As it happened: 2010 Cafes do Brasil Indy 300

• 22:33

  Hello? Hi. Phew. Sorry for being a few minutes late. I was in the loft.

• 22:34

  We are gathered here today to celebrate the grand finale of the IndyCar season, taking place at the Homestead Miami Speedway.

• 22:36

  Dario Franchitti has secured pole position for today's race - putting him in a prime position to fight Will Power for the title.

• 22:36

  His teammate Dixon lines up second, whilst championship leader Power is third, with his teammate fourth.

• 22:39

  In fact, let's have a table.

  Grid Lineup

  1	Franchitti	213.187mph
  2	Dixon	212.908mph
  3	Power	212.580mph
  4	Briscoe	212.158mph
  5	Wheldon	211.933mph
  6	Wilson	211.630mph
  7	Carpenter	211.444mph
  8	Kanaan	211.392mph
  9	Sato	211.355mph
  10	Castroneves	211.240mph

• 22:40

  The action kicks off at 7pm Eastern Time, and we're not sure what that is in UK time.

• 22:41

  We think we might be a bit early.

• 22:42

  Maybe I could pass the time talking about Franck and how he is leading Petit Le Mans at the moment? No, I won't do that.

• 22:51

  There are 11 points between the two championship contenders, and with 50 up for grabs for a win - plus points going all the way down the field, it's anybody's guess who will take the title.

• 22:51

  In fact, take your guess. Place your bets now - Power or Franchitti?

• 22:54

  Performance Summary

  Driver	Will Power
  Starts	15
  Best Start	1
  Best Finish	1
  Laps Completed	2,010
  Races Led	14
  Laps Led	460

• 22:54

  Performance Summary

  Driver	Dario Franchitti
  Starts	15
  Best Start	1
  Best Finish	1
  Laps Completed	1,976
  Races Led	10
  Laps Led	424

• 22:57

  ...and just for fun.

  Performance Summary

  Driver	Milka Duno
  Starts	14
  Best Start	17
  Best Finish	19
  Laps Completed	963
  Races Led	0
  Laps Led	0

• 22:58

  The calm before the storm. People start milling about onto the track.

• 22:58

  The cameraman appears to have woken up. We can see the Penske team preparing their cars in the pit lane. Everyone else is too, of course.

• 23:01

  Danica Patrick was the top girl in qualifying, taking 11th. Ana Beatriz picked up 15th, with Sarah Fisher 17th. Simona and Milka were 25th and 27th respectively.

• 23:04

  Will Power hasn't won a title yet, Franchitti has two to his name.

• 23:13

  There have been seven different winners this season, although one driver has clearly been dominating proceedings.

  Race Wins

  Pos	Driver	Total
  1	Will Power	5
  2	Dario Franchitti	3
  3	Helio Castroneves	2
  4	Scott Dixon	2
  5	Ryan Briscoe	1
  6	Tony Kanaan	1
  7	Ryan Hunter-Reay	1

• 23:21

  Tweet from @indy44: Excited about the finale. Not so much that the season's over. #IZODIndyCar

• 23:25

  Sarah Fisher's car and overalls are terribly pink. Just sayin'.

• 23:26

  The IndyCar commentators say Franchitti scored pole position at the first race of the year, and has picked up pole for today - a nice pair of bookends for the season.

• 23:30

  Interview with Franchitti: "If we've got the speed tonight and we have one of those nights where we don't make any mistakes, we'll be in a good position... We'll be trying as hard as we possibly can. We'll be looking after the things we can control and see where it leaves us... All we have to do is lead the most number of laps and win. That's all we've got to do."

• 23:30

  See how pink?

• 23:31

  Interview with Power: "If we've got a good enough car to attack him I will, if not I'll sit and wait. There's a lot to play out over the whole race, I've got two teammates to help me out... I will be mindful of where he is during the race because that will affect how I drive."

• 23:32

  Tweet from @hlrule: Pulling for @simdesilvestro for Rookie of the Year. Hoping @SarahFisher67 and Marco do well. #IZODIndyCar

• 23:42

  "We're ten minutes away from the command to start your engines."

• 23:49

  Tweet from @kvracing: National anthem been sung, drivers in their cars, just waiting for the command

• 23:52

  The grandstands are terribly empty.

• 23:56

  The engines, they have been started.

• 23:58

  The cars are on their way, rolling along the track towards the start. It's almost time for the final race of the season to begin.

• 00:00 Lap 1

  Race started.

• 00:01 Lap 1

  Sparks are flying!

• 00:01 Lap 1

  Comment from Leigh O'Gorman: Last year's season closer was a caution-free run from lights to flag - let's hope for the same

• 00:01 Lap 2

  Those sparks are terrifying. How can anyone see in a shower like that?

• 00:03 Lap 6

  Tweet from @IndyCarNation: Marco Andretti #26 started 16th and is already up to 7th place on lap 4

• 00:04 Lap 7

  Franchitti leads his teammate Dixon, and the pair are doing a pretty good job of working together for now.

• 00:05 Lap 10

  Also...

  Tweet from @IndyCarNation: Ryan Hunter-Reay #37 started 20th and is up to 12th on lap 5

• 00:06 Lap 12

  Tony Kanaan is in third and has closed right up to the pair in front.

• 00:07 Lap 15

  Milka has gone up a few places to 22nd, after starting last.

• 00:08 Lap 18

  All eyes are trained on the top three, as you can imagine.

• 00:10 Lap 22

  Battle For 1st

  Pos	Driver	Gap
  1st	Franchitti	--
  2nd	Dixon	+0.0937
  3rd	Kanaan	+0.3139

• 00:11 Lap 23

  Power was fourth momentarily but Castroneves has the position now.

• 00:12 Lap 28

  Moraes pits, he was struggling with oversteer.

• 00:15 Lap 33

  Way back at Infineon, Indycar saw it's fewest changes for the lead with just 2, whilst at Chicagoland there were a whopping 23 changes for the lead!

• 00:15 Lap 34

  Tony Kanaan has passed Dixon for second. Franchitti is up there on his own now, with no wingman!

• 00:16 Lap 36

  Yellow flags - Moraes is crawling.

• 00:17 Lap 36

  The pitlane crews are preparing for cars.

• 00:18 Lap 38

  Moraes is out of the race, his day is done. A gearbox issue seems to be the problem, and the car is being towed.

• 00:19 Lap 39

  All cars pile into the pits bar Sarah Fisher. She's done this before!

• 00:20 Lap 40

  That pitstop business is a bit manic under those conditions. All I can tell you is Dario leads, Tony Kanaan stalled.

• 00:21 Lap 40

  Sarah Fisher is pitting now. Is that strategy? Or perhaps she prefers the pitlane a bit quieter?

• 00:22 Lap 42

  Dixon is still in third, having been jumped by Briscoe. He was given a second chance to help out with Kanaan falling backwards, but he's still not doing it.

• 00:22 Lap 42

  Track is clear.

• 00:23 Lap 43

  Briscoe appears to have the advantage as he fights Franchitti side by side for the lead.

• 00:23 Lap 44

  Beatriz has hit the wall.

• 00:23 Lap 45

  Full course caution.

• 00:24 Lap 45

  Franchitti was just in the lead as the yellows came out. If he'd have been behind he would have lost the place, but luck is on his side for now.

• 00:26 Lap 47

  Beatriz is out of the car, and out of the race. This was just her fourth race of the year, and she was brand new this season as well. Not a great end to 2010.

• 00:27 Lap 48

  Wilson and Tagliani have pitted.

• 00:28 Lap 48

  Fisher pitted again!

• 00:29 Lap 49

  Ana comes to a halt.

• 00:30 Lap 50

  Interview with Moraes: "Very frustrating ending here like this. We have a mechanical problem, the steering started to feel a bit loose, and I came to the pits. After we have a gearbox problem. I've been working really hard for this race... It's very frustrating."

• 00:30 Lap 51

  Track is clear.

• 00:32 Lap 53

  Briscoe has taken the lead.

• 00:32 Lap 54

  Franchitti's in the lead again.

• 00:32 Lap 54

  They'd better not keep this up all race.

• 00:33 Lap 56

  Kanaan is back up to third again, despite his stalling issue earlier. It is really close at the front.

• 00:35 Lap 62

  Some beautiful racing happening out there.

• 00:36 Lap 63

  The lead is changing hands over and over, but crucially, Dario is down to fourth, whilst Dixon is now pushing in the lead.

• 00:36 Lap 63

  I don't quite know how that happened. Last time I blinked and looked Dixon was third.

• 00:38 Lap 68

  Driver Positions

  1	Dixon	Target Chip Ganassi
  2	Kanaan	Team 7-Eleven
  3	Briscoe	Team Penske
  4	Franchitti	Target Chip Ganassi
  5	Castroneves	Team Penske

• 00:40 Lap 72

  Ryan Hunter-Reay gesticulates to Patrick as he passes.

• 00:41 Lap 75

  Franchitti is back in the lead now. Kanaan, sort of, handed it to him, though.

• 00:42 Lap 77

  Tweet from @IndyCarNation: Will Power #12 takes fourth spot from teammate Briscoe #6

• 00:46 Lap 88

  Franchitti is leading nicely now, and the more he leads, the closer he gets to the coveted "most laps led" which will give him two championship points.

• 00:48 Lap 91

  Briscoe comes in to the pits.

• 00:50 Lap 95

  Commentators suggest that those making it past lap 100 can one stop - but beforehand, they cannot.

• 00:50 Lap 95

  Milka Duno had a problem in the pitlane, missing her pitbox and hitting another driver's tyres.

• 00:50 Lap 96

  Dario pits from the lead.

• 00:51 Lap 97

  Good, clean stop from Dario.

• 00:52 Lap 100

  Problem in the pits for Viso - he left with the fuel hose attached. A few flames, and some debris out on track.

• 00:52 Lap 100

  Halfway.

• 00:54 Lap 104

  Alex Tagliani may have taken advantage of the strategy mentioned earlier - he could get by on one more stop, whereas most of the others will need to stop twice. It all depends on yellows, of course.

• 00:55 Lap 107

  Driver Positions

  1	Franchitti	Target Chip Ganassi
  2	Kanaan	Team 7-Eleven
  3	Dixon	Target Chip Ganassi
  4	Will Power	Verizon Team Penske
  5	Briscoe	Team Penske

• 01:00 Lap 118

  Franchitti has the most laps led under his belt, picking up those two points. The championship lead is down to 9 points now.

• 01:02 Lap 122

  Retirements

  Driver	Reason	Lap
  Beatriz	Contact	42
  Moraes	Mechanical	25

• 01:02 Lap 123

  Kanaan and Franchitti are fighting for the lead once more.

• 01:02 Lap 123

  Dario has it for now.

• 01:04 Lap 126

  They are busy lapping cars. Apparently there are only 12 cars on the lead lap at the moment.

• 01:07 Lap 134

  Danica is up to fifth, which is pretty good for now.

• 01:07 Lap 134

  Full course caution.

• 01:07 Lap 134

  Will Power has problems.

• 01:08 Lap 135

  Power has hit the wall. Several times by the sound of it.

• 01:08 Lap 135

  He's still running, not out of the race. It's not really clear why the caution in that instance.

• 01:11 Lap 137

  Half the field are pitting - including Will Power, who's getting some extensive attention. They have shut off the engine.

• 01:12 Lap 138

  Power's championship battle is over, but they aren't giving up on the car.

• 01:14 Lap 140

  Power's car has a damaged upper, right wishbone. He's sitting in the car as the mechanics do their thing. I don't think gutted would even begin to sum up how he's feeling.

• 01:15 Lap 141

  Will Power misses his pitbox due to damage.

• 01:16 Lap 142

  Reports suggest Kanaan pulled away from his pitstop with the fuel hose still attached as well. Not going well for pit crews today.

• 01:17 Lap 143

  Power back out on track, 25th position and 6 laps down.

• 01:18 Lap 144

  Tweet from @IndyCarNation: Tony Kanaan #11 , Bertrand Baguette #34, and E.J. Viso #8 all being moved to the back of the field for leaving pit with fuel hose attached

• 01:18 Lap 144

  Has everyone forgotten how to pit today or something?

• 01:22 Lap 147

  We don't know why this caution was even called in the first place, and it seems to be going on for an awful long time.

• 01:23 Lap 149

  Power is back in the pits again. They changed the wishbone in just over 5 minutes, which is epic. The car is still not right yet.

• 01:24 Lap 150

  Power has climbed out of the car. The mechanics are still working, but it looks like it's over for him.

• 01:25 Lap 151

  Track is clear.

• 01:26 Lap 154

  Inter-Team Battle

  Newman/Haas Racing
  Graham Rahal	13th
  Hideki Mutoh	21st

• 01:27 Lap 155

  Power's car sits empty in the garage.

• 01:28 Lap 158

  Comment from Leigh O'Gorman: 16 laps!!! 16 laps because the wall was brushed!!

• 01:28 Lap 159

  Marco Andretti started in 16th place, but is now somehow in the lead.

• 01:30 Lap 161

  Franchitti appears to be going backwards right now. Down in 5th.

• 01:32 Lap 166

  Full course caution. What now??

• 01:33 Lap 167

  There is debris reported at turn 2.

• 01:34 Lap 168

  Dario pitted - a very speedy stop.

• 01:35 Lap 169

  Comment from Joe in Fla: Yes, Power gets points as a 25th place finisher.

  Dario needs to finish 10th or higher.

• 01:36 Lap 170

  WHO KNOWS??

• 01:36 Lap 171

  It went green for a millisecond, and then something happened to keep the yellows out a while longer.

• 01:37 Lap 172

  Track is clear.

• 01:37 Lap 172

  No, it really is this time.

• 01:38 Lap 174

  Kanaan overtakes two cars in one go. Or maybe it was an undertake. Either way he is in first... briefly.

• 01:38 Lap 174

  Dixon moves back in front.

• 01:39 Lap 175

  Duno has crashed!

• 01:39 Lap 175

  Full course caution.

• 01:40 Lap 176

  Duno spun into the wall inches from Franchitti, who escaped unscathed. It seems as though luck is on Dario's side tonight.

• 01:42 Lap 178

  Duno brings her 2010 campaign to an end.

• 01:43 Lap 179

  The commentators are saying that Dario IS the champion now.

• 01:43 Lap 179

  The maths does not work in my head, but I believe them.

• 01:45 Lap 181

  Track is clear.

• 01:45 Lap 182

  Danica is in third right now.

• 01:48 Lap 188

  Castroneves pulls alongside Danica, but she's keeping third at the moment.

• 01:48 Lap 189

  Dixon has managed to pull out a bit of lead now, thanks to the scrapping going on behind.

• 01:49 Lap 191

  Battle For 2nd

  Pos	Driver	Gap
  2nd	Kanaan	--
  3rd	Patrick	+0.0641
  4th	Castroneves	+0.5830

• 01:50 Lap 194

  Would it be unprofessional to say: Gooo Danica!

  Eh-hem.

• 01:52 Lap 198

  Comment from Kate: Danica can occasionally be very impressive, with races like this and Texas. Unfortunately, it just doesnt happen often enough.

• 01:53 Lap 200

  Scott Dixon wins the Cafes do Brasil Indy 300!

• 01:53 Lap 200

  Oops, I might have missed the chequered flag there! I was too busy watching the epic battle for second.

• 01:54 Lap 200

  She got it! What an awesome way to end the race.

• 01:56

  Interview with Will Power: "I was trying to get around Hunter-Reay, he kept changing his line, I wasn't sure what he was going to do each time. That time he was up high... We let a lot of good points go. This is a bad result but it was tough coming into the last race and to have to hold on to it. That's racing man, that's how it goes. I know we had a good season, just disappointing. I was trying to do everything I could because at that point in the race I knew unless I did something special, Dario had the championship... I ended up brushing the wall."

• 01:57

  Tweet from @IndyCarNation: Dario Franchitti is your 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series Overall and Oval Champion! Congrats to Dario and Target Chip Ganassi Racing!

• 01:59

  Interview with Scott Dixon: "Huge night, more importantly for Dario and the team. Huge credit to the team who have put in the effort for this year. We stayed at the front most of the night, we saved a bit of fuel, worked on the car for the traffic. We had some great pitstops as well. Luckily enough it played out perfect."

• 01:59

  Tweet from jpmontoya: Congrats to dario and the Target team on the Indy championship!!!

• 01:59

  Montoya!

• 02:01

  Interview with Dario Franchitti: "What a great job from this target crew because we've had to fight for every single thing this year. Let me tell you, number three, it feels bloody good. I want to celebrate this moment.

  My teammate Scott Dixon could not have done any more today to help me out. And the fact that he won the race, you know, double celebration."

• 02:03

  Interview with Danica Patrick: "After I crossed the line, I thought it wasn't a win but it felt like one. It was a good way to end the season. We've had our high points and we've had our low points. Hopefully we can improve the car to be better next year. That was a pretty hard charge there at the end. Hopefully, Tony and I put on a good show for the fans, so thanks to them for coming out."

• 02:05

  The Firestone Firehawk is... odd.

• 02:06

  Tweet from @IndyCarNation: Congratulations to Alex Lloyd for winning the Rookie of the Year honors in 2010!

• 02:11

  Now, admittedly, I know very little, but that seemed like a really good race to end the season with. You have to feel sorry for Power, but equally feel happy for Franchitti, as he takes his third championship.

• 02:12

  The season is over, and it's to 2011 that teams and drivers turn their attention. Silly season is about to begin apparently, so keep your eyes peeled for testing and movements.

• 02:12

  Thank you for joining me this evening, and I hope we'll do more of this in the future!