Takuma Sato won in stunning fashion at Gateway Motorsports Park, beating Ed Carpenter to the line by 0.0399 seconds to earn his sixth career IndyCar victory.
Sato Responds to Critics in Best Way Possible
Want a super slow motion replay of @TakumaSatoRacer beating Ed Carpenter to win?
You've got it. @INDYCAR // @WWTRaceway // @RLLRacing pic.twitter.com/WHy2VLoqdV
— IndyCar on NBC (@IndyCaronNBC) August 25, 2019
The win comes just a week after Sato’s role in an incident at Pocono Raceway, that left many cars out of the race on the first lap.
However, Sato put all the criticism behind him and charged towards one of the most gratifying victories of his career.
“This win is so special,” said Sato. “This is just so emotional. Gave me an unbelievable boost.”
IndyCar team owner/driver Ed Carpenter finished runner-up to Sato, marking the 38 year-old’s first podium since the 2018 Indianapolis 500.
If given even one more lap, it is possible the driver of the No. 20 ECR-Chevrolet would have been able to make a move for the win.
“It could have been [a different winner] if we had a little longer straightaway or another lap,” Carpenter said after the race.
Rounding out the podium was AJ Foyt Racing’s Tony Kanaan, who lost second place to Carpenter on the penultimate lap.
"I've heard it all by now." Here's @TonyKanaan after his first podium since 2017 at @TXMotorSpeedway ?#Bommarito500 // #INDYCAR pic.twitter.com/bl1LrKyUEG
— NTT IndyCar Series (@IndyCar) August 25, 2019
The third-place finish marks Kanaan’s best result of the season and his first podium since 2017.
Newgarden Falls Back When It Matters
Championship leader Josef Newgarden was running in fourth on the final lap, whilst battling alongside Dale Coyne Racing’s Santino Ferrucci.
Then at Turn 4, Newgarden spun and lost control of his car. Luckily, the Team Penske driver avoided a late crash to claim seventh place.
FOUR. HUNDREDTHS. OF A SECOND.
Unreal finish as @TakumaSatoRacer holds off Ed Carpenter to win the @IndyCar Series race at @WWTRaceway, then points leader Josef Newgarden spins! pic.twitter.com/roJWDk5S9k
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) August 25, 2019
“I was happy I wasn’t in the (wall), to be honest with you,” said Newgarden.
Despite the disappointing result, Newgarden remains top the championship standings, leading teammate Simon Pagenaud by 38 points.
Scott Dixon saw his championship hopes begin to slip away after the Chip Ganassi Racing retired with a damaged radiator.
Dixon now sits fourth in the championship standings, 70 points adrift of Newgarden.
Next weekend’s race at Portland International Raceway will have major championship implications.
With just two race’s to go in the 2019 season the championship is still very much at play.
