Wild in the Streets at Belle Isle - After 88 laps on the 2.906-mile Raceway at Belle Isle in Michigan, the penultimate race of the 2007 IndyCar Championship Series came down to the very last two laps today, Sunday, September 2, 2007. Scott Dixon, who was going for the second place position with just two laps remaining in the 90 lap affair, tangled with Buddy Rice, the two cars collapsed into a heap and stacked up against the wall. And along their way to the wall way, Dixon also managed to collect championship contender Dario Franchitti. (Interestingly, leading into Belle Isle, Dixon led Franchitti by four points in the ’07 title fight).

"I wasn't trying to pass Buddy," said Dixon of the controversial accident. "I was in a good position and would not have risked it. He ran out of fuel. I sideswiped Buddy but tried to keep going. I was just trying to stay ahead of Franchitti for valuable points. I would never have done anything intentional to jeopardize our race.

"Heading to Chicago, the points situation is a lot tighter than I wish it was,” he added. “Today was a good battle for the Target team and Chicago should be a better one, especially for the fans."

While the end result of the wild crash will now see Franchitti leading Dixon by a mere three points heading pell-mell towards the final round of the IndyCar series set for Chicagoland next weekend, it also allowed Andretti Green driver Tony Kanaan to streak away the victory. Bur perhaps even more noteworthy is that the win —Kanaan’s fifth of the season — now breathes life back into Kanaan’s championship hopes as he is now only 39 points adrift of Dixon. Second overall at Bell Isle went to Danica Patrick who placed a mere 0.48 seconds behind her teammate (a career best). Ganassi’ racing wheelman Dan Wheldon completed the podium.

The curtain will come down on the 2007 IndyCar Championships next Sunday in the form of a 200-lap race at the 1.5-mile Chicagoland Speedway Oval.