Kanaan captures 2nd straight win

Franchitti wrecks again as lead shrinks

Tony Kanaan says he'll do whatever it takes to help Andretti Green Racing teammate Dario Franchitti claim the IndyCar Series championship.

But if Kanaan keeps winning and Franchitti keeps going airborne, it might end up being the other way around.

Kanaan blistered the field during the Meijer Indy 300 at Kentucky Speedway on Saturday, easily passing A.J. Foyt IV with nine laps remaining for his second straight victory and fourth of the season.

"Obviously since [the Indianapolis 500] we've been having a lot of ups and downs, and we kept the spirits up and here we go," Kanaan said.

Usually one of the more laid-back drivers on the circuit, Kanaan fought back tears in the post-race celebration. Friday would have been his late father's birthday, and today is Father's Day in his native Brazil.

"My wife better give me a good gift tomorrow," said Kanaan, whose wife, Dani, is expecting the couple's first child later this year.

Kanaan's crew gave him a decent present during qualifying on Friday, as he won the pole by posting a speed more than 1.2 mph faster than Franchitti, who started second.

Though the teammates rode together for much of the race, it was clear Kanaan's car was simply better than Franchitti's and the 16 others in the field.

"I don't like to fight, I like the easy life," Kanaan said. "That's why I took off."

The victory pulled Kanaan within 52 points of series leader Franchitti, who faded to eighth after a couple of late-race miscues. He dropped from third to sixth after getting stuck three-wide, then damaged the nose of his car when he struck a flag while entering the pits.

Franchitti's day, however, wasn't over when the checkered flag waved. He ran into Kosuke Matsuura a few hundred feet past the finish line and flew into the air for his second harrowing accident in as many weeks.

Franchitti's car pirouetted on its nose and landed against the outside wall in the first turn. He walked away unharmed, but the scene was eerily similar to a crash last week at Michigan.

The Indianapolis 500 champion was accelerating as he ran into Matsuura, and said he didn't hear the call that the race was over until just before the accident.

"That one was completely my fault, there's no excuse," Franchitti said. "I'm pretty disgusted with myself right now for that. For both my mistakes today and again it could have been a big one. I'm glad I'm OK."

ALSO SATURDAY

TOYOTA TUNDRA 200: Travis Kvapil led 47 of the final 48 laps to win the NASCAR Craftsman Trucks Series' at Nashville Superspeedway.

Kvapil beat Ron Hornaday, Jr. by 2.403 seconds for his third win in six races and enabled the 2003 series champion to preserve his chances for a second title.

Series leader Mike Skinner, who led the first 102 laps, was third with David Starr and Todd Bodine rounding out the top five.

"We started the race and the truck was a little bit too tight but I think that was because I was in traffic," Kvapil said. "I told [crew chief] Mike Beam what the truck was doing and he made some air pressure adjustments that brought the truck to life."

Kvapil advanced from fourth to third in the standings and is 236 points behind Skinner.

"It will still take Mike and Ron some bad races for us to close the gap, but there are 10 races left and a lot can happen," Kvapil said.

NOTE

BOURDAIS EYES 'ROAD AMERICA' VICTORY: Sebastien Bourdais was asked which track was his favorite in North America, and he didn't hesitate. "Road America!" he said. "It's the most like a European racetrack of anyplace in America. And it's just a beautiful, fast track."

The 4-mile, 14-turn natural terrain road course in Elkhart Lake, Wis., is also one of the few Champ Car circuits where Bourdais has not won.

Bourdais is the three-time series champion and current points leader, with four victories this season. Since arriving in the U.S. in 2003, he has raced in 68 Champ Car events and won 27. Those victories have come on 16 tracks.

But not at Road America.

Bourdais will start from the pole today in the Generac Grand Prix after blowing away the field in qualifying. He won the provisional pole Friday by nearly a full second over runner-up Will Power.

Bourdais was clocked at 1 minute, 41.535 seconds (145.525 mph) Saturday, while Power remained second despite failing to improve his first-day time of 1:43.116 (141.324).