(LEXINGTON, OH) Pole sitter Will Power claimed the checkered flags Saturday at the first of back-to-back events for the NTT IndyCar Series weekend at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
Power (Team Penske) snared his first win of the season at the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio with a dominant performance. The No. 12 Verizon Chevy propelled the Australian to the winner’s circle by besting teammate Josef Newgarden by 7.4523 seconds.
“I reckon this is the first race in about ten years that I have went this hard,” Power said following his 38th career victory. “Like every other race we try to save fuel or play a pit strategy game. Today I was like, ‘Let’s go hard, man. Screw this.’”
That game plan paid off as Power – who posted his best lap at 117.146 mph – only surrendered the lead during routine pit stops at the 75-lap feature. The victory moves him into sixth in all-time IndyCar wins.
Meanwhile with the runner-up finish, Newgarden chipped away at Scott Dixon’s lead in the series’ standings to 76 points with four races left (436-360). Dixon finished tenth on the day.
Alexander Rossi (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing) placed third.
Another 75-lap race takes place at the 2.258-mile road course Sunday at 12:05 p.m Central.
