Ryan Hunter-Reay, the newest member of the Andretti Autosport quartet, received a bear hug from the CEO in Victory Circle. That meant a lot coming from a racing champion - Michael Andretti.
Hunter-Reay prevailed in the breakneck Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach - a race slowed by a lone full-course caution (tying an IZOD IndyCar Series road/street course record) - holding off Justin Wilson by 5.6031 seconds to give Andretti Autosport its first victory since 2008 at Richmond (Tony Kanaan).
“It was the most fun I had in a race car because it was handling so well,” said Hunter-Reay, who is the first American to win at Long Beach since Andretti in 2002. “My mom is out there today. She passed along recently and this race is for her. Over the last couple of laps I said ‘This is for you, Mom.’”
Said Andretti: “I love this place. It’s where I got my first win as a driver (1986) and where I got my first win as a sole owner.”
Hunter-Reay became the first American driver to win an IZOD IndyCar Series race since he won in July 2008 at Watkins Glen, which was his first career victory.
Will Power, the championship points leader and pole sitter, finished third in the 85-lap race on the 1.968-mile, 11-turn circuit. He heads to the Road Runner Turbo Indy 300 at Kansas Speedway on May 1 having extended his lead to 42 points over teammate Helio Castroneves (130). Hunter-Reay is third (129) and Wilson is fourth (125).
Results Sunday of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach IZOD IndyCar Series event on the 1.968-mile Streets of Long Beach circuit, with order of finish, starting position in parentheses, driver, chassis-engine, laps completed and reason out (if any):
1. (2) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
2. (3) Justin Wilson, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
3. (1) Will Power, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
4. (8) Scott Dixon, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
5. (6) Tony Kanaan, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
6. (15) Mario Moraes, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
7. (4) Helio Castroneves, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
8. (5) Ryan Briscoe, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
9. (10) Dan Wheldon, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
10. (16) Mike Conway, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
11. (14) Vitor Meira, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
12. (12) Dario Franchitti, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
13. (11) Hideki Mutoh, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
14. (9) Marco Andretti, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
15. (17) EJ Viso, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
16. (20) Danica Patrick, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
17. (13) Simona de Silvestro, Dallara-Honda, 85, Running
18. (19) Takuma Sato, Dallara-Honda, 84, Running
19. (21) Alex Lloyd, Dallara-Honda, 84, Running
20. (18) Raphael Matos, Dallara-Honda, 84, Running
21. (7) Alex Tagliani, Dallara-Honda, 65, Contact
22. (22) Graham Rahal, Dallara-Honda, 58, Contact
23. (23) Mario Romancini, Dallara-Honda, 58, Contact
24. (24) Bertrand Baguette, Dallara-Honda, 45, Mechanical
25. (25) Milka Duno, Dallara-Honda, 10, Handling
Race Statistics:
Time of Race: 1:47:12.5404
Winners average speed: 93.619
Margin of victory: 5.6931 seconds
Cautions: 1 for 5 laps
Lead changes: 5 among 3 drivers
Lap Leaders: Power 1-16, Hunter-Reay 17-26, Power 27-29, Hunter-Reay 30-56, Dixon 57-58, Hunter-Reay 59-85.
Point Standings: Power 172, Castroneves 130, Hunter-Reay 129, Wilson 125, Dixon 112, Franchitti 112, Briscoe 103, Kanaan 94, Matos 84, Wheldon 83.
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