Kanaan qualified the No. 11 GEICO | MOUSER ELECTRONICS – KV Racing Technology Chevrolet/Firestone car, 19th, but started 18th because one of two penalties accessed to other drivers affected his starting position   The team employed a three stop fuel strategy and came in early, on lap nine, dropping Kanaan to 21st.  However, he was immediately on the move and had worked his way into 16th place when the leaders began to pit for the first time starting on lap 25.  Having picked up some track position, Kanaan added in a sensational three-car pass and vaulted into fourth place.  He pitted for the second time on lap 33, dropping back to 19th, but once again fought his way back and was in seventh place when the leaders started making their second round of stops.  Kanaan made his third and final stop on lap 58, but had picked up so much track position that when he rejoined the contest he was firmly in eighth place and picked up two more spots when other cars had to pit for fuel.

“I am very happy with today’s result,” Kanaan said.  “The car was very good in the race. We went with a three stop strategy and despite no yellow flags we made it work. It was a very physical race with no cautions.  Now we have to build on this over the last few races.”

Kanaan, who contested his 11th race at Mid-Ohio today, has finished in the top-10 seven times with a best showing of fourth also in 2007.  The 37-year-old Brazilian has seven top-six finishes this season including three top-three showings (season-high second at Milwaukee and thirds at Iowa and Indy).  Four of his top-six finishes have come on road/street circuits.  In addition to today’s six place showing he has fourths at Toronto and Long Beach plus a sixth at Detroit.  Kanaan earned 28 points today and is now seventh in the championship race with 307 points, 72 out of first and nine out of fifth.