Andretti Green Celebrates 1-2-3-4

It was a perfect result for the team, which runs engines from event sponsor Honda and also promoted the event. Team boss Michael Andretti was jubilant after the race, laughing with the journalists who swamped him in pitlane: "It looked like the fix was on, and I'm starting to believe it was!

"Everything that happened this weekend was incredible, and it brought out a lot of emotions for me. Professionally, I can't remember a day when I was happier after a race, even for myself when I was driving."

Earlier in the day Andretti's son Marco stormed from pole to victory for his first win in the Infiniti Pro Series in a car run by the team just hours after learning of the untimely death of a close friend in a car crash, to whom he dedicated the victory.

In the main event Dan Wheldon crossed the line first after teammate Tony Kanaan had a collision with rookie Ryan Briscoe. "I just managed to pick up a few spots here and there," the Briton noted, "and with a little bit of strategy, the team was able to run up near the front.

"It's a fantastic day for the entire Andretti Green Racing team - to have my teammates and I finish 1-2-3-4 is just exceptional, and it will be very difficult for it to happen again. To accomplish all of this in St. Petersburg is very special."

Wheldon, who lives within walking distance of the track, was delighted to claim a 'home' win: "I have to give myself a pat on the back - to hold TK [Kanaan] back is very, very special because I rate him very high."

Kanaan himself was more sanguine about the result: "It wasn't the best of days for my team in the pits, but the guys are a great team and they never let me down. We overcame a lot of obstacles today because we have a great car and a great team.

"If you want to play hard, we can play hard. When we fail, we fail together and when we win, we win together. Today we won, and I'm very happy for both Team 7-Eleven and all of Andretti Green Racing. "

Dario Franchitti was the third man across the line. He noted: "The car was absolute dynamite today, but we had a fuel problem in the pits and couldn't take on a full load of fuel, so we had to keep making more stops than everybody else, which definitely hurt us.

"On the one hand I'm upset that we didn't win, but on the other hand a 1-2-3-4 finish for Andretti Green Racing and Honda is a pretty mega achievement."

Polesitter Bryan Herta was unable to hold onto the advantage, but still managed to bring his car home in fourth: "For me the race was going great until the last stint, and then the car just went really, really loose - I just couldn't maintain the pace I needed to at the end to challenge for the win.

"But, luckily my teammates picked up the slack and helped us get a win and a great result for the team."