In his 52nd career start, Takumo Sato would pick up his first career victory at the Honda Grand Prix of Long Beach.
Lap 1 Dario Franchitti grabs the advantage as Hunter-Reay tucks in behind him. Right rear flat on Scott Dixon’s car as Vautier gets into the back of him. “He needs a penalty. I have no idea what he was thinking.”
Lap 2 Franchitti leads Hunter-Reay Sato Power Conway Hinchcliffe Castroneves Kimball Kanaan Rahal
Lap 3 Sebastian Saavedra makes heavy contact with the wall in turn 9. Full course caution. He carried too much speed into the corner. Marco Andretti pits to fix tail end damage and get a new nose cone. Vautier accessed penalty for contact with Dixon. Drivers make pit stops under yellow.
Restart lap 8 Hunter-Reay grabs the lead on the restart, yet Franchitti retakes it in the next corner.
Lap 9 Franchitti leads Hunter-Reay Sato Power Hinchcliffe Kimball Rahal Kanaan Viso Conway
Lap 13 Castroneves heads down pit road for fuel, tires and a new nose.
Lap 18 Franchitti leads Hunter-Reay Sato Power Hinchcliffe Kimball Rahal Kanaan Viso Conway
Lap 19 Pagenaud pits as the fuel window is open.
Lap 20 Franchitti leads Hunter-Reay Sato Power Hinchcliffe Kimball Rahal….Tagliani pits.
Lap 23 Sato passes Hunter-Reay for second. Conway pits.
Lap 27 Allmendinger and Servia both hit pit road.
Lap 31 Full course caution. Tagliani and Kimball make contact in Turn 8. Tagliani tagged Kimball. Sato grabs the lead ahead.
Restart lap 35 Hinchcliffe and EJ Viso wreck. Hinchcliffe heavy contact with the wall – full course caution is back out. Hunter-Reay collects damage, changing his nose cone. Hinchcliffe tried to made a move that has no room. Conway on pit road with electrical issues. Sato leads Franchitti Rahal Power Kanaan
Restart lap 39 Sato leads the field into turn one as Rahal passes Franchitti for second on lap two
Lap 40 Sato leads Rahal Franchitti Vautier Kanaan Pagenaud Power Wilson Servia de Silvestro
Halfway
39 laps to go Sato leads Rahal Vautier Franchitti Pagenaud Kanaan Wilson Power Servia de Silvestro
37 to go Wilson passes Kanaan; Servia passes Power
31 laps to go Pagenaud hits pit road. Sato leads Rahal Vautier Franchitti Wilson Kanaan
30 laps to go Ryan Hunter-Reay hits the tires in turn eight while trying to make a pass on Beatriz. Full course caution. Sato makes his way down pit road. Rahal and Franchitti make their way down pit road. Most of the leaders are on pit road. Vautier and Power make contact on pit road. Power stalled it on pit road.
29 laps to go Allmendinger has stalled in turn five
“I just started getting desperate. We just couldn’t go anywhere we just missing grip in corners. I just got desperate and started trying things. We were in the back there. I had to try something. I got inside of Ana there and there was no grip. Just made a bad day worse. We definitely have to bounce back in Brazil.” – RHR
Restart 25 laps to go Sato and Kimball battle for the lead into turn one. Kimball gets into the tire wall in turn one. Sato holds on to the lead.
24 laps to go Sato leads Rahal Wilson Franchitti Kanaan Servia Pagenaud Andretti de Silvestro Hildebrand. Kimball on pit road for another new nose.
23 laps to go Pagenaud has tire smoke off right rear due to contact with Andretti. Andretti makes the pass.
20 laps to go Sato leads Rahal Wilson Franchitti Kanaan Servia Andretti Pagenaud Hildebrand de Silvestro
16 laps to go Sato leads Rahal Wilson Franchitti Kanaan Servia Andretti Pagenaud Hildebrand de Silvestro
15 laps to go Hildebrand passes Pagenaud
8 laps to go Hildebrand passes Andretti
2 laps to go Servia and Kanaan make contact resulting in Kanaan getting into the tire wall. Local caution.
Final lap. Full course yellow. Servia receives a 30 second penalty for the contact.
Takumo Sato wins his first career victory. Rahal. Wilson. Franchitti. Hildebrand. Andretti. Pagenaud. De Silvestro. Castroneves Dixon
