The highly anticipated Verizon IndyCar Grand Prix was held at Watkins Glen International, marking the return of IndyCar following a six year hiatus.
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Scott Dixon, of New Zealand, makes a pit stop during the IndyCar Grand Prix at The Glen auto race Sunday, Sept. 4, 2016, in Watkins Glen, N.Y.
Dixon won for the 40th time in his career, breaking a tie for fourth place with Al Unser Sr. “Right now, we’re still in the championship top four”.
Dixon recorded the quickest times in all of the three practice sessions before the race. It was also the 40th victory of the 36-year-old’s Indy auto career, breaking a tie with legendary Al Unser for fourth on the all-time list.
Will Power qualified second in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet (1:22.5742, 146.922 mph), missing out on the top spot by less than five-hundredths of a second.
Frenchman Simon Pagenaud leads the overall standings by 28 points from Australian Will Power.
“These cars belong on tracks like this”, said three-time Indy vehicle champion Bobby Rahal. Bourdais spun in the first turn of the race but battled back to finish fifth. Chip Ganassi Racing’s Tony Kanaan was third, 113 points back, with Team Penske’s Helio Castroneves fourth (114 back).
Rosberg, who started second, took the early lead and cruised to his seventh win of the season, second straight this year and first of his career at the storied Monza circuit, which has hosted more Formula One racing than any other track.
Dixon, 36, said his auto was exceptional this weekend.
“I hope he gets his auto together for qualifying after that wreck in practice but definitely rooting for him and it can be done coming from the back”, he said. I like our prospects for the race tomorrow, though. “There is the up and down elevation and the track is very suitable for an Indy auto because we are going really, really fast”. What’s going on? They took two fastest laps, which were identical. And, he is closing in on the biggest prize in US open-wheel racing, the 2016 IndyCar championship.
By the end of the race, Dixon had led for 50 of 60 laps and was 16.5 seconds clear of Josef Newgarden at the chequered flag.
Graham Rahal forfeited his fastest two laps and failed to advance from Segment 1, Group 2 when race stewards penalized him for qualifying interference. The speedster started the race in 20th after a penalty during qualifying and finished the event in 21st.
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James Hinchcliffe initially advanced but lost his fastest lap because he spun and affected the progress of Power during the session, allowing Aleshin to sneak in. He moved out to a six-second lead, under green by lap 27. The two Penske drivers are the only ones who can win the title at the finale, September 18 in Sonoma, Calif., with double points available.
