: Jeff Simmons 64; 8: Mario Dominguez 55; 9: Chris Menninga 37; 10: Jonny Kane 35.

Text Provided By Brett Murray

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.