Saturday’s NTT IndyCar Series race at Texas Motor Speedway proved to be an exciting affair, with Josef Newgarden taking the chequered flag.
A Rough Bump for Sato
Pole-sitter Takuma Sato led the majority of the laps in the race’s early stages. However, a pit-stop on Lap 60 saw Sato make contact with a member of his crew.
While the crewman was uninjured, the incident and a subsequent penalty dropped the No. 30 car down several laps.
On the restart, Ryan Hunter-Reay took the race lead, after pitting several laps prior to the rest of the lead pack.
James Hinchcliffe, who ran in the top five for most of the race, brought out the second caution of the night.
This occurred when his No. 5 Arrow SPM Honda spun and made contact with the inside wall on the backstretch.
Another caution after @Hinchtown's incident on Lap 220. He was checked, cleared and released from the @TXMotorSpeedway care center.#INDYCAR // #DXC600 pic.twitter.com/6y71jQbxVf
— NTT IndyCar Series (@IndyCar) June 9, 2019
Dixon and Herta Get in a Twist
When the race got back under green, it was a tight battle between leader Josef Newgarden and Scott Dixon. However, Dixon’s race was put to an early end when he made contact with third-placed Colton Herta with just 20 left.
Dixon was unsighted, with Herta on the inside line. Subsequently, the two made contact at Turn 3 and ended both of their races.
The same crash also produced the biggest save of the night, when Alexander Rossi took the low line. Rossi narrowly avoided a collision with a spinning Herta, and caused everyone to hold their breath.
Save ? of ? the ? year ? from @AlexanderRossi ?#INDYCAR // #DXC600 pic.twitter.com/KGCfnKpKuQ
— NTT IndyCar Series (@IndyCar) June 9, 2019
Newgarden Keeps a Rampant Rossi at Bay
When the race got back underway, it was a battle between race leader Newgarden and second-place driver Rossi.
Despite a hard charge from Ryan Hunter-Reay on fresh tyres, the Andretti Autosport driver was unable to join his team-mate and challenge Newgarden for the lead.
Newgarden was able to make the bottom line unavailable to Rossi in the race’s closing laps, and held on for the win.
The victory marks Newgarden’s third of the season, and first ever on a ‘superspeedway’ track.
Despite a hard charge, Alexander Rossi would eventually cross the line in second-place, with Graham Rahal rounding out the podium in third.
After five consecutive weeks of on-track action, the teams and drivers of IndyCar will now take a well deserved break.
They will return to the track in two weeks time, as the NTT IndyCar Series heads over to Road America.
