Jack Arute, Robbie Floyd, Lindy Thackston) Nielsen ratings: 0.24 Attendance: Pole Position winner: #6 Ryan Briscoe, 1:41.6327 sec, (4-lap) Race Summary: Round 16: Indy Japan 300 Report: 2009 Indy Japan 300 Saturday September 19, 2009 – 12:00 p.m. JST / Friday September 18, 2009 – 11:00 p.m. EDT Twin Ring Motegi – Motegi, Tochigi (1.52 mile oval) Distance: 200 laps / 304 miles Race weather: 76 °F, cloudy Television: Versus (Bob Jenkins, Robbie Buhl, Jon Beekhuis, Jack Arute) Nielsen ratings: 0.14, 197,000 viewers Attendance: Pole Position winner: #9 Scott Dixon, 1:48.3400 sec, (4-lap) Race Summary: Ryan Briscoe's solo incident with the pit road wall allowed the championship to continue to Homestead-Miami Speedway. Round 17: Firestone Indy 300 Report: 2009 Firestone Indy 300 Saturday October 10, 2009 – 5:00 p.m. EDT Homestead-Miami Speedway – Homestead, Florida (1.485 mile oval) Distance: 200 laps / 297 miles Race weather: 89 °F, fair Television: Versus (Bob Jenkins, Robbie Buhl, Jon Beekhuis, Jack Arute, Robbie Floyd, Lindy Thackston) Nielsen ratings: 0.24 Attendance: Pole Position winner: #10 Dario Franchitti, 1:40.5378 sec, (4-lap) Race Summary: The championship battle came down to a three-man race between Scott Dixon, Dario Franchitti (5 points behind), and Ryan Briscoe (8 points behind). In what became the series' first oval race to run caution-free the full distance, the three title contenders dominated and were the only cars to finish on the lead lap. In the final 50 laps, fuel strategy became key, as Dixon and Briscoe ran 1st–2nd, with Franchitti trailing some 25 seconds in third. Both Dixon and Briscoe were forced to pit for fuel in the final 8 laps, while Franchitti stayed out and stretched his fuel to the finish. Franchitti's race victory clinched his second IndyCar Series title. Season Summary Race results Final driver standings Ties in points broken by number of wins, followed by number of 2nds, 3rds, etc., and then by number of pole positions, followed by number of times qualified 2nd, etc. See also 2009 Indianapolis 500 2009 Indy Lights season 2009 Atlantic Championship season References External links IndyCar.com – official site Indianapolis 500 – official site Indianapolis Star IndyCar Series seasons IndyCar Series