The NTT IndyCar Series concluded its doubleheader weekend at Wide World Technology Raceway at Gateway for Race Two of the Bommarito Automotive 500. Qualifying for Race Two took place yesterday with Takuma Sato winning the pole with a time of 24.6577 at 182.499 mph.
Starting next to him was Josef Newgarden, who ran a time of 24.6607 seconds at 182.477 mph. Earlier in the day, the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series held its race, and there was plenty of tire rubber on the track for grip. This was also Tony Kannan’s last race in the IndyCar Series.
The race was delayed as fluid from one of the service vehicles was leaking onto the track, and track crews were cleaning up the mess before the race could get underway.
The race started under yellow for only a lap before IndyCar officials turned the cars loose. Rinus VeeKay and Santino Ferrucci were the biggest gainers in the early part of the race as both drivers would improve their positions to the top ten. Takuma Sato led all 59 laps until he made his scheduled green-flag pit stop when Pato O’Ward took over the lead.
Rinus VeeKay, who started 18th, was now sitting in third place on lap 73. Pato O’Ward led 36 laps before making his second scheduled pit stop on lap 95, then Will Power took over the lead. Power would lead a couple of laps before making his scheduled pit stop, then Josef Newgarden took over the lead.
Once the scheduled pit cycles were complete, Will Power was back in the lead on lap 114 with Pato O’Ward sitting in second.
Power would lead an additional 38 laps before making his final scheduled pit stop on lap 152, handing the lead over to Colton Herta. Herta would lead five before coming to pit road for the last time of the afternoon, then Josef Newgarden took the lead, who just made his final pit stop on lap 151 with Pato O’Ward right behind him. Most of this race was done in single file.
There were only a few passes, and position changes occurred when pit stops were happening. The race lacked the excitement of a typical Indy car race.
The race would end under caution for a crash by Takuma Sato at turn two. Newgarden led the last 44 laps to win the race. This is the second win of the season for Newgarden. The rest of the top ten finishers were Pato O’Ward second, Will Power third, Rinus VeeKay fourth, Scott Dixon fifth, Colton Herta sixth, Felix Rosenqvist seventh, Conor Daly eighth, Takuma Sato ninth, and Santino Ferrucci tenth.
Dixon increased his lead over Josef Newgarden, who now trails Dixon by 96 points with three races left in the season. The rest of the point standings are Pato O’Ward third, Takuma Sato fourth, Colton Herta fifth, Simon Pagenaud sixth, Graham Rahal seventh, Will Power eighth, Santino Ferrucci ninth, and Felix Rosenqvist tenth. The NTT IndyCar Series will not race again until October 2nd and 3rd for a doubleheader at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the IndyCar Harvest GP, with both races starting at 3:50 pm.
