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Power wins bizarre IndyCar season-opener in Brazil

Sun 14th, March 2010

Sao Paulo, Brazil (Sports Network) - Will Power survived a spectacular opening-lap crash and then endured heavy rain before making a winning pass on Ryan Hunter-Reay in the closing minutes to win Sunday's season-opening Sao Paulo Indy 300 on the streets of Sao Paulo.

Power and Hunter-Reay battled for the lead before the Aussie took the top position for good with three-and-a-half minutes remaining. The inaugural race in Brazil was scheduled for 75 laps, but Indy Racing League officials placed a two-hour limit on the event due to numerous cautions for accidents and a brief halt for a thunderstorm that moved over the 2-6-mile, 11-turn street course just before the halfway point.

"Just after we got out for qualifying [earlier in the day], we had a gearbox problem, and it's just been a day that everything has been thrown at you, and you come out on top," Power said.

Power made his first start back with Team Penske after suffering season-ending injuries in a practice crash last August at Sonoma, CA. The 29-year-old Aussie claimed his second career IndyCar victory. His first win came in July 2009 at Edmonton, CA.

"It's been tough with the recovery on my back, and I'm very grateful to be given this opportunity," he added.

Hunter-Reay finished second in his debut with Andretti Autosport. He currently is running a limited schedule for Michael Andretti this season.

"That was a blast all day," Hunter-Reay said. "I had so much fun with the adverse conditions and things changing all the time. That's what racing is about."

Vitor Meira, who also made a return after sustaining injuries in last year's Indianapolis 500, was the highest finishing Brazilian with a third-place run in front of his home crowd. Meira's fellow countryman Raphael Matos took the fourth position, and Dan Wheldon came in fifth.

Scott Dixon finished sixth, while his Chip Ganassi Racing teammate and defending series champion Dario Franchitti was seventh.

Mike Conway, Helio Castroneves and Tony Kanaan completed the top-10.

Danica Patrick, who had spent last month competing in three NASCAR Nationwide Series races, finished 15th.

Marco Andretti avoided injuries on the first lap when Mario Moraes smashed into the back of him during a five-car pileup. Moraes' car came to a rest on top of Andretti's after both drivers slid off the course.

Safety officials spent more than five minutes removing Moraes' car before Andretti could exit the vehicle under his own power.

"I needed a minute to get my bearings anyway," Andretti said. "I hit my head pretty hard, but fortunately I'm alright."

Andretti started from the rear of the field after he was involved in an incident with Matos during qualifying earlier in the day. It's the first time the series held qualifying and the race on the same day.

Drivers dealt with a cloud of dust along the straightaway portion of the track earlier in the race. After slippery concrete and very bumpy conditions forced postponement of qualifying on Saturday, track personnel worked on the track overnight.