WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (AP) Scott Dixon has been the man to beat at Watkins Glen International since IndyCar began racing again at the historic road course just over a decade ago.
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Dixon, who led 50 of the 60 laps, cruised to an easy win.
Dixon’s victory is the 40th of his career and moves him into fourth on the all-time list.
“I’ve got to thank the whole Target crew, the auto rolled off extremely fast”, said Dixon, victor of three consecutive Indy vehicle races at Watkins Glen (2005-07) but who had not qualified better than second in six previous visits. Both Rahal and Power were critical of how Kimball raced them on the track.
Taking the lead at the start, Dixon immediately pulled away from the other 21 cars, building up commanding leads. He was involved in two of the Grand Prix at the Glen’s biggest wrecks; first he made contact with Graham Rahal that turned Rahal into the wall, and later on it was Kimball tapping the rear of Power’s vehicle that caused Power to crash – and potentially also ended his hopes at obtaining a second IndyCar championship. “You just think of problems or strategy not going your way”.
Maine-Endwell the first NY team to win the overall title since 1964. “I love coming to upstate NY and this track is one of the old-school great American tracks that we’re lucky enough to come back here and race”.
Power has dropped from 28 points to 43 points behind Team Penske teammate Simon Pagenaud at the head of the championship table.
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“Winning the championship is most important”, said Pagenaud. “We didn’t have the smoothest of starts”, Newgarden said. We collected a lot of points. “We still have to race hard, but it’s going to be a lot more comfortable”.
Chip Ganassi Racing’s Charlie Kimball came into contact with the rear of Power’s Dallara, sending the title contender into the outer, non-cushioned Armco guardrail.
Power missed the season’s opening race with dizziness related to an inner ear issue which, according to the report, was misdiagnosed as a concussion. Power broke Briscoe’s track record in Segment 1, Group 1 qualifying with a lap of 1:23.3927.
Once back in front, Dixon managed his fuel while others behind made late stops for a splash or ran out altogether. “I think I had the Chevy Volt engine, the electric one (laughs)”.
With only nine prior races, The Glen isn’t steeped in Indy auto history. And I told those guys on the radio. Now let’s keep going. Here are some drivers we like to contend for the win. “I think we’ve had a rough year on paper, lots of ups and downs, but the performance of the auto, we’ve been fast at a good majority of the places that we go on to kind of outside of Indianapolis”. The No. 7 SMP Racing vehicle was fantastic in the first stint.
“It was a different type of racing”, the three-time Indy 500 victor said.
American Graham Rahal escaped injury when his auto went nose-first into the turn one inside wall after contact from Charlie Kimball. The auto was phenomenal. This track is old-school, being one of the great American tracks, and we are lucky to be back here to race. “But it’s just a continuation of the work I’ve been doing since a year ago”. “I knew he was behind me”, Aleshin said. It’s disappointing and I’m a little ticked off. I’m pretty happy with where we are now.
“Then for qualifying you get the “candy surprise”. “It’s too bad we didn’t put the vehicle on pole, but my bad”. We can’t thank everybody enough.
According to a USA Today report, Trammel met with Power for half an hour in his motorhome on Sunday. “This put a dent in that total”. “Got a lucky break with the yellow and we were really good on fuel”. “It shows that we’re right there”.
“I just don’t understand what the guy was thinking”.
The KVSH Racing driver has been quick on the black-walled tyres throughout the weekend, but once the reds were bolted on for the first time in qualifying, he began to struggle with the balance of the auto. There are 50 points up for grabs for the victor in the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma.
Pagenaud, with four wins this season, has led the standings since the second event. Marco Andretti was seen running up on his teammate Carlos Munoz. He won the season finale at Sonoma to snatch the title from Juan Pablo Montoya, overcoming a daunting 47-point deficit. James Hinchcliffe ran out of gas on the final lap to fall from second to 18th. (2) Will Power, Chevrolet, 38, Contact 21.
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It was an eventful return to the famed road course at Watkins Glen for the IndyCar series this past weekend.
