By: Spencer Neff
June 9, 2024
After going 34 races without a win, Team Penske’s Will Power emerged victorious in Sunday’s XPEL Grand Prix at Road America. The two-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES Champion started fifth after a qualifying penalty but made his way to the front, leading nine laps, including the last seven in the 55-lap race on the 4.014-mile, 14-turn road course in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
Teammates Josef Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin finished second and third. It is the 13th 1-2-3 finish for an individual team and Penske’s tenth. The last such occurrence was 2017 at Sonoma Raceway. Mclaughlin led 18 laps, most of anyone in the 27-car field.
Power’s first win since Belle Isle in 2022 is his 42nd, tying him for third all-time with Michael Andretti. It is the Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia native’s second win at Road America and first since 2016.
He now leads the points standings by five over Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou, who finished fourth as the best Honda behind three Chevrolets. Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood would round out the Top Five.
After spinning on Lap 1, pole winner Linus Lundqvusit of Chip Ganassi Racing rebounded to finish 12th as the best rookie in the field.
Palou and Lundqvist’s teammate Scott Dixon would finish 21st following a race hampered by excessive tire wear. As a result, he dropped from first to third in the standings, 11 points back of the lead.
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Graham Rahal improved 14 spots from his qualifying effort to finish tenth.
Race Recap
CGR teammates got together at the start when Armstrong spun in Turn 1 and collected Lundqvist. Herta was spun with Graham Rahal veering off course and spinning further back in the pack.
Armstrong and Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ware Racing’s Luca Ghiotto would be given penalties for avoidable contact.
On Lap 4, diffuser strakes from Herta’s car blew off in Turn 2 and prompted another debris caution.
Herta would eventually rebound to finish sixth and maintain seventh in the standings.
The rash of cautions would continue on Lap 7 when Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kyffin Simpson spun into the Turn 14 gravel following contact from Christian Rasmussen. The Ed Carpenter Racing rookie would be assessed a strop-and-go penalty for the avoidable contact.
McLaughlin reclaimed the lead on Lap 31 and would hold it until Newgarden passed him on Lap 36.
On Lap 46, Power would use the over-cut to leapfrog both Newgarden and McLaughlin. Power would take the lead for good on Lap 49 and never give it up.
Power won by 3.2609 seconds over Newgarden in a race slowed by three cautions for six laps. The average speed of the race was 126.154 mph and featured a track record 13 lead changes among 6 drivers. 13 leaders breaks a record of 11 set in 1983 and tied in 2021.
Up Next
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES will have a week off before their next event, the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Salinas, California. It will be the last race before the introduction of the hybrid system.
Opening practice for the weekend is scheduled for 5:00-6:15 p.m. ET on Friday, June 21. Second practice will be on Saturday, June 22 at 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET with qualifying held at 5:15 p.m. ET.
Sunday will have a 30-minute warmup at 3:00 p.m. ET and the 95-lap race at 6 p.m. ET. The race will be televised on USA Network with all other sessions on Peacock.
IndyCar1909 will have recaps of all on-track sessions and updates via social media throughout the weekend. Keep up with the latest on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES via our social media channels.
Header Image By Chris Owens/INDYCAR
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