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In a thrilling finish under very wet conditions. Simon Pagenaud passed leader Scott Dixon with than two laps to go to win the sixth INDYCAR Grand Prix on the IMS road course. Pagenaud’s #22 Menards Team Penske Chevy battled from eighth starting position to claim his third Indy GP victory by 2.04 seconds over the #9 PNC Bank/Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
“I can’t believe it, what an awesome win,” said Pagenaud, who hadn’t scored an INDYCAR victory since the 2017 season-ender at Sonoma. “This is the sweetest win I’ve ever had!” Dixon couldn’t hold off the charging Frenchman, stating that he was pushing so hard to maintain his lead that he “blistered the front (tires). It was definitely tricky conditions.”
Meyer Shank Racing driver Jack Harvey duplicated his third-place effort in qualifying by completing the podium, finishing 3.76 seconds behind Pagenaud with his career-best series finish. A surprising fourth-place result for 21st-place starter Matheus Leist and his ABC Supply A.J. Foyt Racing entry, while ECR teammates Spencer Pigot and Ed Jones finished fifth and sixth respectively.
LBGP winner Alexander Rossi was bumped into the wall on the start and lost 4 laps getting repairs, placing a distant 22nd. Marcus Ericsson’s first start at IMS ended against the oval-turn-one wall on lap 11. Rookie phenom Colton Herta spun out on lap 15 and never restarted, finishing just ahead of Ericsson in 23rd.
Track activity will resume on Tuesday with the opening day of oval practice.
