series motor race held april twin ring japan race series season fifth annual edition series tenth anniversary running race including years championship auto racing teams cart schedule driver won race second margin victory rounded defending champion won pole position posting fastest lap qualifying race gained lead lap led half laps pit stop laps remaining forced relinquish position took lead late pit stop held late challenge secure place lead changes different drivers race win season eighth career result moved lead drivers championship points ahead led championship race dropped report background japan confirmed schedule series september fifth consecutive year race held series tenth counting period cart event uniquely season race took place non american location japan race scheduled early stage season held lead point standings points tied second points fourth fifth points respectively practice days race april pair hour practice sessions held twin ring split groups allowed run laps hour session practice session began minutes later yellow caution flag came crash forced backup car returned later day second caution flag shown noon local time allow inspection track minutes later session came end second practice session day took place posted fastest lap day going circuit seconds average speed miles hour japanese driver called japan important race season second fastest lap time day followed qualifying took place april round practice drivers allowed minutes track time caution flags came came half hour session spun coming track fourth turn caution track inspection came minutes second group allotted time best lap session average speed miles hour topped patrick leading mark previous day qualifying hour minutes practice session ended drivers determined starting grid qualifying driver ran laps starting order determined competitors fastest times winner gained pole position lap time seconds second consecutive year qualified time race winner earned row starting position lap seconds slower patrick qualified fourth respectively followed start row qualified fourth row rounded difference tenth best lap times tenths second race conditions grid dry cloudy event air temperature track temperature ceo commanded drivers start engines race began governor location twin ring track opening green flag start shortly afterward suffered accident crashed turn wall lap spun return race caution flag came result incident drivers pit stops new tires fuel car adjustments caution stops lap field returned green flag racing maintained lead reached nearly seconds lap second caution flag race flown lap allow removal debris track fourth turn round pit stops occurred caution held lead second green flag came lap immediately took place lap saw lead change passed lead race laps gradually increased lead seconds lap risen second point ahead laps pit stops drivers stop wheels came attempted return track ultimately finish 15th laps end series pit stops green flag remained ahead halfway point race begun narrow deficit lap second faced problem radio preventing talking pit crew later said team lost radio contact early lap pass coming turn taking lead soon drivers began round pit stops took lead afflicted crashed turn inside wall lap bringing caution flag yellow flag period saw pit stops continue stopped twice pit lane prior stop caution second yellow flag stop designated area pit road car needed pushed position crew members laps left caution period ended slowly built gap seconds entering final laps pit stop lap giving fuel early race lead laps later stopped lead briefly went pitted assumed spot lap forced pits come pit road ahead stop position assume lead closed final lap tenths second held win race second margin victory place went seconds pace fourth followed finished lap leaders having stalled engine pit road closing laps sixth place finisher early leader wound seventh finished eighth tenth drivers ended race laps lead changes race drivers reached field total laps led highest competitor led different times total laps victory eighth career series high wins posted season post race interviews race credited team fuel strategy main factor victory laps led drafted use gasoline normal able stay track longer drivers result said strategy probably gave win hand later said radio problem forced conservative pit stop planning team place finisher said try win thought good car dan think hung don think caught admitted lap accident fault apologized japanese fans accident lap taken track infield care center ray scan right shoulder showed negative result said struggled controlling car happy second place finish gained season points lead ahead standings closely contested drivers separated points classification qualifying race standings race note positions included drivers standings
2007 Indy Japan 300