GLADEVILLE, Tenn. — Scott Dixon grabbed the lead on lap 149 and had enough fuel to stay there until rain ended the Firestone Indy 200 with 29 laps left, giving him his third consecutive victory at the Nashville Superspeedway and his fourth this season.

Miscommunication kept Dixon from pitting along with leader Tony Kanaan, helping him grab the lead.

"When they called me to pit, or follow Kanaan was the words, I was way past ... there was no coming in," Dixon said as he cradled the trophy Gibson guitar under cover.

"It worked out fantastic. I'm bloody happy for the championship to be honest."

IRL officials hoped to squeeze in at least 101 laps to make the race official with rain on the radar. This race was washed out a year ago and run on Sunday with lots of empty seats.

The third caution of the night came on lap 139 when the rain finally hit. The cars kept rolling even as fans were asked to evacuate the grandstand immediately due to weather. They went back to green before the fourth and final caution came on lap 167.

IRL officials kept the cars rolling until the rain came harder, and the race was red-flagged on lap 171. Officials checked the radar, which showed heavy rain stretching out far to the west.

Dixon's teammate, Dan Wheldon, finished second. Pole-sitter Helio Castroneves took advantage of a track cleaned of the rubber chunks chewed off the tires by the concrete track to pass both Danica Patrick and Kanaan. He finished third.

Kanaan wound up fourth with Patrick fifth.