FONTANA, Calif., Sept. 21 (UPI) -- Sam Hornish Jr. averaged 207.151 miles per hour Sunday to win the fastest closed course race in auto racing history at the IRL IndyCar Series Toyota 400.
The 200-lap race had just one caution, allowing drivers to run consistently at high speeds. Hornish, the two-time defending IRL champion, continued his resurgence with his third win in four races and 11th career triumph.
Hornish, who won this race last year, closed within 19 points of New Zealand's Scott Dixon and Brazil's Helio Castroneves, who share the lead in the IRL standings heading into next month's season finale at Texas Motor Speedway.
Dixon finished second and Castroneves sixth.
Tony Kanaan of Brazil finished third and is third in the standings, seven points off the pace.
English rookie Dan Wheldon and South Africa's Tomas Scheckter rounded out the top five.
