Kyle Kirkwood wins for the third time this season at the Bommarito 500, his first oval win. Pato O’Ward and Christian Rasmussen round out the podium in second and third, respectively.
Will Power started on pole, his 71st career Pole Position after a delayed qualifying due to rain. Penske teammate, Scott McLaughlin, stated alongside Power on the front row with Pato O’ward right behind them on the second row.
Green Flag waving
Before we started racing, Scott McLaughlin was not able to head on to the race as other pas him on pit road. However, Scott McLaughlin was able to get back up to the front before the green flag was flown. There was debris on the formation lap from the traditional pyrotechnics at the Bommarito Group 500.
With the green flag waving, Power had a great start as David Malukas took second place and then getting ahead of power on Lap 1. Conor Daly was side by side with 2 other cars and was able to get ahead. Soon, Daly overtook Josef Newgarden as the yellow flag was waved.
Devlin DeFrancesco spun out and hit the outside wall, causing a caution on track. The RLL made it back to the track with a 33 lap gap to the front.
During the caution, many drivers took to the pits. Newgarden had understeer and fell a couple of places during the caution.
Daly making moves
Once the green flag was out again, Daly overtook Armstrong to climb 9 places in 12 laps, with a caution in between. Rookie Louis Foster was able to gain 3 places since the restart. Newgarden made a successful move on Armstrong to take seventh.
Newgarden started a battle with Daly, but Daly was able to keep ahead in sixth place. Daly was able to make a move on race winner Kyle Kirkwood for fifth place at the Bommarito 500. Soon, Daly moved up 10 places since the start of the race.
Daly tried to move on O’Ward for fourth, but the Mexican was able to defend his fourth place, but not for long. Next, Daly moved up another place, 11 now since the start.
Malukas made a two-second gap at the front on Lap 29 with Power behind him. Malkuas has more leading laps in St. Louis than his entire IndyCar career.
Newgarden made a double move on Daly, then O’Ward. Daly briefly took fourth place, but Newgarden took is back near Lap 40.
Second caution
Bommarito 500 Pole sitter Will Power caused a second caution on Lap 47 after making contact with the wall. He was able to make it back to the pits on his own. With this caution, McLaughlin moves to second and Newgarden made it to the podium in third.
Pit Lane opened on Lap 50 as many enter the pits during this caution. Christian Rasumeesn’s car caught on fire due to excess fuel but as he started moving, the fire was gone. Christian Lundgaard had a slow pit stop after missing his pit box, and he will rejoin the track in last place.
After the pit stops, McLaughlin came out in first, with Malukas in second. The No. 12 team was unable to fix his car on time, which lead Power to retire from the race.
The green is back out as McLaughlin held his lead. Santino Ferrucci made his tenth place up as Lundgaard got a drive-through penalty for mixing his pit box and Rasmussen also got a penalty for an unsafe release.
Newgarden took second place from Malukas as Rasmussen continued to move up through the pack.
As the sun sets for this night race, Nolan Siegel was defensive on McLaughlin as the race leader was trying to pass the Arrow McLaren.
On Lap 102, many take to pit lane for new tires and fuel. As most finished their pit stops. Newgarden took the lead with Malukas and McLaughlin in second and third, respectfully.
O’Ward was able to get close to McLaughlin, but was able to get the Penske driver with lapped drivers. O’Ward slid, but he was able to save it to continue catching McLaughlin.
Large crash
Race leader Newgarden was upside down on the straight, on Lap 132. Foster also crashed. The AMR team attended to both drivers. Newgarden and Foster walked away and out of their cars.
Foster hit the wall, catching slippery marbles. Newgarden was in the way as Foster was spinning out. Foster made contact with Newgarden as both slid into the inside wall close to pit road.
Once pits opened on Lap 141, the Chip Ganassi Racing chose to stay out. Malukas seemingly made an unsafe release as McLaughlin and O’Ward avoid each other at the exit of pit road. McLaughlin and Malukas got a 3 place penalty for improper use of pit lane.
The third caution was lifted and O’Ward led the pack. Daly caught O’Ward to take the lead, but the Mexican driver was able to defend. However, on Lap 154 Daly took the lead from O’Ward. Malukas made it back to the podium. Ferrucci and Herta made brief contact.
On Lap 190, Rasmussen overtook McLaughlin as many pits for tires and fuel. O’Ward pitted ahead of Daly, Malukas caused a brief caution driving on slippery rubber marbles and brushed the wall.
Scott Dixon was able to save enough fuel to lead the pack in first, after pitting himself. The race was back to green on Lap 209 as Dixon held on to the lead as Kirkwood and O’Ward in second and third, respectively. All Penske drivers out of the Bommarito 500 as McLaughlin retired.
Race for last pits
Kirkwood tried to move up on Dixon with 34 laps to go. However, Kirkwood took new tires and fuel with 25 laps to go. Dixon had to pit with 25 laps to go for O’Ward to take the lead. Dixon only took new tires. O’Ward also entered the pits. O’Ward entered below Kirkwood as Ferrucci takes the lead at the Bommarito 500. Ferrucci also pitted as well as Robert Schwartzman. Ilott and Rosenqvist might not have to pit with 13 laps to go. Rosenqvist tool the lead from Ilott with 10 laps to go. Ilott retook first as Rosenqvist pitted.
Ilott pitted with 3 laps to go as Kirkwood retook the lead. O’Ward got close with Kirkwood. With the white flag waved. Rasmussen tried to overtake O’Ward put was unsuccessful. Kyle Kirkwood wins again this season, his first oval at the Bommarito 500, Pato O’Ward took second place with Christian Rasmussen in third.
Unofficial results
- Kirkwood
- O’Ward
- Rasmussen
- Dixon
- Ferrucci
- Daly
- VeeKay
- Palou
- Armstrong
- Shwartzman
- Rossi
- Malukas
- Ericsson
- Lundgaard
- Simpson
- Rosenqvist
- Herta
- Ilott
- Siegel
- Robb
- Abel
- Rahal
- DeFrancesco
DNF: McLaughlin, Newgarden, Foster, Power
