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On to Sunday, SunDAY, SUNDAY! Though ALMS completed their Long Beach weekend on Saturday, there was still lots more racing to do on Sunday. The Firestone Indy Lights, Izod IndyCars and World Challenge Championship cars were still waiting to battle it out. First up were the Indy Lights, taking on the third race of their season. James Hinchcliffe of Moore Racing drove an exceptional race, leading all 45 laps of the race taking down rookie Jean-Karl Vernay who had won the previous two races. Vernay came in third, but still holds the lead in the points race. Charlie Kimball of AFS Racing/Andretti Motorsports drove the #26 to a second place finish matching his career best set last week at the Grand Prix of Alabama.
A couple hours and tacos later the Izod IndyCar 85 lap race was set to start. The 17 race Izod IndyCar season challenges teams and drivers alike through a diverse set of road/street courses and series of ovals across the globe. The past three races were on road/street courses and the Grand Prix of Long Beach will be the last one before the teams/drivers have to shift gears to get ready for the next four events that are scheduled to be on ovals. The IndyCar race definitely had the biggest draw of the weekend and they did not disappoint the fans.
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| Ryan Hunter-Reay won the 36th Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. |
At the end of the race the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach’s top spot was held by its third different driver in four races. Though two time winner Will Power took the pole, he was not able to hold off Ryan Hunter-Reay in the Izod sponsored car of Andretti Autosport. The win topped off a successful and eventful weekend for Andretti Autosport. Not only did fan favorite Tony Kanaan drive his 7-11 sponsored racer to a 5th place finish, but team owner and operator Michael Andretti was inducted to the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame.
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| Even after practicing in one car and qualifying in another, Will Power managed to take the pole. Though he did not win, he still has a commanding lead for the series championship. |
