Scott Dixon wins shortened IndyCar race

DETROIT, Michigan (AFP) –

Winner Scott Dixon (L) of New Zealand, driver of the #9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda Dallara DW12 and his teammate and second place finisher Dario Franchitti, driver of the #10 Suave Chip Ganassi Racing Honda Dallara DW12, share champagne in the winner’s circle after the IZOD INDYCAR Series Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix, on June 3, in Detroit, Michigan.

Pole-sitter Scott Dixon of New Zealand won the IndyCar Detroit Grand Prix, leading from start to finish in a race that was shortened from 90 to 60 laps due to peeling asphalt.

Dixon defeated last weekend’s Indianapolis 500 winner, Ganassi Racing teammate Dario Franchitti, by 1.9628 seconds for his 28th career IndyCar victory with Frenchman Simon Pagenaud third in a Honda-engine podium sweep.

IndyCar officials stopped the race after 45 laps over the 2.07-mile street course because chunks of patched asphalt in three sections of the 14-turn course were being ripped off the road by the force of cars in race conditions.

“We actually sucked the track up there was so much grip,” Scotsman Franchitti said. “If you see some of the damage on these cars, it’s not good.”

Canadian James Hinchliffe was knocked out of the race on lap 40 when his car struck a chunk of raised asphalt and sent his car into a tire barrier.

“I have never seen anything quite like this,” Hinchcliffe said. “These giant pieces of this tar that had been ripped up.

“I guess there was nothing they could do about it so they just let us keep running. It was like playing Russian Roulette and I just pulled the bullet.

“It’s unfortunate that it took us going out of the race to really realize it was a problem.”

Racing resumed after two hours of track repairs but Dixon held off his rivals to the finish line.

Australian Will Power finished fourth to maintain his grip on the IndyCar season points lead with Dixon moving into second place in the driving title chase, 26 points behind Power.