Charlie Kimball overtook Simon Pagenaud at the end of the long backstretch on Lap 73 of 90 and went on to win the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio for his first IZOD IndyCar Series victory.
The Camarillo, Calif., native is the ninth different winner in 14 races this season and the fourth first-time winner. In the previous five seasons, there were five total first-time winners. Four different teams were represented in the top five.
"It's nice when the team gives you such a great car," said Kimball, who started fifth in the Honda-powered No. 83 NovoLog FlexPen Chip Ganassi Racing car on the 2.258-mile, 13-turn road course. "All I needed to do was to hit the lap times they needed me to."
Kimball led a field-high 46 laps in the caution-free race (the first since Mid-Ohio last year). Through his previous 44 starts, he led a total of 15 laps (12 this season).
Kimball, who pitted for the third and final time on Lap 65, caught the front-running Pagenaud on the backstretch on Lap 73 seconds after Pagenaud exited pit lane for his final service stop. On cold tires, Pagenaud couldn't hold off the charging Kimball.
"Simon was on a similar strategy," added Kimball, the only licensed IndyCar driver with type 1 diabetes. "I caught traffic at just some of the wrong times, so that meant that he came out of pit lane ahead of us. But we had the momentum to take the lead and make the pass for what turned out to be the win."
Pagenaud was 5.533 seconds behind Kimball to record his first podium finish since winning Race 2 of the Detroit doubleheader weekend in early June. Dario Franchitti finished third in the No. 10 GE car for Target Chip Ganassi Racing to provide Honda a podium sweep. Will Power finished fourth and pole sitter Ryan Hunter-Reay was fifth.
Helio Castroneves finished sixth - three-tenths of a second ahead of Scott Dixon - to increase his championship points lead over the two-time series champion to 31 with five races remaining. Hunter-Reay is third (65 points back) heading to the Aug. 25 GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma.
Also on Aug. 4 at Mid-Ohio, pole sitter Gabby Chaves led all 40 laps to win the Firestone Indy Lights Mid-Ohio 100 for his first victory in the series.
Chaves, driving the No. 7 Schmidt Peterson with Curb-Agajanian car, had three second-place finishes and three third-place finishes in the eight previous races. Peter Dempsey finished second in the No. 5 Belardi Auto Racing car.
DAY 3 NOTEBOOK:
Johnny Rutherford won the first Indy car race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 1980 - a fact that is etched in the auto racing record book.
"I was driving for Jim Hall with the Chaparral team and Jim had a string of victories here. He had never lost a race with the Cam-Ams or the Trans-Ams or whatever he raced here," said Rutherford, who drives the Honda Civic si Safety Car for the IZOD IndyCar Series. "When I won in '80, he told about it. I said, 'Thanks, boss.' Thank goodness I didn't know until after the race.''
Rutherford's victory in the Red Roof Inn 150 on Aug. 13 followed the last of his three Indianapolis 500 victories 10 weeks earlier. In fact, the Mid-Ohio race was the last under USAC sanction and Rutherford won three of the five that season. The remainder of the season was run under CART sanction, and he went on to earn the championship.
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Austin Cindric, who competes in Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda for Andretti Autosport, is adding to his family's memories at Mid-Ohio.
The 14-year-old resident of Mooresville, N.C., finished ninth in the third USF2000 race on the racetrack owned for four decades by his grandfather, Jim Trueman, and the Trueman family after his death in 1986.
Cindric's father is Penske Racing president Tim Cindric.
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Animal expert Jack Hanna rode in the INDYCAR Experience 2-Seater this morning with racing legend Mario Andretti.
JACK HANNA (Honda Indy 200 Grand Marshal): (About riding in the INDYCAR Experience 2-Seater): "Having worked with the animal world for 40 years and the shows all over the world, diving with Great Whites, Tiger Sharks, going to the Himalayans, all this stuff, and this is the epitome. I learned to race here at Mid-Ohio in the 1980s. I was in the Columbus 500 in the Firehawk Series. Jimmy Gurney, Dan's son, was one of my partners. I swung around and it got to be serious because the car caught on fire. My Dad, who was 6 (feet) 6 (inches) said, "Jack, that's it, buddy. You're out of the will if you do this ever again," and he was dead serious. I never got back in a race car until just now. I didn't know what happened. How fast did I go around that track? Three-quarters (pace)? I can't take anymore. It makes you appreciate what this is all about. You can sit there and watch it on TV and Graham Rahal is my godson. I've known Bobby (Rahal) since he first started and you hear about it from them but getting in that car and doing this, you didn't even have time to think. What would have happened if something had happened? You wouldn't even know it. That must be what a bullet feels like." (About meeting Mario Andretti): "If I knew how old he was, I wouldn't have gotten in the car. It was amazing to be with someone you grew up with and watched. He's the world's greatest. It's like when I met John Glenn. You're meeting someone who is history. He's a legend. He's history. I'm very proud to meet someone like that."
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Garrett Grist won the third race of the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship powered by Mazda this morning at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
Grist beat points leader Scott Hargrove for his first victory in the series. Grist, who is from Canada, drives for Andretti Autosport.
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Matthew Brabham won the 25-lap Pro Mazda Championship presented by Cooper Tires race this morning, completing a sweep of both events for the series this weekend at Mid-Ohio.
Brabham beat Diego Ferreira to the checkered flag for his ninth victory this season in an Andretti Autosport car. Brabham is the son of Le Mans 24 Hours winner Geoff Brabham and the grandson of three-time Formula One World Champion Sir Jack Brabham.
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IZOD INDYCAR SERIES WARMUP
At 11 a.m., the ambient temperature was 64 degrees with a relative humidity of 66 percent and winds from the north at 10 mph. Skies were party sunny. The track temperature was 85 degrees, according to Firestone engineers.
11 a.m. - Session on hold for track cleanup. Session will be for the full 30 minutes once it begins
11:01 a.m. - GREEN. #9 Dixon is first on track.
11:14 a.m. - RED FLAG. #55 Vautier off course in Turn 5 with a fire onboard his car. Vautier climbs from the car and fire is extinguished by Holmatro Safety Team.
11:22 a.m. - GREEN.
11:25 a.m. - LOCAL YELLOW. #5 Viso spins in Turn 2. RED FLAG.
11:29 a.m. - GREEN.
11:31 a.m. - CHECKERED.
IZOD INDYCAR SERIES DRIVERS' MEETING NOTES:
Cars will start/restart with grid Drivers Right
Pace car will pull off second time by for the start of the race
When the leader crosses start/finish on the start, the lap count will begin.
Field is under the control of the leader and must pair up coming out of Turn 1
Restart cones are located just coming out of the keyhole at Drivers Right and the cutoff road Drivers Right
Leader will begin acceleration in the restart zone. The green flag will not fly until the leader accelerates on the backstretch.
Most likely see Full Course Yellow, Pits Open for incidents in the gravel in Turn 2 and 4 or a car in the tires in Turn 12
Most likely see Full Course Yellow, Pits Closed for hard impacts in Turn 9
Pit In - Don't decelerate online with anyone behind you
Pit Out - Stay to the right until Turn 2
If you need to be restarted, be patient. Race control will work with the safety team to get cars started as quickly as possible but be patient and wait for their signal to restart and then to go.
Under Full Course Yellow be sure to leave room for the safety team to work
Most be proactive, not reactive. Must leave room.
If you're right coming of the kink, you must stay right going into Turn 4
Backstraight has a natural line that they'll be watching.
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#25Marco Andretti, #77 Simon Pagenaud, #16 James Jakes, #5 E.J. Viso, #14 Takuma Sato, #4 Oriol Servia, #67 Josef Newgarden, #11 Tony Kanaan and #20 Ed Carpenter are the only drivers who will start the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio on Firestone primary "black" tires. The other 15 drivers will start on Firestone alternate "red" tires.
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IZOD IndyCar Series officials announced the following team will receive a 10-spot grid penalties for today's race for an unapproved engine change:
#55 Vautier (Rule 15.5.1)
15.5.1. (Minimum mileage): Engine was changed before minimum mileage threshold ("Change-Out Mileage") of 2,000 miles.
HONDA INDY 200 at MID-OHIO RACE SPECIFICS:
The race is 90 laps, 203.22 miles on the 13-turn, 2.258-mile road course.
The pit road speed limit is 50 mph.
Pole sitter Ryan Hunter-Reay will grid drivers' left.
The green flag to start the race will be shown the third time by the start- line.
The E85 ethanol allotment for today's race is 75 gallons.
Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Johnny Rutherford will drive the Honda Civic si Safety Car.
There will be no tow-ins or returns from the garage within the final 15 minutes of the race.
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HONDA INDY 200 AT MID-OHIO RACE RUNNING:
At 3:30 p.m., the ambient temperature was 59 degrees with a relative humidity of 57 percent and winds from the northeast at 3 mph. Skies were partly cloudy. The track temperature was 105 degrees, according to Firestone engineers.
Estimated fuel window: 26 laps, but stops could occur from Lap 12
Lap 1: GREEN. #1 Hunter-Reay leads the field into Turn 1. #12 Power and #9 Dixon are second and third.
Lap 3: #83 Kimball passes #25 Andretti for fourth place in Turn 4. #1 Hunter-Reay leads #12 Power by 1.446 seconds.
Lap 5: #1 Hunter-Reay leads #12 Power by 1.3313 seconds.
Lap 7: #1 Hunter-Reay leads #12 Power by 1.283 seconds.
Lap 9: #1 Hunter-Reay leads #12 Power by 0.891 of a second. #27 Hinchcliffe on pit road for four red tires and fuel.
Lap 10: #55 Vautier on pit road for four black tires and fuel.
Lap 11: #1 Hunter-Reay leads #12 Power by 1.546 seconds.
Lap 12: #11 Kanaan on pit road for four red tires and fuel.
Lap 13: #1 Hunter-Reay leads #12 Power by 1.655 seconds.
Lap 15: #14 Sato and #4 Servia on pit road for four tires and fuel. #1 Hunter-Reay leads #12 Power by 1.671 seconds.
Lap 16: #3 Castroneves, #25 Andretti and #98 Filippi on pit road for four tires and fuel.
Lap 18: #1 Hunter-Reay leads #12 Power by 1.229 seconds.
Lap 19: #83 Kimball on pit road for four tires and fuel.
Lap 20: #1 Hunter-Reay leads #12 Power by 1.135 seconds.
Lap 22: #1 Hunter-Reay leads #12 Power by 0.771 of a second. #15 Rahal and #6 Saavedra on pit road for four tires and fuel.
Lap 23: #7 Bourdais on pit road for four tires and fuel.
Lap 24: #1 Hunter-Reay leads #12 Power by 1.128 seconds. #16 Jakes on pit road for four tires and fuel.
Lap 25: #77 Pagenaud, #18 Davison and #67 Newgarden on pit road for four tires and fuel. #1 Hunter-Reay leads #12 Power by 1.122 seconds.
Lap 26: #19 Wilson on pit road for four tires and fuel.
Lap 27: #1 Hunter-Reay leads #12 Power by 1.121 seconds.
Lap 29: #10 Franchitti on pit road for four tires and fuel.
Lap 30: Leaders #1 Hunter-Reay, #12 Power and #9 Dixon on pit road for four tires and fuel. New leader is #83 Kimball.
Lap 33: #83 Kimball leads #27 Hinchcliffe by 3.290 seconds. #1 Hunter-Reay, #12 Power and #9 Dixon rejoined in fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively.
Lap 35: #83 Kimball leads #27 Hinchcliffe by 8.752 seconds. #27 Hinchcliffe on pit road for four tires and fuel. He rejoins in 16th position. #55 Vautier also on pit road for four tires and fuel.
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` Charlie Kimball is leading his fifth race of 2013
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Lap 37: #83 Kimball leads #83 Pagenaud by 12.363 seconds.
Lap 39: #11 Kanaan and #14 Sato on pit road for four red tires and fuel. #83 Kimball leads #77 Pagenaud by 12.600 seconds.
Lap 40: #5 Viso and #4 Servia on pit road for four tires and fuel
Lap 41: #25 Andretti on pit road for four red tires and fuel.
Lap 42: #83 Kimball on pit road for four tires and fuel. New leader is #77 Pagenaud. #19 Wilson,# 3 Castroneves, #7 Bourdais on pit road for four tires and fuel. #83 Kimball rejoins in second place.
Lap 43: #77 Pagenaud leads #83 Kimball by 18.898 seconds.
Lap 44: #10 Franchitti and #78 De Silvestro on pit road for four tire and fuel .#67 Newgarden on pit road. Crew is looking at the right rear corner.
Lap 45: Half distance: #77 Pagenaud leads #83 Kimball by 20.635 seconds.
Lap 47: Leader #77 Pagenaud on pit road for four black tires and fuel. New leader is #83 Kimball. #15 Rahal on pit road for four black tires and fuel. Pagenaud rejoined in second
Lap 48: #9 Dixon on pit road for four black tires and fuel.
Lap 49: #83 Kimball leads #77 Pagenaud by 5.575 seconds.
Lap 50: #83 Kimball leads #77 Pagenaud by 5.293 seconds.
Lap 52: #83 Kimball leads #77 Pagenaud by 4.730 seconds. Leader is working lap traffic.
Lap 54: #83 Kimball leads #77 Pagenaud by 4.964 seconds. #1 Hunter-Reay is third 15.617 seconds back.
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Charlie Kimball has led 19 laps, so far. Prior to today, Kimball has only led 15 laps in his Indy car career.
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Lap 57: #83 Kimball leads #77 Pagenaud by 4.494 seconds. #1 Hunter-Reay is third 16.587 seconds back.
Lap 59: #83 Kimball leads #77 Pagenaud by 4.444 seconds. #1 Hunter-Reay is third 17.384 seconds back.
Lap 60: #1 Hunter-Reay and #12 Power on pit road for four tires and fuel. Power beats Hunter-Reay off pit road as Hunter-Reay has a slow stop with a fueling issue after car missed its pit box.
Lap 61: #83 Kimball leads #77 Pagenaud by 4.535 seconds.
Lap 63: #83 Kimball leads #77 Pagenaud by 4.143 seconds.
Lap 64: #27 Hinchcliffe on pit road for four tires and fuel. He rejoins in 15th place. #83 Kimball leads #77 Pagenaud by 4.143 seconds.
Lap 65: Leader #83 Kimball on pit road for four tires and fuel. New leader is #77 Pagenaud. #83 Kimball rejoins in second spot. #11 Kanaan pulls off course in Turns 1-3. Driver reports loose tire.
Lap 66: #3 Castroneves, #7 Bourdais on pit road for four tires and fuel.
Lap 67: #77 Pagenaud leads #83 by 22.795 seconds.
Lap 68: #78 De Silvestro on pit road for four tires and fuel.
Lap 69: #10 Franchitti on pit road for four tire and fuel. #77 Pagenaud leads #83 Kimball by 23.196 seconds.
Lap 71: #77 Pagenaud leads #83 Kimball by 23.771 seconds.
Lap 72: Leader, #77 Pagenaud on pit lane for four red tires and fuel.
Lap 73: #77 Pagenaud rejoins just in front of #83 Kimball. #83 Kimball runs wide in Turn 1 and completes the pass in the Esses between Turns 4 and 5.
Lap 75: #83 Kimball leads #77 Pagenaud by 3.920 seconds.
Lap 77: #83 Kimball leads #77 Pagenaud by 3.986 seconds.
Lap 79: #83 Kimball leads #77 Pagenaud by 4.864 seconds.
Lap 81: #83 Kimball leads #77 Pagenaud by 4.864 seconds. #10 Franchitti is 26.772 seconds behind the leader.
Lap 83: #83 Kimball leads #77 Pagenaud by 5.570 seconds.
Lap 85: #83 Kimball leads #77 Pagenaud by 4.814 seconds.
Lap 87: #83 Kimball leads #77 Pagenaud by 5.069 seconds.
Lap 89: WHITE: #83 Kimball leads #77 Pagenaud by 5.570 seconds.
Lap 90: CHECKERED: #83 Charlie Kimball wins the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio by 5.533 seconds over #77 Simon Pagenaud. #10 Dario Franchitti is third. It is Kimball's first IZOD IndyCar Series win.
HONDA INDY 200 AT MID-OHIO POST-RACE NOTES:
Charlie Kimball earned his first career Indy car victory, . His previous best finish was second (Pocono 2013, Toronto 2012)
Charlie Kimball led 46 laps today, the most he's ever led in an IZOD IndyCar Series race.
The win came in Kimball's 45th career IZOD IndyCar Series start
This is only Kimball's second start at Mid-Ohio. He missed 2012 race at Mid-Ohio due to injury sustained during testing. Giorgio Pantano substituted for Kimball in the 83 car that year.
This is the fifth consecutive win for Chip Ganassi Racing at Mid-Ohio.
Simon Pagenaud finished second, his second podium finish of the season. He won at Belle Isle 2. It is his second straight podium finish at Mid-Ohio
Dario Franchitti finished third, his sixth career podium finish at Mid-Ohio and his fourth-consecutive
top-four finish of the season.
Helio Castroneves has finished in the top-10 at 13 of 14 races this season. His only finish outside of the top-10 was 13th at Sao Paulo.
This is the first caution-free IZOD IndyCar Series race since mid-ohio 2012 (august 5, 2012). The 1984, 1985 and 1993 Indy car races at Mid-Ohio were caution free.
Charlie Kimball is the ninth different winner this season (Hinchcliffe, Hunter-Reay, Sato, Kanaan, Conway, Pagenaud, Castroneves, Dixon, Kimball).
Kimball is the fourth first-time winner this season (Hinchcliffe, Sato, Pagenaud, Kimball).
The next IZOD IndyCar Series race is the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma on Aug. 25 at Sonoma Raceway. The race will be televised live at 4 p.m. (ET) by NBC Sports Network and broadcast by the IMS Radio Network, including on Sirius and XM Channels 211, www.indycar.com and the INDYCAR 13 App for most smartphones and tablets. The next Firestone Indy Lights race is the Baltimore 100 on Sept. 1 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The race will be televised
