Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing Has Banner Day with a One-Two Finish in the Grand Prix of Houston
After being penalized following qualifying for the Grand Prix of Houston Sebastien Bourdais (#1 McDonald’s Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone) was set for a showdown at JAGFlo Speedway at Reliant Park with Team Australia’s Will Power (#5 Aussie Vineyards Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone), but it was his teammate, rookie Graham Rahal (#2 Medi|Zone Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone) who filled his mirrors for most of the day. In the end, Bourdais earned his 25th career win and Rahal earned his first podium with a runner-up finish at the 2007 Grand Prix of Houston.
Bourdais moved into the lead right at the start but had to surrender the position for shortcutting the course. The Frenchman was undaunted as he patiently waited until lap 14 to take the lead from Justin Wilson (#9 CDW Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone) and then built a lead for the next 13 circuits until a full course caution slowed the pace and brought the entire field to pit road. During the pit stops, Bourdais’ McDonald’s crew sent him back out in the lead with Forsythe Championship Racing’s Oriol Servia (#3 Indeck Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone) second and Bourdais’ teammate Rahal third.
The top three remained that way until a round of green flag pitstops began on lap 66 when Servia ducked onto pit road for service. Unfortunately for Servia his teammate Mario Dominguez (#7 Indeck Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone) was also on pit road and delayed Servia’s exit from his pit box. The delay on pit road combined with an extra lap on track by the 18-year-old Rahal moved the young American into position to track down his teammate and battle for the lead.
Just as Rahal exits pit lane the yellow flag flies again as Will Power and Mario Dominguez get together in Turn 6 while at the same time Katherine Legge (#11 Dale Coyne Racing Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone), Neel Jani (#21 Red Bull Gulfstream Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone) and Dan Clarke (#4 Minardi Team USA Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone) make contact in Turn 2. The Turn 2 incident ends the day for the trio and the yellow flag gives the lead to Tristan Gommendy (#22 Pay by Touch/Megaspiera Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone).
Gommendy used a similar strategy last weekend in Long Beach and here in Houston the Frenchman paced the field for 18 laps before running out of fuel at the entrance to pit lane with just seven laps remaining. While all of this was going on Dutchman Robert Doornbos (#14 Minardi Team USA Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone) was slowly moving his way up through the field and after Gommendy retired Doornbos was positioned for his second podium finish in three Champ Car starts.
Oriol Servia overcame his difficulty on pit lane to finish fourth in his second race filling-in for the injured Paul Tracy while Team Australia’s Simon Pagenaud (#15 Aussie Vineyards Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone) claimed his first career top-five finish.
Mario Dominguez (#7 Telmex/Banca Mifel Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone) rebounded from his struggles last weekend in Long Beach to finish sixth just ahead of three-time series runner-up Bruno Junqueira (#19 Sonny’s Bar-B-Q Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone) earned his third straight top-10 finish with Dale Coyne Racing, earning the seventh spot.
Pacific Coast Motorsports Ryan Dalziel (#28 Pacific Coast Motorsports Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone) earned his career best finish of eighth and his second straight top-ten for the new Champ Car team.
Rounding out the top-ten were RSPORTS teammates Alex Tagliani (#8 LXN2 Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone) and Justin Wilson who finished ninth and tenth respectively.
As the Champ Car World Series now takes a breath after three straight races, a familiar face is back atop the points standings with 73 markers. Will Power is just three points behind with 70 in second place and rookie Robert Doornbos is third with 61. Alex Tagliani and Bruno Junqueira round out the top-five in the race for the 2007 Vanderbilt Cup.
The Champ Car World Series will head to the Great Northwest for the Champ Car Grand Prix of Portland Presented by Joe’s at Portland International Raceway.
The Grand Prix of Houston
1111 Bagby, Suite 1950 | Houston, Texas 77002
Phone: 713-659-RACE | info@grandprixofhouston.com
acrossley@grandprixofhouston.com