IndyCar: Top Five Races at Phoenix International Raceway

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Roberto Guerrero, who some fans remember most for winning the pole position at Indianapolis in 1992 and then spinning on the second parade lap, had one of the best-ever IndyCar performances at Phoenix International Raceway.

Turn the clock back to 1987 for this one. Bobby Rahal would end up winning the championship, but in the beginning, Guerrero was a force to be reckoned with and he made his presence known. Phoenix was the second race of the season and Guerrero had already found speed. He qualified third behind the duo of Mario Andretti and Michael Andretti. But, he failed tech inspection by coming in 2.5 pounds underweight. He was forced to start from the back.

It didn’t matter. When the green flag flew, Guerrero stood on the gas and found his way to the front of the field. He was in the Top Five by Lap 46 and took the lead from eventual series champion Rahal on Lap 62. But, it wasn’t an easy road to the win. He was hit with a stop-and-go penalty for hitting a tire in the pits. Guerrero was not to be denied, however, and he won the race with an eight-second lead over Rahal.

Next: Phoenix Meets Indy