DETROIT — Alexander Rossi had the starting position and the strategy to get a win on Belle Isle during the second of two races Sunday in the Detroit Grand Prix Dual 2. But after pressure from teammate Ryan Hunter-Reay in the closing laps, Rossi locked up his tires on two consecutive laps going into turn three — the second time missing the turn and handing the lead to Hunter-Reay.
And that was all Hunter-Reay needed to earn his first victory in the Verizon IndyCar Series since 2015. After chasing down Rossi and taking over the lead, Hunter-Reay led the last seven laps of the race to take the victory. Rossi would end up with a flat tire and fell to 12th in the final finishing order.
Will Power backed up his Indianapolis 500 win one week prior with a second-place finish his his Team Penske, Chevrolet-powered car, coming up just one spot short of getting Roger Penske a win at the race that he brought back to Detroit. Ed Jones would finish out the podium in third.
Rossi’s problems dropped him from first in the points to third. Will Power took over the points lead with 309 points over Scott Dixon in second with 304. Dixon won the first of the two Detroit Grand Prix duals. Ryan Hunter-Reay is fourth in points with Josef Newgarden in fifth.
The Verizon IndyCar series heads to Texas Motor Speedway Saturday this Saturday, June 9, for the DXC Technology 600.
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