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Dan Peters
Sports Editor
Suburban
Journals of Chicago Inc.
Oak Park Journal
Forest Park Journal
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June
21, 2008
Four Wide Enter
the Turn.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc.
photos
by
Mark Rotor & Yolanda Rotor
Battistini
Sling-Shots to Victory in Firestone Indy Lights JELD-WEN 100
Race…Battistini Charges to Lights Series Points Leader.
by
Mark Rotor
With fourteen laps until the checkered flag, Arie Luyendyk Jr was
passed by the unrelenting Dillon Battistini of Panther Racing to win
the Jeld-Wen 100 on Saturday at the Iowa Speedway. Luyendyk Jr.
the son of two time Indianapolis 500 champion Arie Luyendyk Sr., lead
the first 101 laps until the #15 car of Dillon Battistini sling-shot
pass Luyendyk Jr’s. #26 Andretti Green/AFS car blocked lap
traffic.
Battistini said after his win, “I'm just amazed. What a race; I really
enjoyed that. Our cars were very close to matching pace. I new it was
my best chance to get past (Luyendyk). I tried staying right on his
gearbox when we were catching lap traffic. My hope was that he’d have
to back off and I would be able to stay flat. That’s luckily for me,
how it worked out. But, I feel sorry for Arie – there wasn’t much
he could do, but he drove a great race.”
Battistini
Leads a Pack of 3.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc.
photos
by
Mark Rotor & Yolanda Rotor
James Davison driving the #11 car for Sam Schmidt Motorsports was in
the middle of the controversy as race leaders Battistini and
Luyendyk attempted to pass lapped car of Davison on lap #101 of the
race. Luyendyk stated, “It wasn’t easy for you (Battistini) to get
around Davison either. When he cleared me, you know, you were being
blocked by Davision as well. That gave me an opportunity.
But luckily for you (Battistini), it went yellow. I think that, in
general, is just unsportsmanlike driving.” "Guys just wouldn't
get
out the way. If you're in the back, just move out of the way. I cannot
believe (James) Davison could not let me by. And he wouldn't let Dillon
(Battistini) by either when he was up front. It
just messes up our race. We had a clean, fast race car. Andretti
Green/AFS Racing did an awesome job. We rolled off the truck,
and we were just fast. It just doesn't get any faster than that. It's
just frustrating when you have 10 car lengths on a guy for the lead
with eight to go, and you come up on lapped traffic and you lose
the race."
Luyendyk leads
Battistini for a time.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc.
photos
by
Mark Rotor & Yolanda Rotor
Battistini finds
time to change positions with Luyendyk.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc.
photos
by
Mark Rotor & Yolanda Rotor
After a yellow caution flag on lap 106 when Jonny Ried white
striped the wall in turn #4, the race returned to green with two laps
to go and Battistini charged across the finished line with Luyendyk
in 2nd place and Ana Beatriz 3rd. Excitement continued on final lap of
the race as Bobby Wilson of Team E racing team spun the #17 car 100
feet from the finish line. No injury to Wilson was reported and
finished #16th for the race.
The third place finish was captured by Ana Beatriz of Sam Schmidt
Mortorsports, tied her career-best finish since St. Petersburg Grand
Prix in April 2008. "It was really hard to pass on this track. I had to
set up my passes. I would go back sometimes because I couldn't set up
good. But the car was really good. The Healthy Choice Sam Schmidt crew
worked perfectly, and my car was great."
In victory, Battistini collected Iowa Speedway’s JELD-WEN 100 winner’s
trophy adding to his collection of top honors including victories at
Homestead-Miami and Indianapolis. “This is Panther Racing's third
victory of the season and 12th overall in Firestone Indy Lights
competition. Battistini now takes over the Indy Lights point’s
leadership from Richard Antinucci of Sam Schmidt Mortorsports.
#24 Williams
and driver # 23
Gomez are inseparable on this turn.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc.
photos
by
Mark Rotor & Yolanda Rotor
Battistini gets
the WIN !!
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc.
photos
by
Mark Rotor & Yolanda Rotor
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