SPOILER ALERT: IF YOU ARE WAITING TO WATCH THE HEAT RACES TOMORROW BEFORE THE INDYCAR RACE AND DO NOT WANT TO KNOW THE RESULTS, THEN DO NOT READ BEYOND THIS POINT.
Dario Franchitti won the third heat race and will start on pole position for the Iowa Corn Indy 250. Following Franchitti will be Helio Castroneves, Marco Andretti, James Hinchcliffe, Ryan Briscoe, Will Power, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Scott Dixon. Tony Kanaan and Graham Rahal won their respective heats and would be on row five, but both have 10 grid spot penalties to serve for engine changes. Alex Tagliani and Josef Newgarden will move up and become row five. EJ Viso and Simon Pagenaud will also serve 10 grid spot penalties for engine changes. Viso finished fourth in heat one and Pagenaud last in heat two.
The heat races were decent. A few drivers felt that Kanaan and Rahal should have been allowed to transfer to the final heat. As I said in the Track Walk, I agree and also think some extra points should be given for winning a heat and the final heat. I would not be against the heat race format being expanded to Milwaukee or other short ovals added in the future. It's just an idea, and I am not saying it should be done, but maybe requiring a green flag, four tire pit stop would make things interesting.
This is the final race of five consecutive race weekends dating back to the Indianapolis 500 on May 27. Four of the five races were on ovals, with Belle Isle being the exception. This could be the final oval round until the Fontana race on September 15th. Depending on the decision of where to run a 16th race, Fontana could be the final round of the 2012 Izod IndyCar Championship as well. After a weekend off, the IndyCar series will head to the Honda Indy Toronto on July 8. This will be NBC Sports Network's last race until the Edmonton Indy on July 22.
Covering All Motorsports. From Indianapolis to Le Mans, Daytona to Monaco.
