The NTT IndyCar Series concluded the doubleheader weekend Sunday afternoon at Mid-Ohio for Race Two of the Honda Indy 200. Honda occupied the top five spots with Colton Herta winning the pole with a lap time of 1:26.279 at 94.215 mph. Santino Ferrucci qualified second with a lap time of 1:27.469 at 92.934 mph.
On the first lap of the race, Santino Ferrucci shot to the outside of Colton Herta and went straight into the grass. When he came back onto the track, he hit Alex Palou, who then hit Felix Rosenqvist to bring out the first caution. Ferrucci was issued a penalty for avoidable contact and had to restart at the back of the field.
The race resumed on the fourth lap with Colton Herta in the lead. Herta led an additional eleven laps before making his first scheduled pit stop with Takuma Sato taking the lead. The second caution would come out on lap 16 when Dalton Kellett went off the track at turn one. He was not the only driver to go off the track at turn one.
On lap 22, Scott Dixon hit a patch of dirt that caused him to spin at turn one. He was able to spin his car back around to continue the race. Marco Andretti was another one who went off into the gravel pit at turn one, kept his car going, and went back on the track. Sato led fourteen laps before Colton Herta passed him for the lead. Sato would make his scheduled pit stop on lap 32.
Herta led an extra fourteen laps before making his final scheduled pit stop on lap 46. Graham Rahal and Marcus Ericsson each took turns leading a lap before pitting themselves.
Herta resumed the lead on lap 48. Herta led the final 28 laps to win the race by 1.383 seconds over Alexander Rossi as Andretti Autosport took the top three positions.
The rest of the top ten finishers were Ryan Hunter-Reay third, Graham Rahal fourth, Marcus Ericsson fifth, Simon Pagenaud sixth, Will Power seventh, Josef Newgarden eighth, Patricio O’Ward ninth, and Scott Dixon tenth. There were only two cautions for six laps and five lead changes.
Point standings after this race are Scott Dixon with a 72-point lead over Josef Newgarden. Patricio O’Ward third (-118), Colton Herta fourth (-129), Will Power fifth (-150), Graham Rahal sixth (-155), Takuma Sato seventh (-156), Simon Pagenaud eighth (-179), Ryan Hunter-Reay ninth (-196), and Santino Ferrucci tenth (-207).
The NTT IndyCar Series next race will be on Saturday, October 2nd, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a doubleheader weekend in the IndyCar Harvest Grand Prix Race One at 3:30 pm on USA and Race Two Sunday, October 3rd at 2:30 pm on NBC.
