Hunter-Reay Leads 1-2 American Finish at Pocono Raceway ABC Supply 500 - Speedway Digest

Ryan Hunter-Reay led a 1-2 American finish ahead of Josef Newgarden in the ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway, and Juan Pablo Montoya’s third-place finish extended his championship points lead heading into the Verizon IndyCar Series season finale Aug. 30.

There were 12 different drivers to lead laps – half of the field – in the 200-lap race on the 2.5-mile triangular oval and 13 cars retired because of contact or mechanical issues.

There also were 12 caution periods – the 11th yellow flag displayed on Lap 180 for the single-car crash of race leader Sage Karam in Turn 1. Debris from the incident hit the trailing Justin Wilson’s No. 25 Andretti Autosport Honda. Wilson was transported by helicopter to Lehigh Valley Health Network Cedar Crest Hospital in Allentown, Pa., with a severe head injury. Wilson, 37, from Sheffield, England, is currently in a coma and in critical condition while undergoing further evaluation.

Karam, from nearby Nazareth, Pa., was transported by ground to the same hospital for examination of a right foot injury. INDYCAR will update the drivers’ conditions as details become available.

Six title contenders remain, and with the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma on Aug. 30 carrying double base points, the title remains up for grabs. Montoya, who has stood atop the standings since winning the season opener on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., in March, entered the third 500-mile race of the season with a nine-point lead over the surging Graham Rahal.

Montoya heads to the 2.385-mile, 12-turn Sonoma Raceway road course with a 34-point advantage over the third-year Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver, whose car was involved in contact on a Lap 93 restart. Scott Dixon, Helio Castroneves, Will Power and Newgarden also remain eligible for the Astor Cup.

“We took our time and were smart,” said Montoya, who qualified a season-low 19th in the No. 2 Verizon team Penske Chevrolet. “I think we had a car that could win the race, but it wasn’t worth risking it (with title contenders running behind him). We did what we needed to do today.”

Hunter-Reay, driving the No. 28 DHL Honda for Andretti Autosport, won for the second time this season and 16th time in his Indy car career. Newgarden, also a two-time winner this season in the No. 67 Hartman Oil CFH Racing Chevrolet, earned his fourth podium finish of the season.

Power, the reigning series champion, finished fourth in the No. 1 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet and Carlos Munoz was fifth in the No. 26 AndrettiTV Cinsay Honda for Andretti Autosport.

“We came through the field several times and the team gave me what we needed,” said Hunter-Reay, who overtook rookie Gabby Chaves on Lap 196 in Turn 1 and won under caution. “This team has given me great race cars over the years and this was one of them. I hope the fans enjoyed the show because it was fun in the race car.”

On the next lap, Chaves’ No. 98 Bowers & Wilkins/Curb Honda for BHA with Curb-Agajanian was trailing smoke, which caused the final caution. Chaves, who qualified 16th, led 31 laps.

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Adam Sinclair

NHRA, IHRA, Motocross and other forms of motorsports Staff writer
About Me: Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway almost 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of travelling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week. Adam has spent the last three years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.Be sure to tune in for his weekly sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.