Will Power, seen here from earlier this season, scored the win on Sunday in the Itaipava São Paulo Indy 300. Photo courtesy INDYCAR/LAT USA
Will Power hopes a shower of April victories can lead to a quart of milk in May.
The Team Penske driver won the Itaipava Sao Paulo Indy 300 presented by Nestle to score his third consecutive victory of the season and the third in a row at the Anhembi circuit.
Power, driving the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske car, held off Hunter-Reay on a lap 71 restart and won by 0.9045 of a second.
“Very happy to get that third win here and third in a row,” said Power. “We need to make it four in a row at the most important race next. (The final restart) was the key to winning. Ryan (Hunter-Reay) got a really good jump. I knew I just had to go like you wouldn’t believe through the first complex of corners because I knew he could get a run on me. Ryan is one of the hardest guys you will ever race; he never gives up. Full credit to the Verizon guys, Chevy and Team Penske. These guys make it possible. We did it three for three.”
“The weather had been so up and down, so we didn’t know what to expect,” said Hunter-Reay. “(On final restart) I really challenged (Will Power) on the outside. I tried to get him but he had the inside and he raced clean. We’ve been right there on the podium three of the four races so we’re really happy going to Indy.”
Takuma Sato, who started 25th because of an unapproved Honda engine change and overcame a lap 12 pit lane speed violation penalty, earned his first IZOD IndyCar Series podium finish.
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“When Helio and Dario were in front of me, two wide, initially I thought there was no chance but when I saw their braking point was earlier than I expected I saw a little opportunity to dive inside. I was confident that I would make the corner so I was very excited. Finally, after a difficult weekend, it is a relief to get this result and I am really pleased to bring the team a third place and see the first checkered flag of the season. It was a great day.”
Power is the first driver since Scott Dixon in 2007 to win three consecutive races (Watkins Glen, Nashville, Mid-Ohio).
Power inherited the point when Dixon pitted under caution on lap 64, held off Hunter-Reay on the lap 67 restart, which quickly turned into a turn 1 parking lot that collected, among others, Dixon. Recognizing possibly his final opportunity to overtake Power, Hunter-Reay moved to the outside in turn 1 of the lap 71 green flag.
Helio Castroneves overtook front-row starter Dario Franchitti on that restart to finish fourth. Franchitti’s No. 10 Lexar Media car for Target Chip Ganassi Racing was bumped from behind on a lap 26 restart in turn 1 to drop to 22nd.
James Hinchcliffe, JR Hildebrand and Charlie Kimball — rookies in 2011 — finished ahead of E.J. Viso in ninth and Barrichello in 10th.
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