Dixon dominates Kansas Indy Car race

KANSAS CITY, Kan., May 1 (UPI) -- Scott Dixon turned in a dominating performance Saturday, winning the Road Runner Turbo Indy 300 by three seconds at Kansas Speedway.

Dixon, who also took last year's Kansas race, led for 167 of the 200 laps and established himself as a heavy favorite for the May 30 Indianapolis 500 with the decisive win.

He passed pole sitter Ryan Briscoe after 31 laps and relinquished the lead only once from there.

A six-lap showdown was set up after a late-race incident involving Hideki Mutoh and rookie Takuma Sato. Dixon, 29, ended well ahead of Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammate and defending IndyCar champion Dario Franchitti, taking his record-extending 22nd career victory.

Franchitti gained second after passing around Tony Kanaan with less than four laps to go.

Kanaan ended up third, while the three-time and defending Indy 500 champion Helio Castroneves took fourth.