Hunter-Reay takes victory in bizarre ABC Supply 500
Ryan Hunter-Reay has taken his second victory of the season at Pocono in the ABC Supply 500, after a thoroughly bizarre 200-lap race. The 2012 champion finished ahead of Josef Newgarden and championship leader Juan Pablo Montoya in a race which ended under caution.
However, there was a sombre mood in parc ferme after Justin Wilson was involved in a serious incident on lap 179, when the Briton was struck on the head by debris following a high-speed spin by Sage Karam.
Wilson was extracted from the car and transported via helicopter to Lehigh Valley Health Network Cedar Crest Hospital with a confirmed head injury.
With favourable weather conditions the penultimate race of the 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series got underway around the iconic Pocono Raceway for the ABC Supply 500. Helio Castroneves started the race from pole, and was exceptionally eager to get proceedings underway.
After two aborted starts courtesy of an overzealous Castroneves, the race began with the usual freneticism up and down the order.
Newgarden in particular stormed into a commanding lead into turn one, sweeping around the outside of both Castroneves and Pagenaud, with the latter slotting into second position.
Throughout the order various battles ensued, with drivers jostling for position up and down the order. Rookie Gabby Chaves made the most of his start to the race, rising up from 16th to 12th in the opening few laps.
Further down the order British driver Pippa Mann was struck with a mechanical issue on her Dale Coyne Racing machine, forcing her to pit. Meanwhile championship leader Juan Pablo Montoya was struggling to rise through the field, making his way up to only 15th after starting from 19th after 19 laps.
Rookie Stefano Coletti became the first retirement, after a mechanical issue seemingly materialised on his KV Racing Technology machine and forced him to pit. Shortly afterwards the first scheduled pit-stop took place, with race leader Newgarden diving into the pits.
This enabled Pagenaud to assume the lead of the race, as Jack Hawksworth also pitted for AJ Foyt Racing. A lap later further drivers elected to pit under green flag conditions, including the Target Chip Ganassi Racing of Scott Dixon.
The third caution of the race occurred only moments after Dixon and others pitted, as Hawksworth lost his left-rear wheel after it was not securely attached during his stop only a lap earlier. Luckily the wheel in question came to rest without striking a car, as the field bunched up behind the safety car.
Under safety car conditions the remaining drivers elected to pit, including race leader Pagenaud and championship leader Montoya. This enabled Newgarden to resume his lead of the race, ahead of Carlos Munoz and Justin Wilson.
On lap 37 the race was resumed, however only for one corner before Sebastien Bourdais slammed into the wall at turn one. The Frenchman had been complaining of a sticking throttle only moments earlier, and suffered a hefty collision with the wall.
After a slightly longer delay, the race was restarted as Wilson pounced on Newgarden to secure the lead of the race. However, the Briton led for only one corner before Newgarden resumed the lead with a quick overtake.
Further back championship leader Montoya enjoyed a champion’s restart, running five wide into turn one as he rose steadily up into eighth position.
As Ryan Briscoe began to lose ground in the Schmidt Peterson Motorsport car, Tony Kanaan came to life and made quick overtakes on Munoz, Wilson and Newgarden to storm into the lead for Chip Ganassi Racing.
Ten laps later the second round of scheduled pit-stops ensued, with race leader Kanaan becoming the first driver to pit. The Brazilian was joined in the pits by Newgarden, who perfected his stop to rejoin ahead of Kanaan.
Meanwhile Ryan Hunter-Reay assumed the lead of the race, before pitting with a whole host of other drivers a lap later. As Pagenaud returned into the lead of the race, Graham Rahal suffered a disastrous stop, as his mechanics failed to attach the fuel hose to the car.
Eventually Rahal rejoined the action, albeit way down the order. Pagenaud and Montoya pitted several laps later, which saw Castroneves rise up into the lead of the race. However, as the final few drivers completed their second pit-stops, Pagenaud soon resumed his lead at the front.
However, Pagenaud’s lead lasted only several laps, before Castroneves scythed his way from third to lead the race for Team Penske. Pagenaud continued to lose ground as the race continued, dropping to fourth as Kanaan and Hunter-Reay muscled their way through.
The fourth caution of the afternoon was caused on lap 85 when Charlie Kimball and Hawksworth collided, with both drivers clearly angry with each other for the contact. Whilst Kimball managed to limp back to the pits with only damage to his front-wing, Hawksworth was left stricken in the middle of the track.
In traditional oval style the entire field pitted under caution conditions, with reigning champion Will Power in particular suffering a highly embarrassing stop. The Australian driver spun whilst exiting his pit-box, before rejoining the action further down the order.
Meanwhile Castroneves managed to maintain his lead at the front, however that lead evaporated shortly after the restart as Kanaan stormed head of his fellow countryman to lead the race.
Only moments after the race was restarted and Kanaan took the lead, yet another caution was caused after Rahal and Tristan Vautier collided in spectacular fashion on the final corner. Rahal was understandably livid with the incident, immediately removing himself from his car and marching over to Vautier to verbally vent his frustration.
Replays showed that Vautier simply stuck his car three wide alongside Rahal and Wilson at the last moment, resulting in the contact which miraculously managed to avoid collecting Wilson who was on the high line.
On the restart Kanaan instantly lost the lead to Pagenaud, with rookie Sage Karam a close second for Chip Ganassi Racing. On the next lap local hero Karam stormed into the lead, clearly eager to rise to the top on home territory.
However, Karam’s reign was soon over as the 20-year-old pitted under green flag conditions. This enabled Pagenaud to momentarily resume the lead, before Castroneves stormed through to steal the lead away from the Frenchman.
A sixth caution was caused on lap 109, as James Jakes made light contact with Ed Carpenter, which resulted in Carpenter’s left-rear tyre guard flying off drastically and coming to rest on the racing line.
This enabled the most field to pit once again under caution conditions, with Pagenaud rejoining the action ahead of Castroneves. Meanwhile Carpenter returned to the pits to retire, after initial repairs were unsuccessful.
On the restart rookie Chaves led the field away, before being pounced upon by Castroneves into turn one. The duo traded the lead for the next few high speed laps, with the entire field unquestionably resuming the race with sheer aggressiveness.
Further down the order a frenetic battle between Kanaan, Takuma Sato and Montoya ensued, with the trio running three wide in their bid to outsmart each other. Meanwhile race leader Chaves pitted, handing the lead down to Hunter-Reay.
The seventh caution of the afternoon occurred on lap 132, as Kanaan went spiralling out of his 248th consecutive IndyCar start. The Brazilian dipped a wheel beneath the yellow line, which sent him spinning into the inside wall and subsequent retirement.
During the caution period the majority of the field pitted, including Pagenaud and Power. The latter suffered yet another embarrassing stop, as the Australian exited his pit box and this time failed to gain any speed.
On the restart Chaves lead the field away, before being robbed of the lead by Pagenaud almost instantly.
No sooner had the field completed one lap before yet another caution arose, this time courtesy of Marco Andretti who lost control of his car and slammed heavily into the wall. The 28-year-old gingerly removed himself from his car, before then limping away with the assistance of a marshal. Andretti later confirmed that he took a knock to the outside of his right knee, hence the slow removal from his car.
The race was resumed on lap 149, with Pagenaud leading the field into turn one. The Frenchman remained out in front for several laps, before Hunter-Reay breezed through into the lead for Andretti Autosport.
The ninth caution of the race was caused in extremely comical circumstances, as a fox decided to scamper across the track right in front of Mann’s car. During the relatively short delay the majority of the field pitted under caution conditions, resulting in Briscoe assuming the lead.
On the restart absolute mayhem ensued, with several drivers slow to realise the race was restarting. This resulted in the field entering turn one over seven wide, before Castroneves ran wide and slammed into the wall at turn one.
Once again the safety car was called upon, as the marshals cleared away Castroneves’s stricken Team Penske machine. Under caution many drivers dived into the pits, including Power and Montoya.
The race was resumed shortly afterwards, with Hunter-Reay leading the field at the front. However, the lead changed hands numerous times during the following laps, with Newgarden, Sato and then Karam rising to the front of the pack.
This created an all-time new record for lead changes at Pocono of 29, with 24 laps still remaining. All of sudden the eleventh caution was caused as race leader Karam lost control of his car and speared violently into the wall.
As the field strove to avoid colliding with the stricken rookie, a piece of debris seemed to strike the cockpit area of Wilson, who then ran straight into the inside wall. This resulted in medical attention being required to both drivers, with Karam clearly shaken after the extent of his incident.
Whilst Karam removed himself from his car and walked to the ambulance under his own steam, Wilson was extracted from his car and then air-lifted from Pocono to the Lehigh Valley Health Network Cedar Crest Hospital, as the marshals cleared the stricken cars as the laps ticked away.
After a lengthy delay, the race was resumed with Sato immediately pouncing on Chaves for the lead. Chaves almost instantly regained the lead, with utterly frenetic racing up and down the order.
Two laps later Hunter-Reay stormed into the lead, as Chaves began to struggle with Newgarden second and Montoya third.
The twelfth and final caution of the race occurred on lap 196, as Chaves suffered a mechanical issue and slowed drastically. The Colombian managed to limp back to the pits, whilst race control confirmed the race would end under safety car conditions.
This enabled Hunter-Reay to cruise across the line to secure his 14th career victory in the Verizon IndyCar Series, ending the race ahead of Newgarden and Montoya. Power ended fourth, Munoz fifth and Sato sixth. Despite leading several laps Pagenaud ended the race seventh, ahead of Briscoe and Dixon with Jakes rounding out the top ten.
The Verizon IndyCar Series now heads to the Sonoma Raceway for the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma, the final round of the season and one which will offer double points. Montoya has extended his lead in the drivers’ championship to 34 points ahead of Rahal, with Dixon 47 points behind and Power 61 points behind.
Image courtesy of Bret Kelley/IndyCar Series Media Service
Carlos Munoz secures full-time IndyCar drive with Andretti Autosport
Colombian driver Carlos Munoz has secured a full-time drive with Andretti Autosport for the 2014 IndyCar Series season, which will begin in late March around the streets of St. Petersburg. The 21-year-old driver made his debut at the Indianapolis 500 earlier in the year, qualifying and finishing an impressive 2nd for Andretti Autosport.
Since making his debut in the Firestone Indy Lights support series, Carlos Munoz has impressed many within the IndyCar paddock. This allowed the Colombian ace to make his IndyCar debut at the legendary Indianapolis 500 in a fifth Andretti Autosport entry, where he stunned the opposition and the entire motor sport community by qualifying 2nd alongside former Series Champion Tony Kanaan. Carlos Munoz managed to lead 12 laps throughout the race, before eventually finishing a strong 2nd only just behind Tony Kanaan.
Along with another competitive season in the Firestone Indy Lights category, Carlos Munoz returned for two more races towards the end of the IndyCar season at Toronto and Fontana for Panther Racing and the Team Venezuela/Andretti Autosport/HVM outfit respectively. Although the Bogota-born sensation failed to repeat his successes of the Indianapolis 500, his four victories in the Firestone Indy Lights Series at both Barber, Long Beach, Pocono and Fontana was a clear indication of his aptitude on both ovals and circuits.
“I don’t have the words to express right now how I feel.” Explained Carlos Munoz, who becomes the fourth driver from Colombia to compete in IndyCar. “I have to thank Andretti Autosport, and especially Michael Andretti, for this opportunity. To be a part of this team, they believe a lot in me, and to pay them back would be to bring them great results. With that, I have to work hard in all aspects – mentally and physically. I’m really happy and I’m looking forward to start practicing and testing. I also have to thank my family for all of their support all these years. Finally my dream has come true. Also to my fans for being here and believing in me; this is just the beginning.”
Carlos Munoz will join former IndyCar Champion Ryan Hunter-Reay, James Hinchcliffe and Marco Andretti at the outfit, which will boast four full-time drivers for the first time since 2011. Sponsorship for Carlos Munoz’s entry has yet to be confirmed, with the Colombian being sponsored by Electric Energy Straws and Dialy-Ser at the Indianapolis 500 earlier in the year. Carlos Munoz will undoubtedly be aiming for success once the season gets underway, with Andretti Autosport eager to snatch the Championship crown from Target Chip Ganassi and Scott Dixon.
Picture Copyright © Chris Owens/IndyCar Media
Tony Kanaan Finally Secures Indianapolis 500 Crown
Tony Kanaan has finally managed to secure his maiden Indianapolis 500 victory, after the thrilling 97th running of the legendary event around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Brazilian sensation was followed home by impressive rookie Carlos Munoz, with reigning Champion Ryan Hunter-Reay 3rd.
The 200-lap race began under cloudy skies over the 2.5-mile oval, with Ed Carpenter leading the 33-car field into Turn 1 after securing only his second pole position of his career for the event. As the opening lap of the race ensued, Marco Andretti mastered an overtaking maneuver on Carlos Munoz for 2nd position. The first full course caution was caused after only four laps, when JR Hildebrand lost control of his Panther Racing machine and spun into the retaining barrier on the exit of Turn 1.
JR Hildebrand caused the first caution on Lap 4.
Under safety car conditions, James Jakes, Simona de Silvestro, Graham Rahal, A.J. Allmendinger, Katherine Legge and Charlie Kimball all elected to pit. However, the latter was forced to return to the pits a lap later after his car suffered from an electrical issue. The race was eventually resumed on Lap 7, with Ed Carpenter still in the lead ahead of Marco Andretti and E.J. Viso. However, Tony Kanaan soon began to scythe through the field in his KV Racing Technology machine, eventually overtaking Marco Andretti for 2nd and then Ed Carpenter for the lead on Lap 9.
The lead changed hands on numerous occasions as the race progressed, with Ed Carpenter, Marco Andretti and Tony Kanaan all jostling at the front of the pack. Despite retaking the lead once again on Lap 28 from Marco Andretti, Tony Kanaan was forced to pit for tyres and fuel on Lap 29, therefore gifting the lead back to Andretti. However, his lead was short-lived as he too elected to pit a lap later along with Ed Carpenter, E.J. Viso and Conor Daly. This allowed reigning IZOD IndyCar Series Champion Ryan Hunter-Reay to assume the lead, before he also pitted on Lap 31.
With many drivers completing green flag pit-stops, the Penske of Will Power gradually rose into the lead. The Australian driver, who has never won the Indianapolis 500, also pitted on Lap 33. This allowed James Jakes to take the lead for the first time around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, before a second full course caution was caused when Sebastian Saavedra spun into the wall at Turn 4. Under caution conditions, James Jakes pitted from the lead allowing Ed Carpenter to resume his lead of the race.
At the restart Ed Carpenter once again stormed into the lead ahead of Marco Andretti, with Ryan Hunter-Reay, Helio Castroneves and Tony Kanaan following closely behind. Simona de Silvestro was issued with a drive-thru penalty for running over pit equipment during her pit-stop. The frenetic battle at the front was resumed between Ed Carpenter and Marco Andretti, with both swapping for the lead on numerous occasions before the third full course caution was caused on Lap 57.
This time it was Championship leader Takuma Sato who spun on the exit of Turn 2, however the A.J. Foyt Racing driver luckily managed to avoid a collision with the barrier and continued circulating. With the field once again under safety car conditions, the entire field elected to pit with Ryan Hunter-Reay winning the race off of pit-road and assuming the lead of the race. The race was restarted on Lap 61 with Hunter-Reay in the lead, however Marco Andretti soon perfected an overtaking maneuver on his fellow countryman for the lead.
As the battle at the front continued to rage on between Ryan Hunter-Reay, Marco Andretti, Ed Carpenter and Tony Kanaan, Buddy Lazier became the next retirement of the race after he returned to the pits with a fuel pressure issue. By Lap 75, Will Power joined the battle for the lead and eventually overtook Tony Kanaan at Turn 3. The Australian driver remained in the lead for several laps, before KV Racing Technology’s Tony Kanaan once again returned to the lead.
The Brazilian driver took to pit road on Lap 89, allowing E.J. Viso to make yet another lead change at the front. E.J. Viso’s lead was short-lived, however, when the Venezuelan driver also elected for another pit-stop. This allowed Colombian rookie Carlos Munoz to rise to the lead of the race for Andretti Autosport, before he too pitted and allowed Tony Kanaan to resume his lead at the top on Lap 92.
On Lap 98, A.J. Allmendinger stormed through the order from 4th to the lead, eventually overtaking Tony Kanaan at Turn 3. At the halfway stage of the race, A.J. Allmendinger led Tony Kanaan, with Ryan Hunter-Reay a close 3rd for Andretti Autosport. The battle for the lead at the front between Allmendinger and Kanaan intensified on Lap 101, however the Penske driver retained his lead until Lap 113 when his right cross seat strap came loose, forcing him to pit and allowing Tony Kanaan to resume his lead of the race.
Marco Andretti momentarily snatched the lead away from Tony Kanaan on Lap 121, however both he and Kanaan elected to pit shortly afterwards. This allowed reigning Series Champion Ryan Hunter-Reay to take the lead before he pitted on Lap 122. The lead changed hands many times throughout the next few laps, as the green flag pit-stops ensued. This saw Carlos Munoz, Alex Tagliani and James Hinchcliffe all assume the lead before Ryan Hunter-Reay perfected an overtaking maneuver for the lead into Turn 1 on Lap 126.
However, the reigning Champion’s authority at the front was tested towards the end of the 126th lap, when Marco Andretti breezed into the lead. Ryan Hunter-Reay soon retook the lead, before E.J. Viso overtook both of them on Lap 133 to storm into the lead. Once again the lead changed on Lap 136, as Ryan Hunter-Reay stormed around team-mates Marco Andretti and E.J. Viso for the lead.
On Lap 137, A.J. Allmendinger returned to the lead of the race after his unscheduled pit-stop earlier in the race. The top nine cars were separated by less than two seconds as they finished Lap 137, in what was quickly becoming yet another thrilling Indianapolis 500. Allmendinger was forced to pit once again on Lap 143, allowing Hunter-Reay to assume the lead. However, Helio Castroneves flew from 3rd to 1st on Lap 145 to become the race’s 13th different leader.
The moment Tony Kanaan crossed the line to secure his first Indianapolis 500 victory.
The likable Brazilian’s lead was cut short on Lap 146 when Marco Andretti once again stormed into the lead, as the legendary race entered its closing stages. The 26-year-old American was forced to pit on Lap 152, allowing Ryan Hunter-Reay to once again rise back into the lead. Carlos Munoz once again momentarily led as the field began their final green flag pit-stops, before he too pitted and handed the lead down to Scott Dixon on Lap 155. The Kiwi’s lead was also short-lived, before he pitted and gifted James Hinchcliffe the lead of the race.
When James Hinchcliffe pitted on Lap 158, Marco Andretti momentarily resumed the lead before Ryan Hunter-Reay stormed into the lead. The lead between the two ebbed and flowed until A.J. Allmendinger overtook the duo for the lead on Lap 165. Marco Andretti stormed up the inside of Allmendinger for the lead on Lap 168, before Ryan Hunter-Reay took the lead a lap later after passing Andretti.
Whilst the battle for the lead continued to wage on at the front, Townsend Bell brushed the barrier at Turn 2 and quickly pitted for repairs. As Ryan Hunter-Reay and Marco Andretti continued to trade the lead, Tony Kanaan silently rose through the order to the lead on Lap 174 after a masterful overtaking maneuver on Andretti. The Brazilian driver continued to battle for the lead until lap 178, when he was forced to pit. This saw Carlos Munoz assume the lead, before Marco Andretti once again rose to the top before pitting on Lap 180.
As many drivers once again returned to pit road, Carlos Munoz continued to hold a commanding lead at the front in only his first Indianapolis 500. The Colombian ace eventually pitted on Lap 185, allowing James Hinchcliffe to momentarily assume the lead before Ryan Hunter-Reay overtook the Canadian. The lead once again changed hands numerous times in the closing stages, with Tony Kanaan battling hard with the reigning Champion before a full course caution was caused on Lap 194 after Graham Rahal spun into the wall on the exit of Turn 2.
Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti caused the final caution on Lap 198.
The race was resumed on Lap 197, with the top three running three wide at Turn 1. Tony Kanaan stormed into a commanding lead ahead of Carlos Munoz and Ryan Hunter-Reay as three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti slammed into the wall at Turn 1 and brought out another full course caution on Lap 198. This eventually saw the race end under caution conditions, with Tony Kanaan finally securing that elusive Indianapolis 500 crown.
The 97th running of the Indianapolis 500 saw a mesmerizing and record-shattering 68 lead changes throughout the frenetic 200 laps. Despite storming to a sensational and well-earned victory, Tony Kanaan heads to the next race at Detroit in only 7th position in the Drivers’ Championship with 124 points. Marco Andretti takes the lead away from Takuma Sato at the top of the Drivers’ Championship with 168 points, despite not yet winning a race in 2013.
The IZOD IndyCar Series moves swiftly on to Detroit next weekend for the first duel race weekend with the Chevrolet Indy Duel in Detroit around the notorious streets of Detroit. Scott Dixon took victory last season, however the winner this season is anyone’s guess after a highly competitive start to the season.
Results - 200 laps:
Pos Driver Team/Engine Time/Gap
1. Tony Kanaan KV/Chevy 2h40m03.4181s
2. Carlos Munoz Andretti/Chevy + 0.1159
3. Ryan Hunter-Reay Andretti/Chevy + 0.2480
4. Marco Andretti Andretti/Chevy + 0.3634
5. Justin Wilson Coyne/Honda + 0.8138
6. Helio Castroneves Penske/Chevy + 3.0086
7. AJ Allmendinger Penske/Chevy + 4.0107
8. Simon Pagenaud Schmidt/Honda + 4.2609
9. Charlie Kimball Ganassi/Honda + 5.6864
10. Ed Carpenter Carpenter/Chevy + 6.8425
11. Oriol Servia Panther DRR/Chevy + 7.8633
12. Ryan Briscoe Ganassi/Honda + 8.9216
13. Takuma Sato Foyt/Honda + 10.2602
14. Scott Dixon Ganassi/Honda + 11.3858
15. Ana Beatriz Coyne/Honda + 12.2657
16. Tristan Vautier Schmidt/Honda + 15.3045
17. Simona De Silvestro KV/Chevy + 15.7201
18. EJ Viso Andretti/Chevy + 17.8056
19. Will Power Penske/Chevy + 22.5403
20. James Jakes Rahal/Honda + 1 lap
21. James Hinchcliffe Andretti/Chevy + 1 lap
22. Conor Daly Foyt/Honda + 2 laps
23. Dario Franchitti Ganassi/Honda + 3 laps*
24. Alex Tagliani Herta/Honda + 4 laps
25. Graham Rahal Rahal/Honda + 7 laps*
26. Katherine Legge Schmidt/Honda + 7 laps
27. Townsend Bell Panther/Chevy + 8 laps
28. Josef Newgarden Fisher/Honda + 9 laps
* Not running at finish
Retirements
Sebastien Bourdais Dragon/Chevy 178 laps
Pippa Mann Coyne/Honda 46 laps
Buddy Lazier Lazier/Chevy 44 laps
Sebastian Saavedra Dragon/Chevy 34 laps
JR Hildebrand Panther/Chevy 3 laps
Picture(s) Copyright © Chris Jones, Mike Young & Walter Kuhn/IndyCar
Hinchcliffe Snatches Victory From Sato In Brazilian Thriller
James Hinchcliffe has secured his second IZOD IndyCar Series victory, after snatching the lead away from Takuma Sato at the final corner of the final lap in a thrilling 75-lap lap Sao Paulo Indy 300. The leading duo were followed home by Marco Andretti, who only just managed to defend his position from Josef Newgarden in the closing laps.
After storming to a sensational pole position by smashing the lap record, reigning Series Champion Ryan Hunter-Reay led the field into the tight Turn 1 at the start ahead of Dario Franchitti who managed to overtake E.J. Viso for 2nd position. As the opening lap progressed, the Venezuelan driver continued to fall through the order as local hero Tony Kanaan rose into 3rd position for KV Racing Technology.
Whilst one Brazilian driver battled at the front of the order, another caused the first of many full course cautions as Ana Beatriz stopped on the circuit at Turn 7 with a gearbox issue. During the yellow flag intervention, many drivers decided to pit for fresh tyres including Josef Newgarden who also elected for a new nose cone. After only two laps under caution, Ryan Hunter-Reay once again led the pack into Turn 1 as the race was resumed. A lap later saw Tony Kanaan overtake former team-mate Dario Franchitti for 2nd position, before then storming into the lead of the race after a superlative overtaking maneuver at Turn 11.
This naturally sent the many Brazilian fans into a state of euphoria as Tony Kanaan led his first laps around the streets of Sao Paulo, and his first overall since last season’s finale at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana. On Lap 19, the second full course caution was caused when Will Power’s highly uncompetitive race was brought to a premature conclusion. After qualifying a lowly 22nd, the Australian driver was forced into a retirement after a fire broke out on his #12 Penske machine. This was the his first retirement on a street course since Toronto in 2011.
During the ensuring yellow flag period, the top 12 cars all elected to pit. After remaining out on track, Sebastien Bourdais and Alex Tagliani rose to the top, allowing the Frenchman to lead his first lap since Mexico City in 2007. The race was eventually resumed on Lap 24, as Bourdais led the field through the ever-tricky Turns 1 and 2. Local driver Helio Castroneves ran wide at Turn 1, as James Jakes hit the retaining tyre barrier at Turn 1. Whilst utter mayhem ensued, Ed Carpenter slammed into the wall at Turn 1 and Graham Rahal stopped on the track.
The safety car led 19 laps in what was an incident-filled race.
This naturally saw another momentary yellow flag period, before the race was resumed on Lap 27 with Sebastien Bourdais still in the lead. Josef Newgarden made minor contact with the leader through Turn 1, as Helio Castroneves was tipped into a spin at Turn 1 by Scott Dixon. Despite the numerous collisions throughout the pack, the race remained under green flag conditions as Bourdais led Newgarden. By Lap 34, the leading duo of Sebastien Bourdais and Josef Newgarden elected to pit, handing the lead down to Ryan Hunter-Reay.
However, the reigning Champion’s lead was short lived as Takuma Sato stormed around the Andretti Autosport driver at Turn 5. The Japanese ace then proceeded to open up a three second lead to Hunter-Reay, before Graham Rahal slammed into the wall at Turn 2 and caused another yellow flag delay. Under yellow flag conditions, Takuma Sato and JR Hildebrand pitted, allowing Ryan Hunter-Reay to assume the lead at the front. The race was resumed on Lap 40, only for a multi-car collision involving Sebastien Bourdais, JR Hildebrand, Helio Castroneves, Charlie Kimball and Simon Pagenaud to cause another full course caution.
The race resumed five laps later, this time with much more success as Tony Kanaan once again wowed the attending masses by storming back into the lead at Turn 11. However, the former Champion’s authority over proceedings was abruptly ended a lap later as Marco Andretti continued his rise through the order to the lead. Ryan Hunter-Reay’s hopes of victory were dashed on Lap 47, as he was forced to make an unscheduled pit-stop for a flat tyre,
After giving his local fans much to cheer about, Tony Kanaan’s race was brought to a frustratingly premature conclusion on Lap 51 as he stopped on the circuit. Due to his abrupt retirement on the start/finish straight, a full course caution was once again called upon as his car was cleared. Race leader Marco Andretti elected to pit along with many others, allowing JR Hildebrand to assume the lead. The 25-year-old Californian driver led at the restart, as behind him James Hinchcliffe and Takuma Sato battled for 2nd position.
Another full course caution was caused on Lap 56 as British driver Justin Wilson made heavy contact with the tyres at Turn 5. JR Hildebrand pitted under caution, allowing Takuma Sao to return to the lead. The former Formula 1 driver led at the restart, as Newgarden overtook Hinchcliffe for 2nd at Turn 1. As the race drew to a thrilling conclusion, the lead between Takuma Sato and Josef Newgarden ebbed and flowed, before the 22-year-old American lunged for the lead on Lap 71. Takuma Sato expertly defended his lead, as James Hinchcliffe overtook Newgarden for 2nd. The “Mayor of Hinchtown” gradually began to reel in Takuma Sato, as the white flag was flown to indicate the final lap of the race.
As Marco Andretti jostled for 3rd position with Josef Newgarden, James Hinchcliffe waited until the final corner before pouncing upon Takuma Sato for the lead. In a nail-biting finish, James Hinchcliffe managed to make his move stick and secure his second win of the season only +0.3463 seconds ahead of Takuma Sato. Marco Andretti held on to 3rd ahead of Josef Newgarden, in one of the most enthralling conclusions to an IZOD IndyCar event.
Despite winning the race, James Hinchcliffe is only 4th in the Championship with 112 points scored whereas Takuma Sao rises to the top of the Championship on 136 points ahead of Marco Andretti. The month of May is a special time in the IZOD IndyCar Series, and has begun with an utterly awe-inspiring race around the streets of Sao Paulo. Expect further fireworks when the sport reconvenes later this month, for the legendary Indianapolis 500.
Results - 95 laps:
Pos Driver Team/Car Time/Gap
1. James Hinchcliffe Andretti Dallara-Chevy 2h09m34.7383s
2. Takuma Sato Foyt Dallara-Honda + 0.3463s
3. Marco Andretti Andretti Dallara-Chevy + 1.1376s
4. Oriol Servia Panther DRR Dallara-Chevy + 1.1745s
5. Josef Newgarden Fisher Dallara-Honda + 1.6516s
6. EJ Viso Andretti Dallara-Chevy + 2.8119s
7. Dario Franchitti Ganassi Dallara-Honda + 3.5961s
8. Simona de Silvestro KV Dallara-Chevy + 4.7772s
9. Simon Pagenaud Schmidt Dallara-Honda + 7.6331s
10. Charlie Kimball Ganassi Dallara-Honda + 9.0265s
11. Ryan Hunter-Reay Andretti Dallara-Chevy + 9.5135s
12. Alex Tagliani Herta Dallara-Honda + 10.4393s
13. Helio Castroneves Penske Dallara-Chevy + 11.1234s
14. Sebastien Bourdais Dragon Dallara-Chevy + 13.6406s
15. JR Hildebrand Panther Dallara-Chevy + 13.7377s
16. Tristan Vautier Schmidt Dallara-Honda + 14.3517s
17. James Jakes Rahal Dallara-Honda + 19.8585s
18. Scott Dixon Ganassi Dallara-Honda + 29.4261s
19. Sebastian Saavedra Dragon Dallara-Chevy + 54.7223s
20. Justin Wilson Coyne Dallara-Honda + 2 laps
21. Tony Kanaan KV Dallara-Chevy + 3 laps
22. Graham Rahal Rahal Dallara-Honda + 4 laps
23. Ed Carpenter Carpenter Dallara-Chevy + 4 laps
Retirements:
Will Power Penske Dallara-Chevy 17 laps
Ana Beatriz Coyne Dallara-Honda 6 laps
Picture(s) Copyright © IndyCar
Hunter-Reay Storms To Sao Paulo Pole With Record-Breaking Lap
Reigning IZOD IndyCar Series Champion Ryan Hunter-Reay has stormed to pole position for the Sao Paulo Indy 300, after setting a sensational lap time which broke the lap record previously held by Will Power. The Andretti Autosport driver will start the 75-lap race alongside team-mate E.J. Viso, who recorded his personal best qualifying performance.
The all-important qualifying session got underway around the streets of Sao Paulo in glorious weather conditions, with Firestone engineers recording a track temperature of 106 degrees. The opening group of the first segment consisted of rookie Tristan Vautier, who was the only driver heading into the weekend without previous knowledge of the tricky street circuit. Despite the Frenchman’s wonderful start to his IZOD IndyCar career, his lack of track knowledge saw him crash heavily during the opening segment.
Although Tristan Vautier was unscathed after his incident on the exit of Turn 2, his car suffered high damage which eventually saw him qualify 21st for the race. However, the 23-year-old managed to out-qualify the Penske of Will Power, who qualified 22nd despite dominating practice earlier in the day. During the second group in segment one, British driver James Jakes suffered a mechanical issue and caused a momentary red flag which frustratingly saw him qualify 25th and last.
The Firestone Fast Six pole position shootout consisted of Tony Kanaan, James Hinchcliffe, E.J. Viso, Dario Franchitti, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Scott Dixon. After an incident-free session, the reigning Champion rose to the top after setting a lap record consisting of a 01:20.4312. E.J. Viso slotted into 2nd position to make it an all-Andretti Autosport front row, after momentarily holding the lap record after the opening segment with a 01:20.7911.
“I gave it everything I had and it’s great to get the DHL Chevrolet up front again and on pole,” explained Ryan Hunter-Reay, who recorded pole position at Barber earlier in the year. “That’s three of the four races this year that we’ve been on the front row and twice on pole. I’m so happy for the guys and everything they’ve done for me. Starting on pole here is a challenge because you are a sitting duck out front on the long straights.”
The opening two corners of the circuit were altered slightly ahead of the race weekend, with the kerbing at Turns 1 and 2 moved. This made Turn 2 roughly ten feet wider, which is expected to allow more overtaking throughout the race and prevent the sort of pile-ups witnessed during the previous races. However, cautions are expected to be a recurring factor during the 75-lap race, with the tight and twisty confines of the street circuit always proving a tough ordeal for the drivers.
Pos Driver Team/Car Time Gap 1. Ryan Hunter-Reay Andretti Dallara-Chevy 1m20.4312s 2. EJ Viso Andretti Dallara-Chevy 1m20.7380s + 0.3068s 3. Dario Franchitti Ganassi Dallara-Honda 1m20.8922s + 0.4610s 4. Tony Kanaan KV Dallara-Chevy 1m20.9812s + 0.5500s 5. James Hinchcliffe Andretti Dallara-Chevy 1m20.9893s + 0.5581s 6. Scott Dixon Ganassi Dallara-Honda 1m21.1183s + 0.6871s 7. Sebastien Bourdais Dragon Dallara-Chevy 1m20.8210s Round 2 8. Simona de Silvestro KV Dallara-Chevy 1m20.9390s Round 2 9. Justin Wilson Coyne Dallara-Honda 1m21.0570s Round 2 10. Marco Andretti Andretti Dallara-Chevy 1m21.1716s Round 2 11. JR Hildebrand Panther Dallara-Chevy 1m21.2961s Round 2 12. Takuma Sato Foyt Dallara-Honda 1m21.3618s Round 2 13. Oriol Servia Panther DRR Dallara-Chevy 1m21.7963s Group 1 14. Ed Carpenter Carpenter Dallara-Chevy 1m24.0203s Group 2 15. Alex Tagliani Herta Dallara-Honda 1m21.8636s Group 1 16. Ana Beatriz Coyne Dallara-Honda 1m24.8864s Group 2 17. Charlie Kimball Ganassi Dallara-Honda 1m22.2482s Group 1 18. Helio Castroneves Penske Dallara-Chevy 1m25.1734s Group 2 19. Graham Rahal Rahal Dallara-Honda 1m22.2998s Group 1 20. Sebastian Saavedra Dragon Dallara-Chevy Group 2 21. Tristan Vautier Schmidt Dallara-Honda Group 1 22. Will Power Penske Dallara-Chevy Group 2 23. Josef Newgarden Fisher Dallara-Honda Group 1 24. Simon Pagenaud Schmidt Dallara-Honda Group 2 25. James Jakes Rahal Dallara-Honda Group 2
Picture Copyright © IndyCar
Ryan Hunter-Reay Storms To Victory At Barber
Ryan Hunter-Reay stormed to an impressive victory at the Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama, after starting the race from pole position alongside the Team Penske of Will Power. The American’s victory has seen him break the winning streak of Team Penske, who had beforehand won every single IZOD IndyCar Series event at the track.
At the start of the race Ryan Hunter-Reay stormed into the lead for Andretti Autosport, whereas behind him Will Power dropped back through the order after running wide through the opening two corners. This allowed both Tristan Vautier and Marco Andretti to progress into 2nd and 3rd place respectively, whereas further back Oriol Servia and Graham Rahal made contact at Turn 7. This in turn forced Servia to pit for a new nose cone, and saw the one and only full course caution caused for debris on the track.
Will Power runs wide at the start, loosing positions to Vautier and Andretti.
Under safety car conditions, James Hinchcliffe stopped at Turn 3 with a puncture on his left-rear tyre. Whilst the car was being towed back to the pits, the tyre in question fell off of the car and forced the Canadian driver into retirement. On Lap 7 the race was returned to green flag conditions, allowing reigning Champion Ryan Hunter-Reay to open up a lead to rookie Tristan Vautier in 2nd position. Further behind the leading duo, Charlie Kimball managed to overtake Marco Andretti for 3rd position. By Lap 17, Hunter-Reay had managed to open up a six second lead to Vautier, a gap which continued to increase to just over ten seconds by Lap 23.
On Lap 24, Tristan Vautier became the first of the leaders to pit for new tyres and fuel. The Frenchman was followed into the pits several laps later by Andretti, de Silvestro, Bourdais and race leader Hunter-Reay. Will Power managed to assume the lead as the Andretti Autosport driver pitted, before he too elected to pit several laps later. Ryan Hunter-Reay returned into the lead as the Australian driver pitted, ahead of the Team Penske driver of Helio Castroneves. The Brazilian driver gradually began to reel in the reigning Champion, working the gap down to +2.8027 seconds from +8.6324 seconds within seven laps.
However, Helio Castroneves was forced to pit on Lap 41, several laps before race leader Ryan Hunter-Reay pitted once again. Charlie Kimball therefore assumed the lead of the race, which saw the 28-year-old driver lead his first race laps since the Indianapolis 500 last season. The American driver’s glory at the front was short-lived, as he pitted on Lap 46 and handed the lead down to Will Power. Whilst pitting on Lap 43, Takuma Sato’s pit crew reported a gearbox issue on his #14 car.
Whilst Will Power continued to lead at the front, Helio Castroneves overtook Ryan Hunter-Reay for 2nd position at Turn 5. The Brazilian ace then proceeded to catch and overtake Will Power for the lead of the race, before opening up a considerable gap to his Australian team-mate. Will Power pitted on Lap 60, allowing Ryan Hunter-Reay to rise back into 2nd position behind Castroneves’s Team Penske machine. On Lap 67 the leading duo pitted together, however Helio Castroneves managed to win the race off of pit road.
Despite being unable to overtake Helio Castroneves in the pits, Ryan Hunter-Reay continued to hound the Brazilian driver and began to catch him as the race drew to a close. On Lap 76, Ryan Hunter-Reay stormed into the lead at Turn 5, eventually completing the move through Turn 6. Helio Castroneves’s hopes of securing his 22nd race victory were thoroughly depleted on Lap 77, as two-time Champion Scott Dixon overtook him for 2nd position. After snatching the lead away from Castroneves, Ryan Hunter-Reay managed to hold off Scott Dixon to secure his 8th IZOD IndyCar Series victory and his first since Baltimore last season. Scott Dixon once again finished 2nd, which is where the Kiwi has finished in every event at Barber.
Although Helio Castroneves’s hopes of victory were dashed on Lap 76, the Brazilian driver has now taken the lead of the Drivers’ Championship with his second consecutive podium finish of the season. The 37-year-old his nine points ahead of Scott Dixon in the Championship, with reigning Champion Ryan Hunter-Reay 3rd in the Championship. The next round of the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series will take place around the legendary streets of Long Beach in two weeks time.
Results - 90 laps:
Pos Driver Team/Car Time/Gap
1. Ryan Hunter-Reay Andretti Dallara-Chevy 1h52m04.5450s
2. Scott Dixon Ganassi Dallara-Honda + 0.6363s
3. Helio Castroneves Penske Dallara-Chevy + 17.6821s
4. Charlie Kimball Ganassi Dallara-Honda + 20.6166s
5. Will Power Penske Dallara-Chevy + 26.6469s
6. Simon Pagenaud Schmidt Dallara-Honda + 27.2995s
7. Marco Andretti Andretti Dallara-Chevy + 27.7175s
8. Justin Wilson Coyne Dallara-Honda + 30.5504s
9. Josef Newgarden Fisher Dallara-Honda + 41.1029s
10. Tristan Vautier Schmidt Dallara-Honda + 50.6449s
11. Alex Tagliani Herta Dallara-Honda + 58.0458s
12. EJ Viso Andretti Dallara-Chevy + 1m01.4334s
13. Tony Kanaan KV Dallara-Chevy + 1m01.6834s
14. Takuma Sato Foyt Dallara-Honda + 1m03.1151s
15. Oriol Servia Panther/DRR Dallara-Chevy + 1m03.1495s
16. Sebastien Bourdais Dragon Dallara-Chevy + 1m07.6880s
17. JR Hildebrand Panther Dallara-Chevy + 1m09.7447s
18. Simona de Silvestro KV Dallara-Chevy + 1m09.9130s
19. AJ Allmendinger Penske Dallara-Chevy + 1m11.0558s
20. Sebastian Saavedra Dragon Dallara-Chevy + 1m11.6523s
21. Graham Rahal Rahal Dallara-Honda + 1m14.0385s
22. Ed Carpenter Carpenter Dallara-Chevy + 1 lap
23. James Jakes Rahal Dallara-Honda + 4 laps
Retirements:
Ana Beatriz Coyne Dallara-Honda 65 laps
Dario Franchitti Ganassi Dallara-Honda 42 laps
James Hinchcliffe Andretti Dallara-Chevy 3 laps
Picture(s) Copyright © Shawn Gritzmacher & Chris Jones/IndyCar
Ryan Hunter-Reay Secures Pole For Honda Grand Prix Of Alabama
Reigning IZOD IndyCar Series Champion Ryan Hunter-Reay has secured pole position for tomorrow’s Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, in what was a frenetic qualifying session around the Barber Motorsports Park. The American driver will start the race alongside Team Penske’s Will Power, with rookie Tristan Vautier set to start from 3rd.
The opening segment of qualifying saw several high profile drivers get eliminated from proceedings, including four-time Champion Dario Franchitti and former Champion Tony Kanaan. This qualifying performance was Dario Franchitti’s worst since last year’s Grand Prix of Alabama, where the Target Chip Ganassi driver qualified a dismal 18th. The second segment of qualifying also claimed further race favorites for the weekend, including Simona de Silvestro who set the fastest time in the morning practice session, and Championship leader James Hinchcliffe.
Tristan Vautier qualified an impressive 3rd, after reaping the rewards of Takuma Sato’s penalty.
Initially rookie Tristan Vautier failed to progress to the all-important Firestone Fast Six pole position shootout, with the impressive Frenchman only managing 7th after the second segment. However, Takuma Sato, who had progressed to the Firestone Fast Six, was penalized after being deemed to have interfered with the qualifications of the opening two segments. Therefore the Japanese driver’s time was deleted in accordance with Rule 8.3.6.1. This saw Tristan Vautier progress to the Firestone Fast Six, and once again impress many by qualifying 3rd on the grid.
The 23-year-old Frenchman will start tomorrow’s 90-lap race alongside two-time IZOD IndyCar Series Champion Scott Dixon, who obliterated the track record around the Barber Motorsports Park with a scintillating 01:06.7250 during the opening segment of qualifying. Unfortunately for Target Chip Ganassi, the Kiwi was unable to replicate such speed during the all-important Firestone Fast Six pole position shootout, and only managed to qualify 4th for the race. Charlie Kimball qualified 5th for Chip Ganassi Racing, and will start alongside the Team Penske of Helio Castroneves.
Although Ryan Hunter-Reay set the provisional pole position time towards the end of the Firestone Fast Six pole position shootout, the American’s rival of Will Power managed to complete one lap further with only minutes remaining in the session. Unfortunately for the Australian driver, his final time was several tenths slower than that of Ryan Hunter-Reay, which enabled the reigning Champion to secure his first pole of the new season and his first since Edmonton last season.
“This team has done so well this weekend, we just kept progressing and we knew where we needed to work on it.” Explained Ryan Hunter-Reay, “I really went to work on my driving as well, and we all did it together here. It’s a great position to start from and now we need to go make it work in warm up and for the race, making these Firestones hang in there for an entire race. That’ll be the challenging part.”
If Ryan Hunter-Reay manages to translate his pole position into victory during tomorrow’s 90-lap race, he will break Team Penske’s record of winning every Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama. Helio Castroneves won the inaugural event in 2010, whereas Will Power has won the last two races.
Picture(s) Copyright © Bret Kelley/IndyCar
“Mayor Of Hinchtown” Secures Maiden IndyCar Victory At St. Pete
The man known by many as the “Mayor of Hinchtown”, James Hinchcliffe, secured his maiden IZOD IndyCar Series race victory in an enthralling season-opening Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. The Canadian ace finished ahead of 2012 race winner Helio Castroneves, with Marco Andretti 3rd for Andretti Autosport.
Will Power had secured pole position for the 110-lap race, and started the race alongside Japanese driver Takuma Sato. The second row of the grid consisted of “Swiss Miss” Simona de Silvestro, with eventual race winner James Hinchcliffe 4th alongside the KV Racing Technology driver. The race began under cloudy skies over the Streets of St. Petersburg, as Susie Wheldon got proceedings underway by waving the green flag at the start. Will Power led into the first corner, ahead of Takuma Sato as both James Hinchcliffe and Helio Castroneves got around Simona de Silvestro into Turn 1.
During the opening laps of the race, Will Power opened up a considerable lead to the A.J. Foyt Racing of Takuma Sato. By Lap 10, the Australian driver had opened up a four second lead to Sato, as Alex Tagliani became the first driver to make a scheduled pit stop on Lap 12. This sparked several other drivers to pit throughout the next few laps, including Simon Pagenaud, Justin Wilson and Scott Dixon.
Dario Franchitti’s car is cleared after his incident on Lap 19.
Four-time IZOD IndyCar Series Champion Dario Franchitti suffered a disastrous start to his 2013 campaign, after the Target Chip Ganassi driver made contact with the wall at Turn 4 on Lap 19 and was forced into his first retirement in 67 races. This caused the first full course caution of the race, and allowed the leaders to pit under caution a lap later. Will Power won the race off of pit-road, as Takuma Sato dropped to 3rd behind Helio Castroneves. The race was resumed on Lap 26, as Helio Castroneves stormed around Will Power for the lead at Turn 2.
Further back down the order there was total carnage at Turn 9, as a multi-car incident involving Charlie Kimball, Ana Beatriz, JR Hildebrand, Ed Carpenter and Oriol Servia. Everyone except Ana Beatriz managed to resume racing, as the safety car was called upon once again for the second time. Simon Pagenaud pitted and was forced into retirement with a mechanical issue involving his exhaust system. The race was resumed on Lap 32, as Helio Castroneves led away at the front. James Hinchcliffe managed to overtake Will Power for 2nd position, and began to catch Castroneves for the lead.
On Lap 45 there was a third safety car period for debris in Turn 14, which allowed the leaders to pit under caution. Helio Castroneves won the race off of pit road ahead of Will Power and James Hinchcliffe, as Oriol Servia assumed the lead of the race after electing not to pit under caution. This saw the Spaniard lead his first laps of an IZOD IndyCar Series race since the 2011 Indianapolis 500, as Josef Newgarden became the next retirement of the race after suffering from a clutch issue. The race was eventually resumed on Lap 55, as Servia led at the front for Panther Racing.
Oriol Servia was finally forced to pit on Lap 62, allowing Helio Castroneves to resume his lead of the race. Servia frustratingly suffered a slow getaway from his pit-box, loosing himself valuable time in the process. Reigning Series Champion Ryan Hunter-Reay endured a frustrating start to his title defense, after a collision with Graham Rahal saw him suffer from a throttle issue towards the back of the pack. Series rookie Tristan Vautier retired from the race on Lap 69 with a mechanical issue, after initially starting the race from an impressive 6th.
A fourth full course caution was caused by Sebastian Saavedra on Lap 74, when the Colombian driver made a heavy impact with the tyre barriers at Turn 10. The leaders once again elected to pit under caution, as Castroneves retained his lead ahead of Hinchcliffe who overtook Power for 2nd. Whilst under safety car conditions, JR Hildebrand controversially collided with Will Power at Turn 9. The 25-year-old American driver was forced into retirement, whereas Will Power returned to the pits to repair his damage sustained in the incident.
On the restart, Helio Castroneves ran wide at Turn 1, allowing James Hinchcliffe to make a pivotal overtaking maneuver for the lead of the race. The Canadian sensation remained in the lead until the end, in doing so storming to his maiden IZOD IndyCar victory ahead of Helio Castroneves. On the penultimate lap the race Simona de Silvestro ran wide at Turn 14 and allowed both Marco Andretti and Tony Kanaan through, with the former finishing 3rd.
The opening race of the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series season was an enthralling spectacle, with Andretti Autosport taking only their second victory around the Streets of St. Petersburg after the late Dan Wheldon’s victory at the inaugural running of the event back in 2005. The new season looks set to be another intriguing battle at the front, with several new faces set to surprise many in the races ahead.
Results - 110 laps:
Pos Driver Team/Car Time/Gap
1. James Hinchcliffe Andretti Dallara-Chevy 2h22m12.5502s
2. Helio Castroneves Penske Dallara-Chevy + 1.0982s
3. Marco Andretti Andretti Dallara-Chevy + 16.3664s
4. Tony Kanaan KV Dallara-Chevy + 19.6083s
5. Scott Dixon Ganassi Dallara-Honda + 20.7627s
6. Simona de Silvestro KV Dallara-Chevy + 20.7890s
7. EJ Viso Andretti Dallara-Chevy + 20.8229s
8. Takuma Sato Foyt Dallara-Honda + 21.1878s
9. Justin Wilson Coyne Dallara-Honda + 21.6832s
10. Alex Tagliani Herta Dallara-Honda + 22.5569s
11. Sebastien Bourdais Dragon Dallara-Chevy + 22.7354s
12. Charlie Kimball Ganassi Dallara-Honda + 24.5429s
13. Graham Rahal Rahal Dallara-Honda + 37.5324s
14. Ed Carpenter Carpenter Dallara-Chevy + 45.2054s
15. James Jakes Rahal Dallara-Honda + 45.7793s
16. Will Power Penske Dallara-Chevy + 3 laps
17. Oriol Servia Panther/DRR Dallara-Chevy + 6 laps
Retirements:
Ryan Hunter-Reay Andretti Dallara-Chevy 79 laps
JR Hildebrand Panther Dallara-Chevy 78 laps
Sebastian Saavedra Dragon Dallara-Chevy 72 laps
Tristan Vautier Schmidt Dallara-Honda 69 laps
Ana Beatriz Coyne Dallara-Honda 55 laps
Josef Newgarden Fisher Dallara-Honda 50 laps
Simon Pagenaud Schmidt Dallara-Honda 26 laps
Dario Franchitti Ganassi Dallara-Honda 18 laps
Picture(s) Copyright © Getty Images
Ryan Hunter-Reay: “We Were Struggling All Weekend”
Newly-crowned IZOD IndyCar Champion Ryan Hunter-Reay has explained how he struggled for the majority of the weekend, as the American driver fought with the Penske of Will Power for Championship glory. After Power retired on lap 55, Hunter-Reay only needed to finish 5th or higher to clinch the Championship.
However, it wasn’t necessarily a walk in the part for the 31-year-old Texan after Will Power crashed out during the early stages of the race. After struggling throughout practice and qualifying, Hunter-Reay simply “drove 500 miles for my life” eventually finishing the race 4th as Ed Carpenter took only his second career victory. Hunter-Reay was lucky to finish the race, after nearly being collected by Will Power as the Australian driver spun whilst racing side-by-side with his Championship rival.
“I have no idea [how I got won this Championship]. It was team effort right there.” Exclaimed Ryan Hunter-Reay, after finally clinching his first Series Championship. “We were struggling all weekend. I didn’t want to let anyone really know about it. We were really in the woods. This hasn’t sunk in yet. I just drove 500 miles for my life. I can’t believe we’re IndyCar champions. I can’t even believe this. My dream has come true. This is unbelievable.”
This result was the icing on the cake for Ryan Hunter-Reay, who signed a new two-year deal with Andretti Autosport prior to the finale. Hunter-Reay has become the first American Champion of the Series since 2006, when Sam Hornish jr. was crowned Champion after a season-long battle with the late Dan Wheldon. Ryan Hunter-Reay will be eager to defend his Championship Crown next season, as Will Power strives to dethrone the Texan in 2013.
Picture Copyright © Getty Images
Ed Carpenter Takes Fontana Victory As Ryan Hunter-Reay Is Crowned Champion
Ed Carpenter has stormed to victory around the Auto Club Speedway in a frenetic IndyCar finale, which saw Ryan Hunter-Reay crowned Champion after 250 enthralling laps around the Californian oval. Championship contender Will Power spun early in the race, thus diminishing his chances of clinching the title.
The race began in glorious conditions, with the sun setting across the 2-mile oval. Poleman Marco Andretti led the opening lap as the race got underway, before jostling for the lead with Tony Kanaan and JR Hildebrand. By lap three, Championship contenders’ Will Power and Ryan Hunter-Reay were way down in 21st and 16th respectively, as they tried their hardest to climb their way through the field after a tough qualifying session.
Simona de Silvestro’s miserable season was brought to a premature conclusion on lap 19, as the ‘Swiss Miss’ peeled off into the pit lane with what looked like yet another mechanical failure for her Lotus-powered HVM Racing car. Andretti became the first driver to make a scheduled pit stop on lap 32, before race leader JR Hildebrand pitted several laps later. This handed the lead down to Ryan Briscoe, whilst many other drivers up and down the field elected to pit.
Ryan Briscoe’s lead was short-lived, as the Australian driver pitted on lap 38, allowing former-F1 driver Takuma Sato take assume the lead. Katherine Legge was issued a drive-thru penalty for speeding in the pit lane, after the Briton enjoyed a relatively competitive opening stint in the race. Once Takuma Sato pitted, JR Hildebrand resumed his lead at the front of the field.
On lap 55, the Championship battle was thrown wide open as Championship leader Will Power spun and slammed into the wall. This practically ruined the Australian driver’s Championship hopes, and brought out the first caution period of the race. Power narrowly avoided collecting fellow Championship rival Ryan Hunter-Reay during his spin, as the majority of the field elected to pit in traditional IndyCar fashion under caution.
The race was resumed on lap 65, as Ed Carpenter stormed into the lead several laps later. JR Hildebrand, who led early on in the race, coasted back to the pits on lap 74. This brought out the second caution period of the evening, and once again saw the majority of the field pit under caution. James Jakes elected to remain out on track, and therefore assumed the lead of the race. After momentarily returning to the pits, JR Hildebrand resumed racing albeit several laps down
As the field prepared to return to green flag conditions, Katherine Legge and Justin Wilson made contact. This saw Wilson spin, and eventually retire due to damage sustained in what appeared to be a mistake by Katherine Legge. Eventually the race was resumed on lap 86, with Ed Carpenter once again surging into the lead.
After Will Power’s disastrous spin earlier in the race, it looked set that the Australian driver’s title hopes were quickly fading as Ryan Hunter-Reay began to climb through the field. However, Penske remained confident they could fix Power’s car with roughly 18 mechanics milling around the #12 machine striving to make it race worthy once again. Rubens Barrichello became the next retirement of the race, as the F1 veteran’s car suffered an engine failure on lap 108. This naturally brought out the third caution of the race, and majority of the field took advantage of the delay to make yet another adventure into the pits.
The race was resumed on lap 116, as Graham Rahal and James Hinchcliffe were amazingly able to continue after separately brushing against the wall. Oval specialist Scott Dixon rose to the top as the race neared its halfway mark, as Will Power stunned many within the paddock by returning to the track aiming to redeem himself. However, Power’s return to the track lasted only several laps before he returned for a pit stop as Tony Kanaan took the lead.
After several further laps for Will Power, his car was finally wheeled back into the garage area to officially retire. With the Australian driver carrying out several further all-important laps, it enabled Power to move up to 24th position. This meant that Ryan Hunter-Reay needed to finish 5th or higher to clinch what would be a hard-earned Championship. Whilst Will Power once again retired from the race, Tony Kanaan pitted from the lead on lap 148, thus handing the lead down to Helio Castroneves. Marco Andretti suffered a disastrous pit stop after stalling, whereas Helio Castroneves pitted from the lead allowing Takuma Sato to rise to the top. However, Kanaan resumed his lead several laps later, as Sato finally pitted once again on lap 152.
Ryan Briscoe brought out yet another full course caution on lap 182, as the Penske driver hit the wall. This triggered further pit stops at the front, as Tony Kanaan, Scott Dixon, and Takuma Sato all pitted under caution. Kanaan suffered a frustratingly slow stop, as Scott Dixon once again took the lead for Target Chip Ganassi Racing. The Kiwi’s lead failed to last for long, as Ed Carpenter once again asserted his authority over the race and took the lead. However, Dixon refused to give up and immediately retook the lead as the duo battled side-by-side at the front. The leading pair were then joined by Canadian driver Alex Tagliani, who took the lead once Carpenter elected to pit.
Reigning Series Champion Dario Franchitti took the lead once Tagliani pitted, before the Target Chip Ganassi Racing duo of Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon pitted on lap 225. This enabled Alex Tagliani to resume the lead at the front, before Takuma Sato and then Ed Carpenter took turns in the leading the race. Alex Tagliani’s hopes of a competitive race result were thwarted on lap 229, as the Canadian driver retired due to an engine-related issue. This enabled Ryan Hunter-Reay to move up to that all-important 5th position, with 15 laps to go as the race returned to green flag conditions.
Upon the restart, oval specialist Dario Franchitti took the lead and opened up a considerable gap between himself and Ed Carpenter. However, the Scotsman’s advantage was reduced to zero on lap 241, when Tony Kanaan spun into the wall and brought out the sixth caution of the race. This caution then became a red flag period, as race director Beaux Barfield decided against wasting laps under caution. This decision would allow the race to run under more green flag laps than if it had remained a full course caution.
Ed Carpenter took his second career victory at Fontana, after a last lap overtake on Dario Franchitti.
The final six laps of the race were unquestionably the most frenetic and exciting of the entire season, as Ryan Hunter-Reay began to fall into the clutches of the quickly advancing Helio Castroneves who was running on much newer tyres. However, any plans the Brazilian driver had of assisting his team-mate to Championship glory were thwarted on the final lap as Takuma Sato once again ended his race by slamming into the barrier. This enabled the race to finish under caution, and saw Ryan Hunter-Reay crowned the new IZOD IndyCar Series Champion. Whilst Hunter-Reay bathed himself in Championship glory, Ed Carpenter had clinched only his second career victory after a last lap overtake on Dario Franchitti.
Ryan Hunter-Reay has become the first American IndyCar Champion since Sam Hornish jr. back in 2006. The Texan driver has also secured himself the Oval Championship, after winning three of the five ovals this season. This has become the third season in a row that Will Power has entered the season finale leading the Drivers’ Champion, yet been unable to convert his lead into a Championship title.
Picture(s) Copyright © Getty Images
F1 News 24/7
Andy's GP Blog 