Will Power Wins his first race at Iowa
By Roy J. Akers- www.skyviewsports.net
The Indy Car Hy-Vee 250 Race II at Iowa Speedway sees Team Penske Get 2
Indy Car double header weekends are awesome. I love the Iowa doubleheader and can hardly wait for Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Mile next month. Drivers like it because they can win two races in a weekend and or make up championship points in a hurry. For those drivers not ready for the weekend with two races, this can be the end of their championship hopes. The Hy-Vee 250 Race 1 took place mostly at night on a cooler track. The second race held Sunday had temps in the high 80’s with an NBC reporter taking a reading at 108 in the pits and 120 on the track. That is where we begin at the Hy-Vee 250 race two.
Checkered Flag
Will Power had a poor finish in the Hy-Vee 250 race one on Saturday finishing in 18th place. Power started 22nd on Sunday but took advantage of his pit strategy beat the caution caused by the Canapino spinout and took the lead for a lap before restarting second behind Palou. The race stayed that way for 100 laps as Power pitted and got four tires and fuel in under six seconds and beat Palou back to the track by less than a second. Power had never won at Iowa but that ended Sunday as Palou played the long game to hold his points lead instead of challenge Power. He holds off Palou by .39115 of a second for the win. After being winless for over two seasons, Power has won twice in less than a month. Power moves to fourth all-time in Indy Car victories passing Michael Andretti. “I have been trying to win this race for years.” said Power. He has closed to 35 points behind Palou for the NTT Series lead.
He Said It… Will Power on the key to his victory
“Fast in-lap, fast out-lap, fast pit stop. Good strategy, good car. That’s how you got to win in this series, and every now and then catch a Scott Dixon yellow (smiling). I need another 15 of them to catch up over the years. Any time I get one… hey, I’m owed about 15 of them from my early days “(smiling).
Podium 2nd Place
Indy Car NTT Series points leader and two-time defending champion Alex Palou had an uncharacteristic poor night in the Hy-Vee 250 race one. Crashing by getting loose and destroying his car in a one car accident gave fellow competitors hope they could catch him in the championship points race coming down the 2024 season stretch. Palou took the race lead from Power on lap 102 after pitting and avoiding the Capapino spinout. Strategist Barry Wanser guided Palou to keep the speed to stay ahead of Power but not drive into lapped traffic and Power could not catch him. “We had a great weekend. Yesterday was terrible but today was a great rebound days,” said Palou.
Podium 3rd Place
Scott McLaughlin earned his first Indy Car oval victory in the HV 250 race one and started on the pole for race two. With Iowa being primarily a one grove race track and being tough to pass at, McLaughlin led the first 94 laps and was caught in the pits when Agustin Canapino spun out. McLaughlin was reset to third and was trying to win both ends of the double header but it was not to be. McLaughlin had his hands full with Scott Dixon who finished fourth. This was a big weekend for McLaughlin. “We caught the yellow at the wrong time. Right Now, we are in the game for the championship.” McLaughlin is sixth in points, 66 behind Palou.
In the Mix -1
Josef Newgarden came into Iowa winning five of the last six races. His third place finish in the HV1 on Saturday after qualifying 22nd was a good finish fueled by a final pit stop that took him from 8th to fourth. Newgarden’s Sunday start at 14thwas a clinic on passing as Newgarden positioned himself in the top ten by lap 60. Entering the HV 250 race 2 in 9th place in points with little hope of passing anyone in the top five after being docked his win at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix. At the Hy-Vee 250 II, with a one groove track, great pit stops were at a premium and like Saturday, Newgarden excelled giving him two top eight finishes at Iowa.
In the Mix 2
Graham Rahal had a DNF on Saturday but finished 8th in the Sun Hy-Vee 250. This was his highest finish of the season. Rahal preached to the press including myself encouraging drivers to “try a higher groove to make this a two groove track.” It was the key to Rahal doing better on day two. “Today was a much better race than yesterday and it was the key to making it a better day.”
Iowa was not their friend
Katherine Legge had not raced at Iowa in nearly 15 years until the Hy Vee 250 race one on Saturday. Driving for Dale Coyne Racing, Legge finished 17th in race one and was several spots higher during the Saturday race. Sunday saw her sink to Race 2 with a 24th place finish. She is an Indy Car specialist and it would be great to see her at more ovals this year. She did get some TV time to market her ELF products. (Eyes, Lips, Face.) Better for her to market women’s products that than listen to Danica Patrick try and broadcast.
Ed Carpenter has been mostly retired for several seasons outside of the Indianapolis 500 and he must be rethinking oval racing after Iowa. Both of his Iowa races ended with crashes and his final lap multi-car crash put him 22nd. At no point of either race was he competitive. Wonder if he contemplates his oval decision or we see him again at the Milwaukee Mile which also includes a double header.
Lap Leaders
Lap Leaders:
McLaughlin, Scott 1 – 94
Palou, Alex 95 – 100
Power, Will 101 – 106
Palou, Alex 107 – 203
Power, Will 204 – 205
Lundqvist, Linus 206 – 208
Power, Will 209 – 250
Top 15 at the Hy-Vee 250 Sunday Race
Bottom Finishers at Iowa on Sunday
Championship Points after the Iowa Hy-Vee 250 Race II- Top 9
Indy Car will be in action next weekend in Canada. Get more info by clicking the link below.
ONTARIO HONDA DEALERS INDY TORONTOSTREETS OF TORONTO
TORONTO, ONTARIO
Roy J. Akers is a multi-media reporter and covers several sports for www.skyviewsports.net