The 16th race of the IndyCar series was held at Texas Motor Speedway, with banks as
steep as 24 degrees. The first night race of the series, the race was packed with hot
neck-and-neck action from start to finish. After a final restart, the last two laps were a
heated battle for top place between Al Unser Jr., Tony Kanaan, and Toranosuke Takagi.
In the end, Kanaan took the checkered flag in second place, just 0.081 seconds behind
the winner. Kenny Brack (Team Rahaal) finished 4th. Bryan Herta (Andretti Green
Racing), driving for the injured Dario Franchitti, won 5th place, giving 3 of the top 5
finishes to Honda Indy V-8 powered racers. Rookie Roger Yasukawa (Super Aguri
Fernandez Racing) put in a personal best, taking the checkered flag in 9th.
Alongside winner Al Unser Jr. was 3rd-place finisher Toranosuke Takagi. This was the
first podium ever for a Japanese racer.
There was a two-car accident on the second turn of the 190th lap. After the drivers were
rescued, the course cleared, and the final green flag given, there were only 2 laps left.
The fans went wild as the top three stayed neck-and-neck all the way to the finish line.
This kind of "up-close and personal" racing is what gives the Indy series its appeal, and
the fans were treated to an exciting show with the Texas Motor Speedway's
seventh-ever victory with under a second's margin. The winner's average speed of
168.123 mph put him 4th in the Texas Motor Speedway's speed record book, on a course
known for its ultra-high speeds.
Kanaan's second-place finish adds 40 points to his series score. This not only allows
him to defend his position as point leader, but also increases his lead over the
second-place racer to 26 points, from 14 points before the race. Yasukawa also retained
his position as rookie point leader.
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June 7, 2003
