Will Power has secured his first victory of the 2016 season, after a fascinating second race around the Raceway at Belle Isle for the Dual in Detroit.
The 2014 champion, who missed the opening round of the season due to an inner-ear infection, came home ahead of championship leader and Penske team-mate Simon Pagenaud.
Whilst the Frenchman dominated much of the race after securing pole position for the second time of the weekend, Power muscled his way ahead at Turn 3 shortly after a restart following the third and final caution period.
Ryan Hunter-Reay came home a competitive third as the highest finishing Honda powered driver, after starting the race alongside Pagenaud on the front row of the grid.
Meanwhile Josef Newgarden’s decent run of form continued, with the Ed Carpenter Racing driver ending the 70-lap race in fourth position, ahead of reigning champion Scott Dixon.
The Chip Ganassi racer suffered a slightly disappointing race, making contact with Juan Pablo Montoya during the early stages of the race in a desperate attempt to remain ahead of his former championship rival.
Conor Daly impressed once again with a mature drive to sixth, following on from his maiden IndyCar podium finish during the opening race of the weekend yesterday in second.
Tony Kanaan could only manage a distant seventh, despite running as high as second and pressuring Pagenaud for the lead before pitting under caution and losing ground.
Race one winner Sebastien Bourdais ended proceedings eighth, despite assuming the lead during the latter stages of the race after the third and final caution period.
The KVSH racer led for several laps, pulling out a decent lead before finally making a final splash and dash pit-stop.
Marco Andretti and Takuma Sato rounded out the top ten, with both drivers exceptionally lucky to continue racing after carnage at Turn 1 at the start of the race.
Whilst Pagenaud led away ahead of Hunter-Reay at front, Charlie Kimball squeezed Carlos Munoz into James Hinchcliffe as the trio crossed the start/finish line at the start.
This led to Hinchcliffe slamming into the wall on the left, before rookie Max Chilton speared into the wall as well and rammed Hinchcliffe for good measure.
Meanwhile Sato spun as well and collected Andretti at Turn 1, with Sato in particular returning to the pits immediately for repairs.
Montoya caused the second caution period after making contact with the barrier at Turn 8, only moments after pitting for fresh tyres.
The initial contact resulted in heavy damage to the right of Montoya’s Penske, spearing the winner of the opening race at St. Petersburg into the wall at Turn 10 to become the third retirement.
The third and final caution period was caused by Jack Hawksworth, whose torrid weekend ended with mechanical failure along the back straight.
Meanwhile Indianapolis 500 winner Alexander Rossi came home 12th, despite assuming the lead during the latter stages for a very brief period before he too required a final splash and dash for fuel along with Bourdais, Graham Rahal and Kimball.
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