Franchitti settled instead for Sunday's checkered flag - his second victory in two tries at the Iowa Speedway in Newton.

Franchitti took the lead with 50 laps to go and cruised to victory in the Iowa Corn Indy 250. Franchitti beat Ryan Briscoe by just more than five seconds to grab his first victory since the Streets of Long Beach in April and move into second place in the IRL standings.

It was the 10th career IndyCar win for the Scot, who took the lead three laps after making his final pit stop on the 7/8-mile oval.

Briscoe finished second for the third straight race. He led for 85 laps. Hideki Mutoh took a season-best third after recording a career best of second in Iowa in 2008.

Dan Wheldon was fourth. Pole-sitter Helio Castroneves took seventh.

Briscoe maintained his lead in the points race. He's three points ahead of Franchitti and 15 up on Scott Dixon, who finished fifth.

"I don't think we're doing anything wrong. We're doing an extraordinary job as a whole team," said Briscoe, who has led the most laps at each of his last three races. "It's just going to be like this the rest of the season. It's going to be very close."

The start of the race was marred by a number of accidents and cautions. By the halfway point, seven cars had been knocked out - including Tony Kanaan, who had led for 48 laps.

Kanaan crashed for the third time at Iowa, this time by hitting the wall shortly after a pit stop. After three straight top-five finishes to start the season, Kanaan hasn't finished three of his last four races.

Worse yet, Kanaan has crashed in the same corner three straight years at Iowa.

STILL REGULATORS: FIA President Max Mosley says his organization still would be the regulatory body for a breakaway series if it were formed by eight Formula One teams.

Mosley told the Associated Press that he has informed the Formula One Teams Association that his International Automobile Federation would regulate any new series.

The teams threatened to start a rival to the current F1 circuit because talks with Mosley over a voluntary budget cap for 2010 broke down.

VETTEL WINS: Sebastian Vettel cruised to victory in the British Grand Prix in Silverstone, England, leading Red Bull to a 1-2 finish for the second time this season.

The 21-year-old German's faultless 15.1-second win over teammate Mark Webber duplicated their finish at China in April. Both cars benefited from revamped aerodynamics.

"I had a fantastic car, it was unbelievable. I was able to push, push more," said Vettel, whose car had a new nose, undertray and diffuser.

This article appeared on page D - 3 of the San Francisco Chronicle