MIPS: Medeiros claims title despite Fontana flip.

The California 100 Menards Infiniti Pro Series event ended with a new winner and a newly crowned Champion upside down after a spectacular last lap collision.

Without a doubt the Chesson family have been one of THE Menards Infiniti Pro Series stories of 2004 as first PJ, and then younger sibling James, sprang onto the scene from the World of Outlaws fraternity and into the Indy Racing spotlight with Kathryn Nunn's new team.

On Saturday at the two-mile California Speedway, 24 year-old James recorded a win in just his second MIPS start, beating PJ's record by two races (PJ won in his fourth career MIPS start at Michigan), with his older brother coming home second. However while the day belonged to the Chessons, Thiago Medeiros confirmed his status as the 2004 Menards Infiniti Pro Series Champion.

However the Brazilian Sam Schmidt Motorsports driver suffered a spectacular last lap exit from the race when he and Jeff Simmons touched while battling for second place. Medeiros, whose car flipped several times, was uninjured and was classified ninth giving him enough of a cushion over second place driver Paul Dana to confirm him as Champion with one round remaining.

"It was intense and it got pretty dicey at the end there," commented the winner. "I saw Thiago (Medeiros) and (Jeff) Simmons really battling. They got pretty close and they might have lifted a little bit, and I got a good run on the outside. I was just trying to hold them down, so I could get in front of them and clear them, and it worked out well."

The elder Chesson concurred with his sibling that the 50-lap race had indeed been a wild one. "I tell you what, it was a crazy race," said PJ. "I don't know where we were going to be. I went back to fifth, to second, to fifth, sixth, and then he comes smoking on the outside and stuck it on the pond. It was just unbelievable. I'm so proud of him."

Medeiros, who has five wins thus far in 2004, was relieved to be able to claim his trophy after what was a highly frightening incident.

"It was sad the race ended the way that it did, but I'm happy to get the championship," he said. "I think (Jeff) Simmons and I touched wheels about two laps before that happened. I was running down the backstraight, and I got hit twice on my back wheel. Then I just lost downforce, and some air got under the car and flew us into the fence. I flipped over a few times and went into the grass. I'm happy. I did my best today. I'm glad I wasn't injured in the accident."