Will Power passed Ryan Hunter-Reay with less than four minutes to go to win the Sao Paulo Indy 300, which was finished on time due to a lengthy red flag for severe weather on Lap 36.
Hunter-Reay took over the lead with less than 15 minutes left after Ryan Briscoe locked up his brakes going into Turn 5 and skidded into the tire barriers. But Power — the newest full-time member of Team Penske and a driver returning to action after a season-ending crash last August — was laying in wait, and after making a big run on Hunter-Reay down the nearly mile-long backstretch, he passed the Andretti Autosport driver on the inside of the hairpin Turn 11 and pulled away to the checkered flag.
A.J. Foyt Racing’s Vitor Meira, who was also making his own comeback after a season-ending crash at last year’s Indy 500, charged to third place in the closing minutes to have the host country of Brazil represented on the podium. Another Brazilian, Luczo Dragon/De Ferran Racing’s Raphael Matos, finished fourth, and Dan Wheldon brought home a fifth-place result for Panther Racing.
A full recap will be available tonight on IndyRacingRevolution.com!
