Scott Dixon won for the fourth time - the third on a street circuit - in Race 1 of the Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston to slice Helio Castroneves' championship points lead from 49 to eight heading into the penultimate race of the IZOD IndyCar Series season.
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The second 90-lap race on the 1.683-mile, 10-turn course is at 1 p.m. (ET) Oct. 6. The final race Oct. 19 at the 2-mile Auto Club Speedway oval in Fontana, Calif., will mark the eighth consecutive year that the series title has been decided in the finale.
Castroneves started a season-low 21st and finished 18th in the No. 3 Shell Pennzoil Team Penske car. He developed a shifter issue early in the race and dropped nine laps behind during repairs on pit lane. He had been the only driver to complete all 2,003 laps entering the race.
Dixon has an average finish of 2.2 through five of the six races that constitute doubleheaders and 7.1 on street circuits. He can earn another SONAX Perfect Finish Award, adding $50,000 to the $100,000 he earned by sweeping the races at Exhibition Place in Toronto in July, with a victory in Race 2. Dixon's next victory will tie Al Unser Jr. for sixth on the all-time Indy car list with 34.
Dixon, who started third, pitted on Lap 64 just before a full-course caution for the stopped car of Oriol Servia. Will Power in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske car regained the point on the exchange, but he had to pit for the final time on Lap 73, which put Dixon back at the front of the field for the duration. He won under caution.
Simona De Silvestro finished a career-high second and Justin Wilson earned his fourth podium finish of the season.
Also on Oct. 5, Sage Karam held off Schmidt Peterson with Curb-Agajanian teammate Gabby Chaves to win the Firestone Indy Lights Grand Prix of Houston.
Karam's first road/street circuit victory, while three of the four fellow title contenders faltered in the penultimate race of the season, set up a winner-take-all scenario with Chaves at Auto Club Speedway on Oct. 19. Karam leads by 16 points.
Karam, who started from the pole in the No. 8 Schmidt Peterson with Curb Agajanian after the lineup was set by entrant points, led every lap in the timed race on the 1.683-mile, 10-turn course.
Carlos Munoz, who entered the race two points behind Karam, finished a season-low 12th and was eliminated from title contention. So was Jack Hawksworth, who was 11 points behind but finished sixth. Peter Dempsey also was eliminated.
DAY 2 NOTEBOOK:
SHELL & PENNZOIL GRAND PRIX OF HOUSTON RACE 1 SPECIFICS:
•The race distance is 90 laps on the 10-turn, 1.683-mile MD Anderson Cancer Center Speedway at Reliant Park.
•The race will be conducted without the chicane in Turn 1.
•The total fuel allotment is 75 gallons.
•Pit road speed limit is 50 mph.
•Lapped cars will be moved to the rear of the field on any restart with 10 or less laps remaining.
•Restarts will be single-file in both IZOD IndyCar Series races this weekend at the Shell & Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston. This change was made to ensure equal competition for cars as they travel through the repaired surface issue in Turn 1.
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SHELL & PENNZOIL GRAND PRIX OF HOUSTON RACE 1 RACE RUNNING:
Lap 1: STANDING START. First attempt aborted after #83 Kimball stalled. Drivers will make second attempt, with #83 Kimball starting from rear.
Lap 2: STANDING START (2nd attempt): GREEN, then YELLOW. #27 Hinchcliffe stalls. #20 Carpenter does half-spin on straightaway after clipping left side of Hinchcliffe's stalled car with right side of his car. Hinchcliffe, Carpenter climb from cars without assistance from Holmatro Safety Team.
•#20 Carpenter has no backup car at this event due to transporter fire Sept. 25. Team will analyze possible repairs of car damaged in start incident in Race 1.
•#14 Sato has led in four IZOD IndyCar Series races this season. He last led in June on the oval at Milwaukee.
#55 Vautier out of car due to contact.
Lap 7: Pole sitter and leader #14 Sato to pits due to deflating right-rear tire. #12 Power takes lead.
•#12 Power has led in 13 of 17 IZOD IndyCar Series races this season.
Lap 8: #83 Kimball to pits, four primary tires and fuel.
Lap 10: GREEN. Restart order: #12 Power, #9 Dixon, #77 Pagenaud, #78 De Silvestro, #98 Filippi. #12 Power leads #9 Dixon by .5364 of a second after full lap.
Lap 11: #15 Rahal to pits, four alternate tires and fuel.
Lap 13: #12 Power leads #9 Dixon by .6356 of a second. #3 Castroneves to pits, four alternate tires and fuel.
Lap 15: #10 Franchitti to pits, four alternate tires and fuel.
Lap 18: #12 Power leads #9 Dixon by .5334 of a second.
Lap 19: #11 Kanaan in runoff area in Turn 6 after large puff of smoke trails from car, continues.
Lap 20: #11 Kanaan in runoff area in Turn 8, continues to pits. Brake problem reported.
Lap 21: #6 Saavedra to pits, four alternate tires and fuel.
Lap 22: #3 Castroneves slow in Turn 4, reporting problems with shifting. #3 Castroneves to pits. Team replaces steering wheel, gear cluster in gearbox. #18 Conway to pits, four primary tires, fuel. #1 Hunter-Reay to pits, four alternate tires and fuel.
Lap 24: #19 Wilson to pits, four primary tires and fuel.
Lap 26: #25 Andretti to pits, four primary tires and fuel.
Lap 27: #12 Power leads #9 Dixon by .6197 of a second. #77 Pagenaud to pits, four primary tires and fuel.
Lap 29: #3 Castroneves still in pits for service, seven laps down.
Lap 31: #5 Viso to pits, four primary tires, fuel.
Lap 32: #3 Castroneves returns to race after losing nine laps during service in pits. #12 Power leads #9 Dixon by .5629 of a second. #4 Servia to pits, four alternate tires and fuel. #16 Jakes entered pits when team wasn't set up for stop. Team set up for stop, then removed equipment and tires from pit just before Jakes entered pits.
Lap 33: #16 Jakes returns to pits, four primary tires and fuel. #67 Newgarden to pits, four primary tires and fuel. Top five in running order are only running cars that have not stopped for service.
Lap 36: #9 Dixon to pits, four primary tires and fuel. #78 De Silvestro to pits, four alternate tires and fuel.
Lap 37: #12 Power to pits, four primary tires and fuel. #98 Filippi takes lead but enters pits before he was credited with leading lap, four primary tires and fuel. #9 Dixon passes #12 Power for lead after Power returns to track from pit stop.
•#9 Dixon has led in six IZOD IndyCar Series races this season. He last led in August on the road course at Sonoma.
Lap 38: #14 Sato black-flagged upon request from team due to broken radio. #15 Rahal to pits, four alternate tires and fuel.
Lap 39: YELLOW. #10 Franchitti spins, stalls in Turn 3. #83 Kimball to pits, four alternate tires and fuel.
Lap 42: #10 Franchitti to pits, four primary tires and fuel.
Lap 43: #15 Rahal to pits, four primary tires and fuel. #25 Andretti to pits, four primary tires and fuel.
Lap 45: GREEN. Restart order: #9 Dixon, #12 Power, #77 Pagenaud, #98 Filippi, #7 Bourdais. Single-file restart.
Top 10 at halfway: #9 Dixon, #12 Power, #98 Filippi, #7 Bourdais, #78 De Silvestro, #77 Pagenaud, #1 Hunter-Reay, #5 Viso, #83 Kimball, #4 Servia.
Lap 50: #9 Dixon leads #12 Power by 3.0151 seconds.
Lap 54: #9 Dixon leads #12 Power by 2.6660 seconds.
Lap 55: #19 Wilson to pits, four primary tires and fuel. #20 Carpenter to pits after extensive repairs in paddock.
Lap 56: #15 Rahal to pits, four primary tires and fuel. #6 Saavedra to pits, four primary tires and fuel.
Lap 57: #1 Hunter-Reay to pits, four primary tires and fuel. Observers report sour engine sound on #1 Hunter-Reay. Team reports gear-shifting problem. #16 Jakes to pits, four alternate tires and fuel. #18 Conway to pits, four primary tires and fuel.
Lap 58: #14 Sato to pits, four primary tires and fuel.
Lap 59: #67 Newgarden to pits, four primary tires and fuel. #1 Hunter-Reay out of race with electrical problems.
Lap 61: #77 Pagenaud to pits, four primary tires and fuel. #78 De Silvestro to pits, four primary tires and fuel.
Lap 63: #6 Saavedra assessed drive-through penalty for running over air hose on pit stop on Lap 56. #6 Saavedra serves penalty.
Lap 64: #9 Dixon to pits, four primary tires and fuel, just before YELLOW. #4 Servia stopped at exit of Turn 3. #12 Power takes lead. #83 Kimball to pits, four alternate tires and fuel. #4 Servia towed to pits.
Lap 68: #7 Bourdais to pits, four primary tires and fuel. #25 Andretti to pits, four primary tires and fuel. #5 Viso to pits, four scuffed primary tires and fuel. #83 Kimball to pits, four primary tires and fuel.
Lap 71: GREEN. Restart order: #12 Power, #98 Filippi, #9 Dixon, #77 Pagenaud, #78 De Silvestro. Single-file restart. #12 Power leads #98 Filippi by 1.0202 seconds.
Lap 73: YELLOW. #14 Sato hits tire barriers in Turn 3 with right side of car. #3 Castroneves stopped in runoff area in Turn 3 moments after Sato's contact. #12 Power to pits, four primary tires and fuel. #98 Filippi to pits, four primary tires and fuel. #9 Dixon takes lead, #78 De Silvestro second, #19 Wilson third. Power returns to race in 11th place, Filippi 13th.
Lap 75: #20 Carpenter black-flagged upon request from team due to broken radio.
Lap 78: GREEN. Restart order: #9 Dixon, #78 De Silvestro, #19 Wilson, #77 Pagenaud, #67 Newgarden. Single-file restart. #9 Dixon leads #78 De Silvestro by 3.9322 seconds after full lap.
Lap 79: YELLOW. #3 Castroneves stopped on outside edge of Turn 3, continues.
Lap 81: GREEN. Restart order: #9 Dixon, #78 De Silvestro, #19 Wilson, #77 Pagenaud, #67 Newgarden. Single-file restart. #9 Dixon leads #78 De Silvestro by 2.7759 seconds after full lap.
Lap 82: Top-three remaining push-to-pass: #9 Dixon 5, #78 De Silvestro 4, #19 Wilson 7.
Lap 83: #9 Dixon leads #78 De Silvestro by 3.3252 seconds.
Lap 84: #9 Dixon leads #78 De Silvestro by 3.3604 seconds.
Lap 85: #14 Sato out of race with handling problem.
Lap 87: #18 Conway hits barriers in Turn 9 with right-front wheel. #9 Dixon leads #78 De Silvestro by 1.3786 seconds.
Lap 88: YELLOW. #18 Conway stopped in Turn 9.
Lap 90: CHECKERED. #9 Scott Dixon wins Race 1 of Shell & Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston under caution. #78 Simona De Silvestro finished second, #19 Justin Wilson third.
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SHELL & PENNZOIL GRAND PRIX OF HOUSTON RACE 1 POST-RACE NOTES:
•Scott Dixon earned his fourth victory of the season. His previous wins came in succession in July at Pocono and sweeping the double-header at Toronto.
•Scott Dixon earned his 33rd career Indy car victory, seventh on the all-time list. Al Unser Jr. is sixth with 34.
•Scott Dixon is eligible for the SONAX Perfect Finish Award and a $50,000 bonus if he wins Sunday to sweep the double-header. Dixon earned that award and a $100,000 bonus for sweeping the Toronto double-header since no driver won both races at the first double-header of the season at Detroit.
•Scott Dixon made his first career start at Reliant Park today. He finished 18th in his only start on the downtown Houston street circuit in 2001.
•Simona de Silvestro finished a career-best second, her first IZOD IndyCar Series podium result. Her previous best was fourth in 2011 on the street circuit in St. Petersburg.
•Justin Wilson placed third, his fourth podium finish this season.
•This is Justin Wilson's career-best finish at Reliant Park. His previous best in two starts was fifth in 2006.
•Simon Pagenaud placed fourth, his fifth top-five finish this season. Pagenaud has finished in the top five at the last four races.
•Josef Newgarden placed fifth, his fourth top-five finish this season.
•Helio Castroneves finished 18th, his worst result of the season. His previous low was 13th at Sao Paulo.
•Rookie Luca Filippi finished 10th, his first top-10 result in three IZOD IndyCar Series starts this season. His previous best was 16th in his series debut at Mid-Ohio.
•Helio Castroneves finished 10 laps behind winner Scott Dixon, the first time this season he has not finished on the lead lap. Castroneves was the only driver who had completed all 2,003 laps of competition this season entering this event.
