Sun, surf, and super fast cars – that was what the people of Fontana, California had to look forward to this Saturday. It’s race day at the Auto Club Speedway, and the Verizon IndyCar Series took to the track, looking to see who would take the second leg of the Fuzzy’s Triple Crown in the MAVTV 500.
Simon Pagenaud (#22 Penske Truck Rental Chevy) carried the banner for Team Penske in qualifying, capturing the pole. As the dominant team of the IndyCar season, Penske looked to continue to keep their stranglehold on the top of the points.
Team Penske would lead early on for much of the race, with Helio Castroneves (#3 Penske Chevy) leading the majority of the first half of the race. However, the first caution would fly just after halfway in the race as Castroneves made contact going three-wide with Ryan Briscoe (#5 Arrow Honda), subbing for the injured James Hinchcliffe. Castroneves would hit the inside wall and his race was over.
As the racing heated up past the halfway point, cars went three and sometimes four-wide at the front of the pack. CFH Racing teammates Ed Carpenter (#20 Fuzzy’s Chevy) and Josef Newgarden (#67 Hartman Oil Chevy) tangled near start-finish, bringing out the second yellow of the day.
Pit stops would have a lot of play in how the race would sort out, as both Will Power (#1 Verizon Chevy) and Graham Rahal (#15 Mi-Jack Honda) would be plagued with pit stop issues, Rahal’s bringing out an eventual yellow for debris.
The battle between Honda and Chevy throughout the race is also worth noting, as both engine manufacturers were in contention for victory throughout the race. A variety of cars took turns at the front throughout the race, especially in the second half. A new series record was set for lead changes, as over seventy-five lead changes happened throughout the MAVTV 500.
A late race crash between Will Power and Takuma Sato (#14 ABC Supply Co. Honda), threw the race under the yellow flag with nine laps to go. The race would be red-flagged for cleanup, and so the race could have a proper fast finish.
On the restart, there was close racing between the leaders up to the white flag, when contact between Ryan Briscoe and Ryan Hunter-Reay (#28 DHL Honda) sent the #5 car flying and barreling through the infield grass. Both drivers emerged from their cars okay. In the end, it was Graham Rahal who led at the moment of caution, and he would take the victory in the MAVTV 500.
The next race for the Verizon IndyCar Series will be at the famous Milwaukee Mile on July 12, with coverage that afternoon on NBCSN.
