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INDY LIGHTS: Hildebrand Wins Watkins Lights Race
Written by: Indycar.com   
07/04/2009
Watkins Glen, NY
 
Given the opportunity, J.R. Hildebrand would have unfurled an American flag in Victory Circle at Watkins Glen International.
Californian J.J. Hildebrand fought off a strong international challenge to proudly win the Corning 100 on Independence Day. (IndyCar.com) ยป More Photos

"It doesn't get any better," the California native with the American flag atop his helmet said after winning the Corning 100 on July 4. "This race could have really not been at a better time for us. I knew we had a strong car going into this race. We were sitting there thinking, 'We cannot accept defeat today.' It's America's birthday. I can't happier with it."

Hildebrand passed polesitter James Davison with an inside move at the beginning of the Bus Stop on Lap 14 and held on through a final-lap restart to win his second race of the Firestone Indy Lights season.

Combined with a fifth-place finish by AFS Racing/Andretti Green Racing teammate Sebastian Saavedra and the 20th place (mechanical) by Mario Romancini, Hildebrand put some distance between himself and the championship challengers. Romancini had been second, 16 points back, and is now 58 behind. Saavedra is 46 points back.

Davison, driving the No. 21 People*s Liberation entry for Vision Racing, finished 0.5499 of a second behind and Felipe Guimaraes - making his series debut - was third in the No. 29 Bryan Herta Autosport car.

"Congratulations to J.R.; he was just too quick," said Davison, who gave Vision Racing its first podium finish in the series. "They must have been trimmed out just a little more than us because I was just a sitting duck there. I didn't get a bad run or anything out of the first turn. That's just the way it goes.

" I had a good last restart and was right behind him out of Turn 1, but still he pulled away when I was a couple of meters behind. He just had good straight line speed."

Guimaraes overtook Saavedra on the final lap, as did Charlie Kimball, who finished a season-high fourth in the No. 35 Team PBIR car.

"We had a good car," said Guimaraes, who competed for Team Brazil (team principal is Emerson Fittipaldi) in A1GP this year. "Our morning practice set us up very well for the race. I'm just happy, especially since it my first race with this car."

Saavedra, who placed 15th two weeks ago Iowa Speedway, notched his fifth top-five finish of the season.

"We made a little mistake when it came to setup for the race but I'm very happy," Saavedra said. "The AFS/Andretti Green guys did an awesome job. We captured the points
that we needed that we lost in Iowa. I'm looking forward to Toronto."

Richard Philippe, driving the No. 37 Team PBIR car, finished seventh and Daniel Herrington, driving the No. 28 LeBleu/Bryan Herta Autosport car, was eighth. Pablo Donoso finished ninth in the No. 9 Andersen/Allied Interior Products/Donoso LTDA car - tying his season high.

Ana Beatriz, who was penalized five grid positions for failing to heed a late caution in the race at Iowa, moved up to finish 10th in the No. 20 Healthy Choice/Sam Schmidt Motorsports car.

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. - Results Saturday of the Corning 100 Firestone Indy Lights event July 4 at the 3.37-mile Watkins Glen International, with order of finish, starting position in parentheses, driver, laps completed and reason out (if any) and money earned:

1. (4) J.R. Hildebrand, 30, Running $30,000
2. (1) James Davison, 30, Running $22,500
3. (6) Felipe Guimaraes, 30, Running $18,000
4. (5) Charlie Kimball, 30, Running $16,000
5. (9) Richard Philippe, 30, Running $15,000
6. (7) Daniel Herrington, 30, Running $14,500
7. (18) Gustavo Yacaman, 30, Running $15,000
8. (14) Pablo Donoso, 30, Running $13,500
9. (16) Ana Beatriz, 30, Running $13,000
10. (11) Martin Plowman, 30, Running $12,500
11. (13) Mike Potekhen, 30, Running $12,000
12. (19) Stefan Wilson, 30, Running $11,500
13. (12) Andrew Prendeville, 30, Running $12,500
14. (20) Pippa Mann, 30, Running $10,500
15. (21) Ali Jackson, 30, Running $12,500
16. (15) Sergey Mokshantsev, 30, Running $7,500
17. (17) Rodrigo Barbosa, 30, Running $6,500
18. (2) Sebastian Saavedra, 30, Running $5,000
19. (8) Wade Cunningham, 26, Contact $4,500
20. (10) Mario Romancini, 14, Mechanical $5,000
21. (3) James Hinchcliffe, 7, Contact $3,500


Race Statistics

Winner's average speed: 104.807 mph

Time of race: 57:52.6759

Margin of victory: 0.5499 of a second

Cautions: 3 caution flags for 5 laps

Lead changes: 1 among 2 drivers

Lap leaders: Davison 1-13, Hildebrand 14-30.

Point standings: Hildebrand 279, Romancini 221, Cunningham 216, Saavedra 215, Davison 206, Hinchcliffe 200, Herrington 194, Beatriz 184, Yacaman 173, Kimball 169.

Note: Saavedra was issued a 30-second penalty for blocking on final lap.
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