Hornish Wins Fastest IRL Race Ever

SPARTA, Ky. August 17, 2003; Murry Evans writing for the AP reported that Sam Hornish Jr. set Indy Racing League records for average speed and career wins in a dominating victory at the Belterra Casino Indy 300 at Kentucky Speedway on Sunday.

The 24-year-old Hornish, the two-time defending IRL IndyCar Series champion, averaged 197.897 mph, shattering the series speed record of 180.917 mph, set by Alex Barron on July 27 at Michigan International Speedway.

The CART series speed record is 197.995 mph, set by Jimmy Vasser in California on Nov. 3, 2002.

Hornish's win in a Pennzoil Panther Racing Chevrolet was his ninth in an IndyCar Series race. No other driver has won more than eight series races. Hornish has won all three races in which he has started on the pole.

Hornish wasn't slowed by caution flags. The race went under the yellow only once, another series record.

The victory also came against the closest starting field by time in series history. The 20-car field was separated in qualifying by .5367 of a second. The previous closest field was in 1999 at Atlanta, when a 25-car field was separated by .62.

Hornish led for 181 laps of the 200-lap race. Only two other drivers, Scott Dixon and Bryan Herta, finished on the lead lap.

Al Unser Jr. and Helio Castroneves rounded out the top five.