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INDY LIGHTS: Beatriz Wins Miller Lite 100
Written by: Indycar.com   
06/21/2009
Newton, IA
 
Ana Beatriz earned her second career Firestone Indy Lights victory, passing Sam Schmidt Motorsports teammate Wade Cunningham with nine laps to go in the Miller Lite 100.
Ana Beatriz earned her second career victory. She also won at Nashville in 2008. (LAT) ยป More Photos

"I was thinking and wanting to finish the race today," said Beatriz. "We qualified sixth, but it was great at the start of the race and it was very competitive. I was fortunate to find the right time to pass Wade (Cunningham). There was a lot of lapped cars out there when that happened. It was all about momentum. Wow, I can't believe I got first and Sam Schmidt got a 1-2-3. It is unbelievable. At the finish, I was thinking it was just unbelievable. I nearly crashed there at the end right there around the flipped car. This team deserves it. I really want to celebrate with them tonight. The last couple of weeks have been tough missing out on sponsorship and then finding a way to come back."

Cunningham, who finished second at Iowa in 2007 after leading 105 of 115 laps, passed pole sitter J.R. Hildebrand for the lead on Lap 4 and led the next 103 laps. He and Beatriz caught up to Sebastian Saavedra on the backstretch on Lap 107, and Beatriz was able to get past on the high side while Cunningham was forced to slow.

The night was a success for team owner Sam Schmidt as his drivers recorded the first 1-2-3 finish by teammates in series history. James Hinchcliffe was third.

Notes:

• Ana Beatriz earns her second career victory. She also won at Nashville in 2008. She is the only female driver to win in Firestone Indy Lights.
• This is Beatriz's fourth top-five finish of the season.
• This is the 28th victory for Sam Schmidt Motorsports, most of any team in Firestone Indy Lights.
• This is the first time in Firestone Indy Lights history that teammates have finished 1-2-3.
• This is the fifth time in Firestone Indy Lights history that teammates have finished 1-2. Sam Schmidt Motorsports drivers have accomplished the feat the last four times, most recently at Chicagoland in 2007.
• Wade Cunningham finished second for the second time at Iowa Speedway. He also finished
second in 2007 after leading the first 105 laps of that race.
• Cunningham has four consecutive top-six finishes.
• James Hinchcliffe finished third, tying his career-best. He also finished third at St. Peterburg 2 and Long Beach. This is his best finish on an oval.
• Mario Romancini finished fourth, his fourth consecutive top-four finish.
• Gustavo Yacaman finished fifth, his second consecutive top-five finish.
• Charlie Kimball tied his career-best finish with a seventh.

Results of the Miller Lite 100 Firestone Indy Lights event June 20 at the 0.894-mile Iowa Speedway, with order of finish, starting position in parentheses, driver, laps completed and reason out (if any) and money earned:

1. (6) Ana Beatriz, 115, Running $30,000
2. (2) Wade Cunningham, 115, Running $22,500
3. (5) James Hinchcliffe, 115, Running $18,000
4. (13) Mario Romancini, 115, Running $17,000
5. (11) Gustavo Yacaman, 115, Running $15,000
6. (1) J.R. Hildebrand, 115, Running $14,500
7. (8) Charlie Kimball, 115, Running $14,000
8. (9) Martin Plowman, 114, Running $13,500
9. (4) Daniel Herrington, 114, Running $13,000
10. (17) James Davison, 114, Contact $12,500
11. (12) Andrew Prendeville, 112, Running $14,500
12. (15) Pablo Donoso, 109, Running $11,500
13. (7) Pippa Mann, 105, Contact $12,000
14. (14) Mike Potekhen, 103, Running $10,500
15. (3) Sebastian Saavedra, 85, Running $10,000
16. (10) Brandon Wagner, 59, Contact $8,500
17. (16) Sergey Mokshantsev, 5, Mechanical $8,000
18. (18) Rodrigo Barbosa, 0, DNS $5,000

Race Statistics

Winner's average speed: 128.285 mph
Time of race: 48:05.1062
Margin of victory: Under caution
Cautions: 4 cautions for 24 laps
Lead changes: 2 among 3 drivers
Lap leaders: Hildebrand 1-3, Cunningham 4-106, Beatriz 107-115.
Point standings: Hildebrand 227, Romancini 211, Cunningham 205, Saavedra 203, Hinchcliffe 191, Herrington 168, Davison 165, Beatriz 164, Summerton 162, Yacaman 149.
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