PORTLAND — The first United States track Will Power ever drove at was Portland International Raceway.
Thirteen years later, the Australian finally conquered the circuit, winning the Grand Prix of Portland by more than 2 seconds on Sunday.
“I remember going down the back straightaway thinking ‘Wow, I can get paid to do this,’ ” Power recalled of his first experience at the track in 2005. He’s long wanted to taste victory lane at the same course. Not only because of his own history, but because of the sport’s history at PIR.
“Growing up as a kid, these are the tracks you looked at,” Power said. “These tracks are the ones you really want to win at just because of the history of the sport.”
The victory was Power’s 37th in the IndyCar Series, moving him into a tie with Sebastien Bourdais for sixth on the all-time wins list. Power led for 52 of Sunday’s 105 laps after starting the race on the front row with pole-winner Colton Herta.
Power had to wait out his chance as he sat in second or third through the first 50 laps behind Herta and Scott Dixon.
On lap 51, after Herta had already faded back into the pack, Power got his opportunity. Dixon went to pit row with a failing battery and Power coasted into a lead led he would hold rest of the way. He outlasted Felix Rosenqvist after a late caution that went back to green with just four laps left.
“Just drained and happy,” said Power, who has won two of the past three IndyCar races.
Portland’s opening turn wreaks havoc
Power called it a “standard” Portland beginning. For the second straight year since the IndyCar Series returned to the city after an 11-year hiatus, the opening chicane ended several drivers’ days. The 10-lap caution also made clear the two-stop strategy for every driver in the field, taking away some of the potential finishing allure.
“You can almost always count on someone braking late in that first chicane,” Power said. “People can’t help themselves.”
Graham Rahal was to blame this time, as he took the racing four-wide and broke late into the first turn, coming down into Zach Veach and collecting the cars of Takuma Sato, James Hinchcliffe and Conor Daly. Simon Pagenaud also took a hit off his back tire as he tried to evade the wreck.
“It’s a tricky place for sure; it’s a tricky surface to try to figure out,” said Rosenqvist, who was in front of the wreck. “But it’s good fun this track.”
Fortunately for series points leader Josef Newgarden, he was able to hit the brakes and stay out of trouble to maintain a sizable points lead heading into the final race at Laguna Seca in two weeks.
“It is a tough corner; it can sneak up on you,” Newgarden said of Portland’s famed opening. “For sure, there’s more history here of turn 1 incidents. But I like it here; I think it’s a great track.”
Newgarden will try to hold off Alexander Rossi, who finished third on Sunday. Newgarden placed fifth and will have a 41-point lead into the double-points weekend.
Notes
• Vancouver native Greg Biffle finished eighth in the Stadium Super Trucks race Sunday. Biffle placed third in Saturday’s race. This is his second season racing the off-road trucks, which features jumps and two-wheel turns. Sheldon Creed and Matt Brabham won Saturday and Sunday’s truck races, respectively.
• Bryan Ortiz won Saturday’s MX-5 Cup race, with John Dean taking Sunday’s checkered flag.
• In the USF2000, rookie Hunter McElrea won both Saturday and Sunday’s races.
• In the Indy Pro 2000 series, rookie Kyle Kirkwood earned the weekend sweep.
• Rinus Veekay won Saturday’s Indy Lights race, and pushed Toby Sowery to the wire on Sunday, before settling for second.
