The Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama Green Flag waved 2 hours, 30 minutes late, but for Ryan Hunter-Reay it was well worth the wait.
Hunter-Reay, driving the No. 28 DHL car, led Andretti Autosport teammate Marco Andretti across the finish line under caution to win at Barber
"I've been anxious (to compete) since we left Long Beach," said Hunter-Reay, who started from the pole in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 13 but was involved in a multi-car incident on Lap 56 of 80 that dropped him to the rear of the field. "With the rain and the wet conditions on how we started out there, it was tough. Then we went to the Firestone reds, and man - on a wet surface that was just really tough to keep the car on track. Once we got out front though, we started checking out and it was a dream to drive the DHL car.
"(Long Beach) should have been a great result, but we got it today."
It was the 12th IndyCar victory for Hunter-Reay, who moved 18 points behind championship leader Will Power heading into the inaugural May 10 Grand Prix of Indianapolis on the reconfigured road course. Hunter-Reay capitalized on a Lap 16 mistake by Power, the pole sitter, whose No. 12 Verizon Team Penske car slid off the wet road course in Turn 5. Power, also a two-time winner at Barber, quickly recovered but was 4.0830 seconds behind at the completion of the lap.
Marco Andretti, who started ninth in the No. 25 Snapple car, went almost the entire distance without radio communication with his pit lane crew. He overtook Power for second on the Lap 34 restart and held off repeated challenges by reigning Verizon IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon.
Dixon, the runner-up in each of the previous four races finished third ahead of Simon Pagenaud and Will Power. Power and Pagenaud are the only two drivers with top five finishes in every race.
DAY 3 NOTEBOOK
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INDYCAR has penalized Honda 10 manufacturer's points for an unapproved engine change in violation of Rule 16.5.1 (engine change under mileage) for #18 Huertas.
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HONDA INDY GRAND PRIX OF ALABAMA RACE SPECIFICS:
•The race is 90 laps, 214.2 miles on the 17-turn, 2.38 -mile road course course.
•The race will become a timed race of two hours if there are wet conditions.
•The pit road speed limit is 50 mph.
•Pole sitter Will Power will grid drivers' right.
•The green flag to start the race will be show the second time by the start-finish line.
•Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Johnny Rutherford will drive the Honda Civic SI Safety Car.
•The race leader will accelerate exiting Turn 17 on restarts.
•There will be no tow-ins or returns from the garage within 15 minutes of the checkered flag
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Though he hails from Beaver Falls, Pa., Alabama claims Joe Namath as one of its own.
The former Crimson Tide quarterback and Pro Football Hall of Famer served as the grand marshal of the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama.
Namath toured the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum and the Verizon IndyCar Series paddock, pausing every few steps to pose for photos with fans wearing Alabama crimson and white shirts (and even a few in Auburn gear) and drivers.
He joined Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing driver Josef Newgarden and a chef from Taste of the South Magazine for a brief beef-and-veggie kabob cooking demonstration on the Namath Rapid Cooker before INDYCAR CEO Mark Miles presented him with a spare rear wing endfence from the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske car of Will Power (Namath's jersey number in college and in the pros, which was retired by the New York Jets).
A.J. Foyt and Joe NamathNamath chatted racing with Roger Penske and feigned being starstruck when introduced to A.J. Foyt, who signed a circa 1960s racing helmet "It's hell getting old" and presented it to the 1969 Super Bowl-winning QB.
"To meet people that I was a fan of growing up, starting with A.J., is something else," said Namath, 70. "To see the young guys such as Josef Newgarden out there doing their thing surrounded by the teams ... it's amazing what they do in these super race cars."
Namath said he was "honored and excited" to take it all in while being "at home," and humbled to represent the Arthritis Foundation of Alabama, which received a $25,000 check from ZOOM Motorsports President and CEO Gene Hallman.
"Health may be our most taken for granted luxury, and I'm here to say don't take it for granted and take care of yourself," Namath said. "Life is a team game, and in most sports it's teams that are putting things together. So all of us (have to) continue to work together to help support those whose health might not be as good as ours."
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The Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation will present four-time Verizon IndyCar Series champion and three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti with the Legendary Driver Award during the 15th Racing to Recovery Gala on May 24.
A highlight of the event will be a live and silent auction, with proceeds directed to the support spinal cord injury research and the foundation's mission to find a cure for paralysis. For more information, call 317-236-9999 or visit www.samschmidt.org.
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A.J. Foyt will miss the April 30 Verizon IndyCar Series Open Test on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course to attend the Kentucky Derby.
Foyt's best shot at the Derby was his horse "Rare Brick," who passed away in December at age 30. Unbeaten in eight races, the stallion, who had been favored to win the 1986 Arkansas Derby (the prelim for the Kentucky Derby), had to be pulled from the competition 10 days earlier because of an ankle injury. He was ridden by Mike Smith and Pat Day. Rare Brick sired 27 stakes winners.
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Takuma Sato and a Japanese photographer chuckled about the menu at an upscale Japanese restaurant in Birmingham last year. The item was supposed to be "Specialty Rolls" but what was written in Japanese was "Rolling Specialist" or "Rolling Professor."
"It was just a 'Lost in Translation' item on the menu. We had a laugh about it because I translated back to English so we could share what it says in Japanese. We always find a Japanese restaurant, whether it is a proper one or not, as we usually go for Japanese food at least once on a race weekend," Sato said.
HONDA INDY GRAND PRIX OF ALABAMA PRE-RACE:
Rain began falling during the Indy Lights race and a severe thunderstorm hit the facility at approximately 1 p.m., the start of today's race is on a weather hold due to the lightning in the area.
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Race has been declared a wet start by INDYCAR officials. All teams must use rain tires to start the race and there is no alternate tire rule in use for today's race.
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At 4:15 p.m., the ambient temperature was 63 degrees with a relative humidity of 100 percent and winds from the northeast at 1 mph. Skies were cloudy. The track temperature was 69 degrees, according to Firestone engineers.
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Updated race specifics: Race will go green the third time by the flag stand for a 100-minute timed race. Estimated fuel window is approximately 30 laps under wet conditions.
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4:30 p.m. - Pro football Hall of Famer Joe Namath, the race's grand marshall, gave the command "Gentlemen, start your engines." All cars have started and are rolling on the grid.
HONDA INDY GRAND PRIX OF ALABAMA RACE RUNNING:
Lap 1: GREEN. After a delay of 2 hours, 26 minutes, #12 Power leads the field into Turn 1. #14 Sato is stalled off course in Turn 11. FULL COURSE YELLOW. #14 Sato is restarted by the Holmatro Safety Team and has rejoined the race.
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#12 Will Power is the only driver to lead in each of the five Verizon IndyCar Series races held at Barber Motorsports Park.
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Lap 3: GREEN. #12 Power leads the field into Turn 1.
Lap 5: #12 Power leads #28 Hunter-Reay by 2.1952 seconds.
Lap 8: #12 Power leads #28 Hunter-Reay by 3.0725 seconds. #11 Kanaan now running 14th after starting 23rd.
Lap 10: #12 Power leads #28 Hunter-Reay by 5.0305 seconds.
Lap 13: #12 Power leads #28 Hunter-Reay by 3.9952 seconds.
Lap 16: Leader #12 Power runs wide and is off course in Turn 5. #28 Hunter-Reay takes the lead of the race.
Lap 17: #28 Hunter-Reay leads #12 Power by 3.6299 seconds.
Lap 18: #16 Servia on pit road for four red tires and fuel.
Lap 20: #28 Hunter-Reay leads #12 Power by 2.9431 seconds.
Lap 21: FULL COURSE YELLOW. #7 Aleshin spins in Turn 5 after contact with #11 Bourdais. Pits are closed. Car is assisted by Holmatro Safety Team and rejoins the race. Leaders under yellow are: #28 Hunter-Reay, #12 Power, #27 Hinchcliffe, #2 Montoya, #3 Castroneves.
Lap 22: Pits are open. Leaders on pit road for four tires and fuel. #17 Saavedra does not stop and inherits the lead. Most of the field takes dry red tires. Hunter-Reay wins race off of pit road followed by #12 Power. #3 Castroneves stopped in pit of #19 Wilson. #34 Munoz is stopped on course after making contact with the barrier in Turn 7. Driver has climbed from the car with out assistance from the Holmatro Safety Team.
Lap 26: GREEN. #17 Saavedra leads the field into Turn 1.
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Verizon IndyCar Series officials have penalized #11 Bourdais with a drive-through for contact on Lap 21 with #7 Aleshin. #3 Castroneves has also been assessed a stop and go for entering wrong pit on Lap 22.
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Lap 27: FULL COURSE YELLOW. #2 Montoya is off course in Turn 11. Pits are closed. Montoya is assisted by the Holmatro Safety Team and rejoins the race.
Lap 28: #2 Montoya on pit road for service following his off. Team took time to look at the radio due to communications issues.
Lap 31: GREEN. #17 Saavedra leads the field into Turn 1. FULL COURSE YELLOW. #18 Huertas is stopped off course in Turn 7. Pits are closed.
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This is the second race that #17 Saavedra has led this season. He led 3 laps at Long Beach.
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Lap 32: #3 Castroneves, #14 Sato, #20 Conway on pit road for four tires and fuel.
Lap 34: GREEN. #17 Saavedra leads the field into Turn 1. #17 Saavedra on pit road for four red tires and fuel. #3 Castroneves and #11 Bourdais on pit road to serve penalties. New leader is #28 Hunter-Reay.
Lap 36: #28 Hunter-Reay leads #25 Andretti by 1.9135 seconds.
Lap 39: #28 Hunter-Reay leads #25 Andretti by 4.2032 seconds.
Lap 42: #28 Hunter-Reay leads #25 Andretti by 4.2098 seconds.
Lap 44: #15 Rahal on pit road for four tires and fuel.
Lap 45: #28 Hunter-Reay leads #25 Andretti by 3.2346 seconds.
Lap 46: #34 Munoz has returned to the race. #3 Castroneves and #11 Bourdais on pit road for four tires and fuel.
Lap 47: #98 Hawkswoth on pit road for four red tires and fuel.
Lap 48: #28 Hunter-Reay leads #25 Andretti by 4.7312 seconds. #67 Newgarden, #27 Hinchcliffe on pit road for four tires and fuel.
Lap 49: Leader #28 Hunter-Reay on pit road for four tires and fuel. New leader is #25 Andretti.
Lap 50: Leader #25 Andretti on pit road for four tires and fuel. Team is also reconnecting the radio, which has come out of the helmet. New leader is #9 Dixon.
Lap 51: #9 Dixon and #77 Pagenaud on pit road for four tires and fuel. New leader is #19 Wilson.
Lap 52: Leader #19 Wilson on pit road for four red tires and fuel. New leader is #28 Hunter-Reay.
Lap 54: After green flag pit stops, #28 Hunter-Reay leads #25 Andretti by 7.0614 seconds.
Lap 57: #28 Hunter-Reay leads #25 Andretti by 7.3057 seconds.
Lap 60: #28 Hunter-Reay leads #25 Andretti by 6.2837 seconds.
Lap 63: #28 Hunter-Reay leads #25 Andretti by 6.2837 seconds.
Lap 66: FULL COURSE YELLOW. #7 Aleshin has made contact with the tires in Turn 14. Leaders under caution are: #28 Hunter-Reay, #25 Andretti, #9 Dixon, #77 Pagenaud, #12 Power. Pits are closed.
Lap 68: WHITE FLAG is being displayed.
Lap 69: YELLOW and CHECKERED. #28 Hunter-Reay repeats as the winner of the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama.
VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES POINT STANDINGS
Power 125
Hunter-Reay 107
Pagenaud 92
Dixon 87
Conway 82
Andretti 73
Wilson 67
Castroneves 66
Kanaan 62
Newgarden 58
SUNOCO ROOKIE OF THE YEAR STANDINGS
Munoz 55
Aleshin 54
Huertas 46
Hawksworth 42
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The next Verizon IndyCar Series race is the Grand Prix of Indianapolis on May 10 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The race will be telecast live at 3:30 p.m. (ET) by ABC. The IMS Radio Network will also carry the race live on Sirius 213 and XM 209.
