Motorsports

Wheldon perfect to finish

The Englishman benefits from a series of cautions and lead changes to win the season-opening IRL race.

By BRANT JAMES
Published March 7, 2005

HOMESTEAD - If Dan Wheldon keeps this up, he'll never have to wait for a table at his favorite St. Petersburg eateries again.

The 26-year-old Englishman lost his privileges at his Indianapolis hot spots when he built a home in the Old Northeast section of St. Petersburg this fall. Despite being the Indy Racing League's 2003 rookie of the year and runnerup in the 2004 points standings to Andretti Green teammate Tony Kanaan, the affable Wheldon remains somewhat anonymous outside open-wheel racing's epicenter.

That might have changed somewhat on Sunday, when Wheldon routed the field in the IRL's season opener at Homestead-Miami Speedway, leading four times for 158 of 200 laps and running off from three-time race-winner Sam Hornish by a race-record 3.69 seconds. Wheldon shattered the record set by Hornish in 2001.

Hornish was second, followed by Kanaan, Rahal Letterman Racing's Vitor Meira and Penske Racing's Helio Castroneves.

"He never made a mistake all day," Hornish said.

If Tampa Bay race fans didn't happen to catch Wheldon on the live television broadcast, they might soon see his face on billboards, local news or signing autographs at the 7-Eleven. A wing of Andretti Green is promoting the April 3 Grand Prix of St. Petersburg - the IRL's first nonovals race - and Wheldon figures a local-boy-does-good angle might be in store.

"It's good for me," he said, tongue in cheek. "It raises my profile in the town. I'm new to the town. In Indy, I used to like it because I could eat in a lot of the restaurants for free and get everything for free. I like my local spots. I kind of go to the same place day in, day out and in Indy I had my own table at certain places. I like that. I like to feel at home. Hopefully this win and with the street race in St. Pete, it will improve that."

Wheldon started 11th but maneuvered his Toyota to the front by Lap 20, his main challengers being the Toyota-powered Penske race cars of Hornish and Castroneves and a stout Chevrolet driven with abandon by pole-sitter Tomas Scheckter.

Only a series of cautions and lead changes after pit cycles brought Wheldon back to the field, the final time with 41 laps left when a seven-car wreck in Turn 2 took out several strong cars, including Scheckter's. Because the leaders had pitted under green less than 10 laps earlier, Wheldon, Hornish, Castroneves, Kanaan and Patrick Carpentier were ready to use a fuel trim for a shootout when the final restart came on Lap 176.

Wheldon initially was unable to draw off as he had in the previous restarts until Kanaan directed his Honda between the two Penske cars, passing Castroneves and distracting their efforts to team up for a rush on the leader.

"When I saw Tony was sandwiched between the Penskes, I knew at one point they were going to go side by side because I knew Tony wasn't going to sit in there," Wheldon said. "When I looked in the mirror, I could see them two, three, four, running side by side. I thought, "That's my boy. He's coming."'

Kanaan knew he had nothing for Wheldon, so he played the role of dutiful teammate.

"I came on the radio and said, "Tell Dan to go outside, to give these guys hell, because I know Sam is going to try to pass all of us on the outside on the last lap. Let's try to win this race for the team,"' Kanaan said. "I was realistic, I couldn't win this race at all."

Wheldon zoomed to a 10-length lead over Hornish in the next several laps and held on for his fourth IndyCar win. Hornish nipped Kanaan at the finish line for second.

After kissing honorary starter and actor Tara Reid, Wheldon passed longtime friend and St. Petersburg resident Brad Stoller the race trophy.

"There's going to be a party, but it won't be in St. Pete tonight; it'll be in Miami," Stoller said.

The St. Petersburg celebration likely will come on Wednesday Wheldon said, and he might have to call in some favors to keep the peace in the new neighborhood. Mayor Rick Baker, a lifelong IndyCar fan who pitched hard to bring the IRL to town, lives within shouting distance of an expensive subwoofer.

"I'm sure I'm going to be calling in a lot of favors, I have to say," Wheldon said, laughing.

[Last modified March 7, 2005, 01:58:12]