IndyCar: Felix Rosenqvist takes first win at Road America

Felix Rosenqvist secured his first career IndyCar victory in the second race of the REV Group Grand Prix doubleheader at Road America.

It might have happened last year at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, but instead it was Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon who took the checkered flag by a nose.

It might have happened to start the 2020 IndyCar season at Texas Motor Speedway, but a late wreck led to Dixon comfortably taking the checkered flag again.

But it finally happened in the second race of this weekend’s REV Group Grand Prix at Road America: Felix Rosenqvist is an IndyCar race winner.

More from IndyCar

Chip Ganassi Racing and Honda are now four for four to start the 14-race 2020 season after Dixon opened up the year with three consecutive victories leading into this afternoon’s race.

Rosenqvist’s victory came after he chased down Arrow McLaren SP’s Pato O’Ward, who started the 55-lap race around the 14-turn, 4.048-mile (6.515-kilometer) natural terrain road course in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin from the pole position and dominated by leading 43 laps and never truly losing the lead on track until there were just two laps remaining.

Rosenqvist drove his #10 Honda across the finish line 2.8699 seconds ahead of O’Ward’s #5 Chevrolet in a career-high but extremely disappointing second place after his first career pole position. His career-high finish had been eighth in 11 previous starts.

Andretti Autosport’s Alexander Rossi rebounded from a start to the season that saw him in last place in the championship standings among the 21 full-time drivers with a third place finish in his #27 Honda.

Chip Ganassi Racing’s Marcus Ericsson finished in a season-high fourth place in his #8 Honda, giving him three straight top 10 finishes. Andretti Harding Steinbrenner Racing’s Colton Herta finished in fifth in his #88 Honda. He has not finished outside of the top seven yet this year, and no other driver can make that claim.

Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan’s Santino Ferrucci and Dale Coyne Racing with Team Goh’s Alex Palou both finished out strong weekends with strong runs of sixth and seventh place in their #18 Honda and #55 Honda, respectively. They finished in sixth and third yesterday, giving the team one of their strongest ever weekends with an average finish of 5.5 in four total starts.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Takuma Sato finished in 10th place in his #30 Honda and has not finished outside of the top 10 this year, although he did fail to start the season opener after wrecking in qualifying.

Josef Newgarden led Team Penske in what was a forgettable day for the organization in ninth place in his #1 Chevrolet. Roger Penske’s organization are still seeking their first win this season despite having collected three of the four pole positions. A.J. Foyt Enterprises’ Charlie Kimball finished in a season-best 10th in his #4 Chevrolet.

Dixon’s first non-win of the year came in the form of a 12th place finish in his #9 Honda.

The race featured eight lead changes among three drivers. Rosenqvist led four times for eight laps, all in two-lap stints, while Team Penske’s Will Power led four.

The race also featured two caution flag periods for four laps, both early in the race. The opening lap featured a wreck involving Andretti Autosport’s Ryan Hunter-Reay and then Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Graham Rahal, who both started in the top five.

Power was penalized for making contact with both Hunter-Reay’s #28 Honda and Rahal’s #15 Honda, and after the ensuing restart, he caused the final caution flag period by going off the track. He rebounded for an 11th place finish in his #12 Chevrolet.

Of the 23 drivers who competed in the race, only three failed to finish. Of the 20 drivers who finished the race, 18 finished on the lead lap.

Here are the full race results of the second race of the 2020 REV Group Grand Prix doubleheader at Road America.

Race Results
1st – Felix Rosenqvist
2nd – Pato O’Ward
3rd – Alexander Rossi
4th – Marcus Ericsson
5th – Colton Herta
6th – Santino Ferrucci
7th – Alex Palou
8th – Takuma Sato
9th – Josef Newgarden
10th – Charlie Kimball
11th – Will Power
12th – Scott Dixon
13th – Simon Pagenaud
14th – Rinus VeeKay
15th – Max Chilton
16th – Zach Veach
17th – Jack Harvey
18th – Conor Daly
19th – Marco Andretti
20th – Dalton Kellett
21st – Oliver Askew
22nd – Ryan Hunter-Reay
23rd – Graham Rahal

dark. Next. Top 10 IndyCar drivers of all-time

The next race on the 2020 IndyCar schedule is the first of two races of the Grand Prix of Iowa at Iowa Speedway. This race is set to be broadcast live on NBC Sports Network at 8:30 p.m. ET beginning this Friday, July 18.