Will Power ends his bad time

IndyCar drivers have been received by great weather conditions for the 85 lap race. On the start, Charlie Kimball made contact with another driver and his car stopped on the sand, causing the first full course yellow of the race (he has been towed to the pits, but has missed one lap). Franchitti kept the pole, ahead of Dixon, Power, Hunter-Reay, Castroneves and Rahal. Josef Newgarden also had problems on the start and he had to pit during the yellow flag period, but has missed 6 laps. On the restart, Bourdais has hit the car of Marco Andretti. Will Power has tried to overtake Scott Dixon, but the New Zealander has not let him any space and the Australian has lost position with Ryan Hunter-Reay and Helio Castroneves. It has been a very intense restart, and Tony Kanaan has gone up to P7 (he started on P16). The calm has not last for too long, because of the car of Wilson that stopped on the track after an incident, causing a new full course yellow on lap 8. Some drivers that were in a bad position have taken advantage of it and have pitted to try a different strategy.

The next restart has been easier; Will Power has passed Helio Castroneves again for P4. On lap 16, Bourdais has done a bad move again, hitting Simona de Silvestro in the hairpin (Bourdais has been given a drive through penalty). Her car stopped in the same place than Justin’s and there was a new full course yellow. Pit has opened on lap 19, all drivers that had not stopped before, had done it then, but Ryan Hunter-Reay, who has taken the lead with very old tires. On the restart, Josef Newgarden has been hit in the hairpin again by Tony Kanaan, who has received a Drive-Through penalty, and there was a new Pace Car for same reasons. Charlie Kimball has been able to get back to the lead lap. Ryan Hunter-Reay has had to pit to refuel, losing a lot of places and falling to P20.

On lap 25 the race has been restarted, in a crazy way again, James Hinchcliffe has lost the advantage he had gain on the first yellow after been hit by Sebastian Saavedra. On lap 30, there were debris on the track and there was the fifth Pace Car of the race. Still 55 laps to go and the race was full of incidents. Justin Wilson was the new leader, ahead of Scott Dixon, Will Power, Dario Franchitti, Ed Carpenter and Helio Castroneves (but there was a mess of strategies). There was an interesting battle for the lead with Scott Dixon and Will Power, on lap 44, meanwhile Castroneves was overtaken by Andretti for P4. Will Power has pitted on lap 45, trying to go faster with new tires to take the lead, Scott Dixon has pitted on the next lap, and has left the pit lane just in front of Will Power and Justin Wilson, who was racing with the red compound and joined the fight. James Hinchcliffe was the new leader, and was trying to pit only once more.

Josef Newgarden crashed on lap 65, causing a new full course yellow. Drivers who had not stop for the last time, did it then. Will Power has done a faster pit stop than Scott Dixon, taking the lead, but Dixon has hit a wheel that was being carried by Penske crew member (who has flown out). On the restart, Scott Dixon has taken back the lead, but he has received a Drive-Through penalty for a pit lane safety infraction, so his race has been ruined. Power was first, ahead of Franchitti, but the Scottish has been overtaken by Wilson. On lap 78 the race was almost over, Briscoe ran into Kimball’s car, he spun and accelerated when the package was coming, so he has caused a new collision and another full course yellow. The race has been restarted with 5 laps to go, and Power has kept the lead. Sebastian Saavedra has had a huge crash, but his car has gone out of the track and the race has continued. Will Power has opened a gap and has won his first race of the season.