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Pagenaud Leads When It Counts, Wins IndyCar Grand Prix

Credit: www.indycar.com

It didn’t start well, and it didn’t end well. Except for someone of course.

Simon Pagenuad only  led six laps on Saturday afternoon, but what counted was the one that mattered, the checkered flag lap. In a pass limited, wreck filled, crazy afternoon at the newly renovated Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, Pagenuad came out on top.

The contest started with a “standing start”. There was standing all right, and waiting, waiting, and more waiting for the flag to turn to green and to finally get back to racing. In a race full of yellow laps, it was a whopper of a race.

After two warm up laps and a stop by all drivers, the lights turned to yellow, then to green and we went racing, well sort of. After getting the pole position for the Inaugural Grand Prix of Indianapolis, Sebastian Saavedra didn’t cross the finish line even once.

“Man, we had an opportunity to be at the front of the pack in this amazing place so to not even get the chance because of a freaking electrical thing,” said the obviously frustrated Colombian.

After the wild race, fan favorite James Hinchcliffe suffered a concussion and was taken to the track hospital, and from there was admitted to Methodist Hospital not far from the speedway.

Andretti Autosport stated Saturday night that former driver E.J. Viso will be on standby for Hinchcliffe in case he is unable to qualify next weekend. Doctors stated that the common protocol for a concussion is 7-10 days which would mean Hinchcliffe would miss qualifications next weekend. “I’m a little stiff and sore and I’d love to get in the car tomorrow, but I suppose I should probably let the doctors make that decision,” said the Canadian in a statement.

A mere 18 hours after the final flag flew Saturday, another will fly Sunday afternoon as Indy 500 practice will start at noon Eastern Time.

Gordon Takes Inaugural Night Race At Kansas

Photo Credit: Jared C. Tilton/NASCAR via Getty Images

On the final set of pit stops, Jeff Gordon took the lead from Kevin Harvick during Saturday night’s 5-Hour Energy 400 at Kansas Speedway and was able to hold off Harvick by two car lengths at the finish line and capture his 89th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career victory.

This was Gordon’s first win of the 2014 season and he is now virtually locked into the 2014 Chase. Gordon also extended his series points lead to 15 over Matt Kenseth.

“I knew we had a fast race car. We have been bringing fast race cars every single weekend. It’s just given me so much confidence in the race cars and the race team. I have got to thank Axalta Coating Systems they are an awesome sponsor. When the lights went out we could still see this thing out there. Of course AARP Drive To End Hunger, Pepsi Max, Valvoline and Chevrolet. You know Kevin (Harvick) was tough. He was so strong I did not know if I could hold him off. I almost didn’t there at the end. I caught traffic. The car just got extremely loose on me and he was just coming. Luckily that was the checkered flag.” Gordon said.

Since the win was heading into Mother’s Day, it will be a day of celebration with family.

“I’ve got to say Happy Mother’s Day. What an amazing Mother’s Day present this is going to be. I can’t wait to see my wife Ingrid and my mom tomorrow. It’s going to be an amazing celebration. What a huge weight lifted off this team’s shoulders. We have been leading the points but we needed to get to victory lane and they proved they were capable of it. Great job by them.” Gordon added.

Harvick led 119 laps but had to settle for a second place finish after he ran out of gas getting onto pit road and Gordon was able to take advantage.

“Well, the car was really fast. We just had to overcome a lot tonight, getting caught on pit road both times under green flag pit stops,” Harvick explained. “Then there at the end, we ran out of gas coming to pit road there, and I was looking at the fuel pressure gauge instead of the tach and lost a bunch of time down pit road and off of pit road, wound up getting stuck behind the 24. The car was really tight, and then I found a groove that worked for me way up the racetrack, and I caught him, and then I slipped and lost everything I had gained and then gained it all back and just ran out of laps at the end.”

Although he was unable to capture another victory, Harvick was satisfied with their overall result.

“I think we had a good night, he said.”You can’t win them all. For me, I made a mistake at the end and felt like that’s probably what cost us the chance to stay in front of the 24. But the 24 was good all night, and the 48 was good when he was out front, and we got in the back of the pack and couldn’t go anywhere.  It came down to track position, and those guys executed a little bit better than I did.”

Kasey Kahne finished in third place followed by Joey Logano and Dale Earnhardt Jr. to round out the top five.