Briscoe gets IndyCar win

[June 02, 2008]  WEST ALLIS, Wis. (AP) -- Ryan Briscoe drove through the smoke and found a little bit of redemption.

For a moment on Sunday at the Milwaukee Mile, it seemed the new Team Penske driver would wind up watching his crashed IndyCar being towed to the paddock for the fourth time in the first six races this season.

Not this time.

The 23-year-old Australian held off a late charge from Indianapolis 500 champion Scott Dixon, avoided the late-race accident -- barely -- and gave team owner Roger Penske his 300th racing win.

Four laps from the end of the ABC Supply A.J. Foyt 225, the track ahead of Briscoe was enveloped in smoke and all he could do was hit the brakes hard and hope.

"A million things went through my mind when I saw all that smoke," Briscoe said. "With a couple of laps to go, I knew how to keep Dixon behind me. I think I'd have been in tears if I didn't get through."

Just ahead of the leader, pole-winner Marco Andretti and Ed Carpenter collided, sending both into the wall. Vitor Meira, the Indy 500 runner-up who crashed in qualifying on Saturday, then drove over Andretti's car, flew through the air and slammed into the concrete barrier.

Asked how close he came to hitting Meira, Briscoe replied, "I think it was less than a foot."

Somehow, though, his No. 6 Team Penske Dallara came through the melee unscathed and Briscoe was able to drive slowly to the checkered flag under caution, claiming his first IndyCar victory.

It was a major step for Briscoe just a week after an embarrassing pit lane accident in which he took out fan favorite Danica Patrick at Indy.

"The car was just magic today," Briscoe said. "We just came through the field."

And that wasn't easy, with a 26-car field, the biggest open-wheel lineup at the suburban Milwaukee track since 27 started the 1998 CART race. Sunday's race was often a high-speed traffic jam with lots of close calls.

Briscoe, who lost his ride after a season with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2005, got another chance with Penske's team this year but crashed in three of the first five races, falling to 19th in the points before Sunday's win boosted him up to eighth, 100 points behind leader Dixon.

Briscoe dedicated the win to former Penske driver Rick Mears, a four-time Indy winner who is now a consultant for the team. Mears was honored before the race on the 30th anniversary of his first win, which came on the same track.

"I can't tell you how special it is to win my first IndyCar race on the 30th anniversary of Rick's first win," Briscoe said. "I wouldn't have won it without his advice here."

Penske said he was proud of his new driver, the 15th different winner for the team in IndyCar racing.

"I think, today, he really got the monkey off his back," the owner said. "We knew how good he was. From the standpoint of his confidence, this is exactly what he needed to break the ice."

It appeared for most of the 225-lap race that Dixon would run away to another victory, but Briscoe, who started 11th, caught the leader and passed him on lap 177. All the drivers up front made green-flag stops before the finish, but Briscoe came out of the fuel stops back out front on lap 207 and stayed there despite heavy pressure from Dixon.

Dixon, who led 147 laps to Briscoe's 36, was also happy to get through the accident without damage.

"Briscoe, you've got to give him credit," the New Zealander said. "He drove the wheels off that thing. He could really take advantage of the high line when I tried a couple of times and nearly ended up in the fence. It was the most fun I've had in a long time, to be honest."

All the top cars made it through the late crash without damage. Two-time defending race winner Tony Kanaan finished third, followed by Dan Wheldon and Briscoe's teammate Helio Castroneves.

Asked if he could have caught Briscoe in the last few laps if the caution had not come out, Dixon shrugged.

"I think it was just going to come down to how you hit traffic," he said. "With three laps more, who knows what was going to happen."

Patrick was never in contention, finishing a lap down in ninth.

"I had some understeer issues all day," said Patrick, who earlier this season became the first woman to win an IndyCar race. "This is where we as a team need to find out what the problem is and find a solution. On a good note, we finished the race, which we have not been able to do in the last two races."

[Associated Press; By MIKE HARRIS]

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