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IndyCar Champion Dixon Collects $1 Million Bonus
Not many people leave a Las Vegas casino a million dollars richer than when they arrived. Two-time IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon will walk away with at least that after collecting his $1 million bonus check for winning the 2008 IndyCar Series championship.
Dixon and Firestone Indy Lights champion Raphael Matos - along with other drivers, teams and manufacturers – were recognized during the Indy Racing League Championship Celebration at The Palms resort. The honorees were entertained by iconic comedians and magicians Penn and Teller.
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Brian Barnhart, president of the competition and operations division of the Indy Racing League, sanctioning body of the IndyCar Series, presented Dixon with a $1 million championship bonus check and his mini IndyCar Series championship trophy. A mini IndyCar Series championship trophy also was awarded to Target Chip Ganassi Racing owner Chip Ganassi.
"To win this title is so much sweeter than the one I won in 2003," Dixon said. "When I won the first championship, I didn't realize what I had won. To win this title, in the way the series was this year with the merge, makes it something I can cherish."
In addition to the championship bonus, Dixon accepted the $25,000 DIRECTV HD Crystal Clear Moment of the Year Award, $10,000 Bosch Platinum Award and received a $100,000 diamond-encrusted champion’s timepiece from Ritmo Mundo.
Ricky Davis, chief mechanic for Dixon’s No. 9 Honda-powered Dallara, accepted the PEAK Motor Oil IndyCar Series Chief Mechanic of the Year Award and its $25,000 prize.
Hideki Mutoh of Andretti Green Racing accepted the $50,000 Bombardier LearJet Rookie of the Year Award and was recognized with the Firestone IndyCar Series Rising Star award. Vitor Meira accepted the Xtrac Championship Award and its $5,000 prize, while Tony Kanaan won the MAC Tools Lap Leader Award.
Matos accepted the Firestone Firehawk Cup along with a $5,000 award from Lincoln Electric, the $5,000 prize as the winner of the Lucas Oil Rookie of the Year Award, $5,000 as the winner of the MAC Tools Lap Leader Award and a championship watch from Ritmo Mundo valued at $25,000. Fireston also awarded a paiting by motorsports artist Jim Swintall to Matos to commemorate his title.
"It means a lot," said the 27-year-old native of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, who will graduate to the IndyCar Series in 2009. "It's my most important (title) and the result of a big effort by AFS/Andretti Green crew and I couldn't have landed the ride with Luczo Dragon without the win."
Jayson Madison, chief mechanic for Matos’ No. 27 AFS Racing/Andretti Green Racing entry, accepted $5,000 as Mo’sGold Chief Mechanic of the Year.
Dillon Battistini of Panther Racing claimed the $5,000 Gregory & Appel Securing Tomorrow Award, while James Davison of Sam Schmidt Motorsports claimed the Sunoco Most Improved Driver and its $10,000 prize for improving the most total positions during the 2008 season.
IndyCar Series award winners
Championship driver: Scott Dixon
Herff Jones Championship Driver Award (ring valued at $5,000): Scott Dixon
Ritmo Mundo Championship Driver Award (diamond watch valued at $100,000): Scott Dixon
Canon USA Championship Award (Prize package valued at $2,000): Scott Dixon and Ricky Davis
Championship team: Target Chip Ganassi Racing
Championship team sponsor: Target
Championship team manager: Scott Harner and Barry Wanser
PEAK Motor Oil Chief Mechanic of the Year Award ($25,000): Ricky Davis
Bombardier Rookie of the Year Award ($50,000): Hideki Mutoh
Second place championship driver: Helio Castroneves
Second place championship team: Team Penske
Third place championship driver: Tony Kanaan
Third place championship team: Andretti Green Racing
Firestone IndyCar Series Rising Star: Hideki Mutoh
DIRECTV Crystal Moment of the Year ($25,000): Scott Dixon
BOSCH Platinum Award ($10,000 for highest-finishing driver using Bosch spark plugs): Scott Dixon
Xtrac Championship Award ($5,000 for driver who won most Xtrac Awards during 2008): Vitor Meira
MAC Tools Lap Leader Award (assortment of tools worth $25,000): Tony Kanaan
Manufacturer Recognition Awards: Honda, Firestone, Delphi, Dallara, Xtrac and K&N Filters
Firestone Indy Lights award winners
Championship driver (mini Firehawk Cup): Raphael Matos
Herff Jones Championship Driver Award (ring valued at $4,000): Raphael Matos
Ritmo Mundo Championship Driver Award (watch valued at $25,000): Raphael Matos
Lincoln Electric Company Championship Driver Award ($5,000): Raphael Matos
Lucas Oil Rookie of the Year ($10,000): Raphael Matos
MAC Tools Lap Leader Award (assortment of tools worth $10,000): Raphael Matos
Championship team (mini Firehawk Cup): AFS Racing/Andretti Green Racing
Lincoln Electric Company Championship Team Award (welding product): AFS Racing/Andretti Green Racing
Mo’sGold Chief Mechanic of the Year ($5,000): Jayson Madison
Second place championship driver: Richard Antinucci
Second place championship team: Sam Schmidt Motorsports
Lincoln Electric Company Second Place Championship Team Award (welding product):Sam Schmidt Motorsports
Third place championship driver: Ana Beatriz
Third place championship team: Sam Schmidt Motorsports
Lincoln Electric Company Third Place Championship Team Award (welding product): Sam Schmidt Motorsports
Firestone Indy Lights Rising Star: Ana Beatriz
Ethos for Earth Hard Charger Award ($5,000): Sean Guthrie
Mesco Building Solutions Building for the Future Award ($5,000): Team E
Firestone Consistency Bonus ($5,000): Brent Sherman
Gregory & Appel "Securing Tomorrow" Award ($5,000): Dillon Battistini
Sunoco Most Improved Driver ($10,000): James Davison
PaddockTalk Perspective
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