LEEDS, Ala. — Pato O’Ward made a aware determination to cease worrying about his IndyCar contract and Components One aspirations and give attention to his present job.
The hassle first earned him a pending contract extension, and on Sunday, O’Ward picked up his first win of the IndyCar season.
The favored Mexican driver used a powerful exterior go of pole-sitter Rinus VeeKay after each pitted for contemporary tires to take the lead after which drive away for the victory at Barber Motorsports Park. It’s the third win of O’Ward’s profession and broke a Workforce Penske stranglehold on the IndyCar outcomes.
Penske drivers Scott McLaughlin and Josef Newgarden swept the primary three races of the season, all whereas O’Ward was pouting over his team-friendly contract with Arrow McLaren SP. O’Ward needed more cash, needed extra assurances McLaren has him in its F1 pipeline, and his frustration spilled over onto the observe.
However on the eve of the Lengthy Seaside Grand Prix two weeks in the past, the 22-year-old determined he did not need to throw his season away over harm emotions. He dug deep for a fifth-place end at Lengthy Seaside, huddled with McLaren head Zak Brown on the phrases of extension, then confirmed up in Barber able to win some races.
His shot got here after a pit cease with 28 laps remaining when VeeKay and O’Ward pitted on the similar time. VeeKay got here out forward however O’Ward hunted him by means of the primary 4 turns then used a courageous transfer — and his push-to-pass — across the Dutchman to grab management of the race.
The win saved Chevrolet an ideal 4 for 4 as IndyCar heads subsequent to Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“Man, it sucks to be at conflict inside your personal workforce, proper? So I am glad there’s been extra optimistic talks for the long run,” mentioned O’Ward, who has agreed with McLaren in precept on an extension.
“And I needed to do it for these guys, for Arrow McLaren SP, for Chevy — they’ve swept this 12 months to date, so nice for them. However yeah, man, I used to be bored with being tenth and eleventh and fifth and I mentioned ‘Let’s get a win beneath our belts so we will climb again into this championship race.'”
Alex Palou, the reigning IndyCar champion and defending race winner at Barber, completed second for Chip Ganassi Racing and reclaimed the factors lead.
VeeKay pale to 3rd for Ed Carpenter Racing.
“I used to be a lot wanting in my mirrors that I forgot to make use of my push-to-pass,” VeeKay mentioned of not utilizing a burst of additional horsepower to carry off O’Ward.
Will Energy rallied from nineteenth to complete fourth, the perfect of the Penske drivers, whereas six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon was fifth for Ganassi.
There have been late-race fireworks between fellow Honda drivers Graham Rahal and Romain Grosjean as the 2 raced for place, and an irate Rahal screamed over his radio “that man’s a punk! He hit me on goal.”
An animated Rahal was seen after smacking his arm into Grosjean teammate Alexander Rossi to display Grosjean hitting Rahal’s automobile.
“We touched a few occasions, nevertheless it was good racing,” mentioned Grosjean, who denied hitting Rahal on goal.
Rahal did not imagine him.
“Have a look at that, take a look at how a lot room he has!” Rahal mentioned watching the replay. “I am simply annoyed as a result of this is not the primary time. In St. Pete, he hit all people.”
UP NEXT
IndyCar is off subsequent weekend and a lot of the drivers are headed to Miami for Components One’s debut race on Sunday. The collection returns to motion Could 14 on the highway course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. VeeKay is the defending race winner.