(MADISON, IL) What a difference a year makes!
Photo Credit: INDYCAR – Shawn Gritzmacher
At the inaugural Bommarito Automotive Group 500 held at Gateway Motorsports Park last August, Verizon IndyCar Series driver Will Power completed only five laps before exiting via a crash.
Fast-forward twelve months later and the open-wheeled pilot drove the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet to checkered flags at the second installment of the event at the Madison 1.25-mile oval Saturday night.
The 1.3117–second victory was Power’s third of the season and 35th IndyCar triumph overall, which ties him for seventh all-time with Bobby Unser. Most importantly, Power leapfrogged over defending series champion Josef Newgarden to snare third place in the series’ hierarchy with two races left on the docket.
Photo Credit: INDYCAR – Matt Frauer
“We needed the win to get back into the championship, so (I’m) really, really happy,” said Power afterwards. “This track has heaves of grip, it was really fun. Really, really fun.”
Although he finished second to Power, Alexander Rossi, who currently sits second in the standings, narrowed the distance between him and points leader Scott Dixon (Chip Ganassi Racing) with a plus-3 on the evening.
Photo Credit: INDYCAR – Chris Owens
Rossi and his Andretti Autosport brain trust utilized a similar fuel strategy that was implemented in a victory four weeks ago at Mid-Ohio. The No. 27 NAPA AUTO PARTS Honda was down a lap deep in the 320-mile feature but by remaining on the track while others on the lead lap pitted for necessary fuel in order to finish helped jettison Rossi to the inevitable runner-up finish while Dixon finished third.
“I’m a little bit lost for words on how we did that,” Rossi said of the gamble. “That’s unbelievable. Yeah, I mean every weekend we just got to try and beat Scott.”
“(The) Andretti guys and Rossi did a fantastic job making that no-stop situation work,” added Dixon. “And obviously, a big congrats to Will. Great speed at the end of the race. He was pretty good in traffic and was able to go on to the victory there.”
Photo Credit: INDYCAR – Shawn Gritzmacher
Rossi now trails the series leader by 26 points (568-542) heading into next Sunday’s race at Portland International Raceway.
Dixon, who started the evening as the pole sitter, was dominant in the first 145 laps of the race. The No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda at numerous times pushed the differential over his closest competitors to over two seconds.
But Power, who started the race fourth, made hard charges over the next five laps and snatched the lead over Dixon on Lap 150 in Turn 1. The Australian stretched his lead to over seven seconds as the race progressed.
Photo Credit: INDYCAR – Chris Owens
Power surrendered the lead with a pit stop recorded with seventeen laps left but then regained the top position at Lap 240 as the leaders pitted. He proceeded to cruise the last eight laps to victory as Rossi followed.
The Gateway event finished thirty seconds shy of the two-hour mark and contained only a pair of cautions: a first-lap brush in Turn 2 by Sebastien Bourdais and a power shut-down by Bryan Hunter-Reay in Lap 173.
Power recorded the fastest lap of the evening: a 179.165 mph (25.1165 seconds) rotation on Lap 218.
The attendance for Saturday’s race at Madison is still being tabulated but it is projected to be similar to last season’s 40-thousand-plus mark.
“Man, last year when (the crowd) turned out, we were so stoked to see the grandstand full again this year,” said Power. “The promoters do such a good job at this race, we are so happy to be coming here.
Bommarito Automotive Group 500 Official Results
NORMAN & VEEKAY CLAIM TROPHIES AT DEVELOPMENTAL RACES
The IndyCar developmental races held at Gateway contained plenty of hard-charging action.
Ryan Norman of Andretti Autosports claimed his first win of the season at the Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires’ 75-lap event. Norman topped stable mate Colton Herta and recorded a .02 victory at the finish.
In the Pro Madza series event, Dutch teenager Rinus Veekay recorded his fifth straight victory in the Pro Mazda Series presented by Cooper Tires’ 55-lap sprint. Veekay led all laps and posted an 8.5 second win over runner-up Robert Meginnis.
