Dixon Wins Indy Japan 300

MOTEGI, September 19, 2009: Scott Dixon claimed his fifth victory of the season, winning the Indy Japan 300 at Twin Ring Motegi to take over the IndyCar Series points lead with one race remaining.

Dixon, who started from the pole position and led a field-high 149 of 200 laps, took the lead for good on the 164th lap and finished 1.4475 seconds ahead of Target Chip Ganassi teammate Dario Franchitti. Graham Rahal finished third, while Mario Moraes, who started on the front row for the first time in his 30-plus races, overcame an early pit miscue to wind up fifth - his third consecutive top five. Danica Patrick, who won at Twin Ring Motegi last year, finished sixth.

Ryan Briscoe, who entered the race as the points leader, saw his chances winning the race and all but clinch the series championship dwindle after he made a mistake after a pit stop on Lap 106. As the No. 6 Team Penske car exited pit lane, Briscoe swerved as he lit up the tires, brushed the inside retaining wall and ran over a cone at the end of the pit lane. After multiple pit stops to repair the damage, he rejoined the race, but had dropped to 19th.

Dixon now leads the standings with 570 points, followed by Franchitti, who has 565. Briscoe, who went into the race with a 25-point lead over Franchitti and a 32-point lead over Dixon, finished 18th and has 562 points.