Team Penske driver Will Power, in his first race back after fracturing four vertebrae in a crash in 2009, won the inaugural Sao Paulo Indy 300 on Sunday.
Power was lying third when race leader Ryan Briscoe crashed, bringing out a caution. Four laps after the restart, Power passed Ryan Hunter-Reay to take the lead, which he held for the final two laps.
Power was lying third when race leader Ryan Briscoe crashed, bringing out a caution. Four laps after the restart, Power passed Ryan Hunter-Reay to take the lead, which he held for the final two laps.
“Before that yellow we were all trying to save fuel. It went yellow, I said “Full rich, go for it.” It’s just been a day when everything’s been thrown at you and you come out on top.”
In a race that nearly didn’t happen because of bad pavement and was stopped in the middle by a mini-monsoon, there was more action, crashing and passing than the fans could follow.
In a race that nearly didn’t happen because of bad pavement and was stopped in the middle by a mini-monsoon, there was more action, crashing and passing than the fans could follow.
Eventful Outing
Qualifying had to be postponed until race day because of the slickness of the longest straight. Crews worked all night to grind down the track, as it was so slippery drivers couldn’t even idle along it safely.
The race opened with a serious multi-car crash. Takuma Sato, starting in the fifth row, braked too hard coming into the first turn, a very tight hairpin, and spun into Scott Dixon. Helio Castroneves, sliding under hard braking, avoided Sato but also hit Dixon.
The race opened with a serious multi-car crash. Takuma Sato, starting in the fifth row, braked too hard coming into the first turn, a very tight hairpin, and spun into Scott Dixon. Helio Castroneves, sliding under hard braking, avoided Sato but also hit Dixon.
Marco Andretti, in the tenth row, slowed and went far to the left to try to drive around the wreck. Mario Moraes, two rows back, didn’t slow until far too late, then locked up the brakes and spun sideways, climbing on top of Andretti’s car and ending perched right on the cockpit.
Andretti was not injured, but he was critical of Moraes. “When you can’t see a foot in front of you something inside your brain should tell you to lift,” he told a Versus reporter after the incident.
Andretti was not injured, but he was critical of Moraes. “When you can’t see a foot in front of you something inside your brain should tell you to lift,” he told a Versus reporter after the incident.
Dario Franchitti led the opening laps, with Alex Tagliani hard on his heels. Behind that pair came Ryan Hunter-Reay, turning in an excellent drive.
Tagliani and Hunter-Reay, both drivers who had found it hard to get rides, really put on a show, giving defending champion Dario Franchitti all he could handle. On lap 19. Hunter-Reay passed Tagliani.
Tagliani and Hunter-Reay, both drivers who had found it hard to get rides, really put on a show, giving defending champion Dario Franchitti all he could handle. On lap 19. Hunter-Reay passed Tagliani.
Hunter-Reay has a short-term contract with Andretti Autosports, and seemed determined to make the most of the opportunity.
After a yellow flag on lap 21, Simona De Silvestri stayed out to lead her first laps in her first race as an IndyCar driver, but Ryan Hunter-Reay was on fire. He passed Franchitti and then outbraked Silvestri into Turn 11, bouncing into the air over the rough pavement but somehow keeping control, to take the lead on lap 28.
He didn’t have much time to enjoy it, as a huge storm stopped the race a few laps later.
After a yellow flag on lap 21, Simona De Silvestri stayed out to lead her first laps in her first race as an IndyCar driver, but Ryan Hunter-Reay was on fire. He passed Franchitti and then outbraked Silvestri into Turn 11, bouncing into the air over the rough pavement but somehow keeping control, to take the lead on lap 28.
He didn’t have much time to enjoy it, as a huge storm stopped the race a few laps later.
After the Deluge
After the restart Hunter-Reay regained the lead, only to lose it to Ryan Briscoe after an amazing battle on laps 50 and 51. Briscoe took the lead on Turn 11, only to lose it on Turn 1. Briscoe waited until Tunr 11 again, and snuck back by on the inside.
Hunter-Reay kept pushing Briscoe as hard as possible, and possibly Briscoe’s tires were going off. On lap 53 Briscoe locked his right front wheel but kept control.
On the next lap Briscoe locked up again but this time he lost control and hit the tire barrier at Turn 11, leaving teammate Will Power to contend with Hunter-Reay, who had the edge in handling but was down on top speed.
Hunter-Reay kept pushing Briscoe as hard as possible, and possibly Briscoe’s tires were going off. On lap 53 Briscoe locked his right front wheel but kept control.
On the next lap Briscoe locked up again but this time he lost control and hit the tire barrier at Turn 11, leaving teammate Will Power to contend with Hunter-Reay, who had the edge in handling but was down on top speed.
On lap 59, Power took the lead and was pulling away when the race ended two laps later.
After the race, Power’s hands were covered with open wounds, blisters which had ripped open trying to control the bouncing car on the rough track.
Power said of his hands, “They’re nasty. I was hurting. I said on the radio ‘My hands are so bad,’ on the yellow, but when I got the opportunity I knew the win was there to be had and I went for it.”
Will Power collided with Nelson Phillipe while practicing for the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma, August 22, 2009, and missed the rest of the 2009 season.
Team owner Roger Penske, who had hired Power as a temporary replacement for Helio Castroneves, was so impressed with the 29-year-old Australian that he found a sponsor for a third car for Power when he recovered from surgery.
“I felt great it’s been tough with my recovery. I’m very grateful to be given this opportunity,” said Power after the race.
“Lying on that hospital bed I didn’t know what was going to happen I really wasn’t sure whether I’d be well enough and if I’d be fast again, and all the things that go through your head. But I am really appreciative of [sponsor] Verizon coming on board and giving me a full year.”
Power certainly proved he was worth the wait,
Ryan Hunter-Reay showed that deserves a full-time IndyCar ride, nearly winning the inaugural Sao Paulo Indy 300. Hunter-Reay went head-to-head with the best of Teams Penske and Ganassi came out on the second step of the podium.
The race was also third-place finisher Vitor Meira’s first since sustaining a broken back during the 2009 Indy 500. Meira had only driven four races for A.J. Foyt’s team, but the team kept a spot for him through his ten-month recovery
Meira, a native of Brazil, said after the race, “Have a team waiting for you for almost a year, and then to come back in a big way at home like that—it doesn’t get much better than that”
IndyCar returns to the U.S. for its next race, the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, on Sunday, March 28. Tickets are available online at the Honda Grand Prix of St.Petersburg ticket Web page.
The race will be broadcast live on ABC at 3:30 p.m. EDT.
After the race, Power’s hands were covered with open wounds, blisters which had ripped open trying to control the bouncing car on the rough track.
Power said of his hands, “They’re nasty. I was hurting. I said on the radio ‘My hands are so bad,’ on the yellow, but when I got the opportunity I knew the win was there to be had and I went for it.”
Overcoming Broken Backs
Will Power collided with Nelson Phillipe while practicing for the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma, August 22, 2009, and missed the rest of the 2009 season.
Team owner Roger Penske, who had hired Power as a temporary replacement for Helio Castroneves, was so impressed with the 29-year-old Australian that he found a sponsor for a third car for Power when he recovered from surgery.
“I felt great it’s been tough with my recovery. I’m very grateful to be given this opportunity,” said Power after the race.
“Lying on that hospital bed I didn’t know what was going to happen I really wasn’t sure whether I’d be well enough and if I’d be fast again, and all the things that go through your head. But I am really appreciative of [sponsor] Verizon coming on board and giving me a full year.”
Power certainly proved he was worth the wait,
Ryan Hunter-Reay showed that deserves a full-time IndyCar ride, nearly winning the inaugural Sao Paulo Indy 300. Hunter-Reay went head-to-head with the best of Teams Penske and Ganassi came out on the second step of the podium.
The race was also third-place finisher Vitor Meira’s first since sustaining a broken back during the 2009 Indy 500. Meira had only driven four races for A.J. Foyt’s team, but the team kept a spot for him through his ten-month recovery
Meira, a native of Brazil, said after the race, “Have a team waiting for you for almost a year, and then to come back in a big way at home like that—it doesn’t get much better than that”
IndyCar returns to the U.S. for its next race, the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, on Sunday, March 28. Tickets are available online at the Honda Grand Prix of St.Petersburg ticket Web page.
The race will be broadcast live on ABC at 3:30 p.m. EDT.
