After a disappointing performance at Indianapolis, Team Penske’s Ryan Briscoe bounced back with a victory at Texas Motor Speedway Saturday night, winning the Firestone 550K by 1.5 seconds over Danica Patrick.
Briscoe, who crashed out of the Indianapolis 500, and who has had a shaky season after finishing second in the championship in 2009, was relieved and excited to be back in Victory Circle.
“I needed that,” Briscoe told a VERSUS-TV reporter. “It was pretty miserable coming off of Indy the way we did. We just didn’t quite have it for Dario [Franchitti, Indy winner] and then I made that mistake at the end, so this win it definitely means a lot I want to thank the whole team the guys here for sticking behind me they gave me great pit stops all day long.
“I wasn’t sure about my car after warm-up last night we made a lot of changes going into the race today so this one goes to my engineer great job today giving me a car that was just so good in traffic on my own all day long—thank you.”
Briscoe’s main competition came from Andretti Autosports driver Danica Patrick, who qualified eighth and advanced to fourth by lap 44. After Struggling mid-pack—or worse—for most of this season, Patrick apparently got a car she liked and she made the most of it.
Ryan Briscoe took the lead on lap 171, with Patrick right behind her. Several laps later Patrick pitted, followed the next lap by Briscoe. Patrick with one lap’s more heat in her tires, decided it was time to pounce, and she attacked Briscoe as soon as he left pit lane.
Patrick actually led for a portion of a lap, but Briscoe managed to get back by her.
Briscoe, who crashed out of the Indianapolis 500, and who has had a shaky season after finishing second in the championship in 2009, was relieved and excited to be back in Victory Circle.
“I needed that,” Briscoe told a VERSUS-TV reporter. “It was pretty miserable coming off of Indy the way we did. We just didn’t quite have it for Dario [Franchitti, Indy winner] and then I made that mistake at the end, so this win it definitely means a lot I want to thank the whole team the guys here for sticking behind me they gave me great pit stops all day long.
“I wasn’t sure about my car after warm-up last night we made a lot of changes going into the race today so this one goes to my engineer great job today giving me a car that was just so good in traffic on my own all day long—thank you.”
Briscoe’s main competition came from Andretti Autosports driver Danica Patrick, who qualified eighth and advanced to fourth by lap 44. After Struggling mid-pack—or worse—for most of this season, Patrick apparently got a car she liked and she made the most of it.
Ryan Briscoe took the lead on lap 171, with Patrick right behind her. Several laps later Patrick pitted, followed the next lap by Briscoe. Patrick with one lap’s more heat in her tires, decided it was time to pounce, and she attacked Briscoe as soon as he left pit lane.
Patrick actually led for a portion of a lap, but Briscoe managed to get back by her.
