IndyCar Grand Prix of Alabama 2016 – Barber Motorsports Park Simon Pgenaud! (In Three Acts)
The Polesitter: Having posted the fastest lap with an average speed of 124.089 mph, Simon Pagenaud and the #22 PPG Automotive Refinish / Team Penske Chevrolet claimed the Verizon P1 award and began the race in the same place he would finish.
Flawless Performance: Leading the pack for 84 out of 90 laps…and missing those six due to an incidental contact between himself and the only other car on the track that day who had any chance of challenging him, the #15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda (ED: nice to see a Honda in the Top 5) as driven by Graham Rahal…THEN overtaking Rahal to regain the lead.
Back to Back Wins: Yes, when Pagenaud says he is so comfortable in the car his team has given him, this performance highlights what a pairing of optimally tuned entities can do. He currently leads the points standings with 180 ahead of Scott Dixon (140) and Juan Pablo Montoya (136).
Elsewhere…
Push to Pass: But only if you have a clear track ahead. Graham Rahal is probably still kicking himself for pressing that button. It propelled him into the rear of Jack Hawksworth’s #41 ABC Supply Company / A.J.Foyt Enterprises Honda and damaged his (Rahal’s) front wing. That cost his #15 Rahal Letterman Racing Honda some velocity and gave Pagenaud the chance to overtake him.
The Top 5 Drivers
1. Simon Pagenaud driving the #22 PPG Automotive Refinish Team Penske Chevrolet
2. Graham Rahal driving the #15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda
3. Josef Newgarden driving the #21 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
4. Will Power driving the #12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet
5. Juan Pablo Montoya driving the #2 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet
On The Horizon…
KV Racing Technology announced a third entry for the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 (presented by PennGrade Motor Oil). Stefan Wilson (brother of the late Justin Wilson) will join Matthew Brabham and Sebastien Bourdais in pursuit of the checkered flag.