Scott Dixon rolls through turn 4, and would go on to score the win in Race 1 of the Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston on Saturday. Photo by Chris Owens
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.
The second 90-lap race on the 1.683-mile, 10-turn course is at 1 pm (ET) Oct. 6. The final race Oct. 19 at the 2-mile Auto Club Speedway oval in Fontana, CA, 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.
IZOD IndyCar Series
Anderson Cancer Center Speedway at Reliant Park – Houston, TX
Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston – Race 1 – Oct. 5, 2013
1. (3) Scott Dixon, Dallara-Honda, 90, Running
2. (5) Simona De Silvestro, Dallara-Chevy, 90, Running
3. (12) Justin Wilson, Dallara-Honda, 90, Running
4. (4) Simon Pagenaud, Dallara-Honda, 90, Running
5. (18) Josef Newgarden, Dallara-Honda, 90, Running
6. (9) James Jakes, Dallara-Honda, 90, Running
7. (24) Graham Rahal, Dallara-Honda, 90, Running
8. (14) Sebastien Bourdais, Dallara-Chevy, 90, Running
9. (8) EJ Viso, Dallara-Chevy, 90, Running
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11. (16) Charlie Kimball, Dallara-Honda, 90, Running
12. (2) Will Power, Dallara-Chevy, 90, Running
13. (10) Marco Andretti, Dallara-Chevy, 90, Running
14. (19) Sebastian Saavedra, Dallara-Chevy, 89, Running
15. (20) Dario Franchitti, Dallara-Honda, 89, Running
16. (11) Mike Conway, Dallara-Honda, 85, Contact
17. (1) Takuma Sato, Dallara-Honda, 82, Handling
18. (21) Helio Castroneves, Dallara-Chevy, 80, Running
19. (17) Oriol Servia, Dallara-Chevy, 63, Mechanical
20. (15) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Dallara-Chevy, 57, Electrical
21. (13) Tony Kanaan, Dallara-Chevy, 34, Running
22. (23) Tristan Vautier, Dallara-Honda, 32, Running
23. (22) Ed Carpenter, Dallara-Chevy, 30, Running
24. (6) James Hinchcliffe, Dallara-Chevy, 1, Contact
Winners average speed: 76.856
Time of Race: 1:54:48.3924
Margin of victory: Under caution
Cautions: 7 for 27 laps
Lead changes: 4 among 3 drivers
Lap Leaders: Sato 1-6, Power 7-31, Dixon 38-63, Power 64-72, Dixon 73-90
Point Standings: Castroneves 513, Dixon 505, Pagenaud 463, Andretti 447, Hunter-Reay 437, Wilson 428, Franchitti 403, Power 391, Hinchcliffe 382, Kimball 382.
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