Texas Indy Lights: Faulkner doesn't falter

Faulkner had taken pole in his first ever oval race and went on to lead all but two of the 67 laps around the fearsomely fast 1.5-mile banked track.

The podium had a distinctly European feel about it, with Faulkner's Dorricot Racing Lola followed home by Indiana-domiciled Irishman Derek Higgins and Cheshire-based Dane Kristian Kolby. All three have vast experience of racing in the UK.

Higgins and Kolby were pressuring Faulkner as the race entered its final lap, but an incident involving Mario Dominguez and Rudy Junco that put the duo into the wall, fortunately without injury, brought out the day's second caution and prevented Faulkner from being passed.

"It's difficult to take the outside line," recalled Faulkner of the final laps, "so I stayed low. Derek had the lead briefly, but only by five millimetres or so. I wasn't going to back out and he gave me the room I safely needed. I thought the race was clean among the guys that were up front."

Higgins added: "I'm happy with the end result. It's a track you have to treat with respect."

Dan Wheldon and Faulkner's team mate Townsend Bell were also involved in the battle for the early lead, but the pair tangled on lap 52 out of 67. Bell continued without a nose cone, but Wheldon spun and was hit by Jon Fogarty, again without injury.

Higgins' second place increases his lead at the head of the points, with Bell and Dominguez in second and third.




Damien Faulkner, 39m35.283s, 67 laps, 150.491mph
Derek Higgins, +0.349s, 67
Kristian Kolby, +0.529s, 67
Luis Diaz, +0.737s, 67
Rolando Quintanilla, +1.127s, 67
Mario Dominguez, + 1 lap, 66


Higgins, 52 pts
Townsend Bell, 41
Dominguez, 33
Kolby, 32
Dan Wheldon, 30
Faulkner, 28