Helio Castroneves wins north of the border
Helio Castroneves took his second win of the year at Edmonton
Helio Castroneves has won an all green flag Edmonton Indy, while Australia’s Will Power charged through the field to finish third.
Castroneves held off Takuma Sato by 0.8367 of a second to win the caution-free, 75-lap race. Power, who started 17th after a 10-grid spot penalty following an engine change after qualifying, stormed to third and Graham Rahal tied his road/street course best finish of the season in fourth. Alex Tagliani, who led the most laps, finished fifth.
Castroneves had been the runner-up in three of the past four Edmonton races, and was leading late in the 2010 contest when he incurred a penalty for blocking.
“It’s fantastic,” said Castroneves.
“I think this place owed us a little bit.”
Team Penske has won three of the five races at the airport track under IndyCar sanction. The last Indy car street/road course caution-free race was Portland in 2007 under CART sanction. The last caution-free oval race was 2011 at Texas Motor Speedway.
Castroneves gained one position in the championship standings with his 27th Indy car victory — 22 behind Ryan Hunter-Reay, who finished seventh. Power is third in the standings heading to the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio on August 5
Castroneves was running second to Tagliani when he jumped the Canadian exiting the pits after his final stop on Lap 51.
Sato recorded his season-best finish. In third place on Lap 54, he overtook Tagliani for second in Turn 5. Power and Rahal followed in passing Tagliani in the next two laps.
Sato shadowed Castroneves through to the chequered flag.
RESULTS: Edmonton Indy
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