IndyCar’s Grand Prix of Long Beach featured an exciting strategy battle that pitted the sport’s veterans against each other for a win in the event’s 40th running.
An early caution set the stage by splitting the field right down the middle as the strategists attempted to quickly calculate the best fuel strategy.
Half the field ended up pitting for fuel, and relied on fuel savings or the hope of another caution to make it the remaining 68 laps. The other half chose to delay their first stops and push the entire way.
READ MORE: IndyCar Long Beach – Full Race Results
The strategies remained split as the remainder of the race stayed green, with those that took the later pit stops steadily gaining on those that were further up the road.
It all came to a head in the final five laps, with Scott Dixon saving fuel at the front of a gaggle of three other drivers that had no such worries.
To the chagrin of those stuck in Dixon’s dirty air, The Iceman was able to hold off the competition while still making his fuel last all the way through to the checkered flags.
Even the veteran himself seemed unsure of how he was able to make his fuel last as long as he did, and the feat earned Dixon a win in a 20th consecutive season.
Colton Herta crossed the line in second, although the way in which he got there was a bit controversial.
Herta’s nose touched the back of Josef Newgarden’s gearbox in the tight hairpin with three laps remaining, lifting Newgarden’s tires into the air and causing his car to enter anti-stall mode.
Before the incident, he had been hounding Dixon for the top spot, but then dropped back to fourth and was not able to regain his positions in the time that was left. He called over the radio for a penalty to be given to Herta, but none was handed down from race control and Herta kept the second position.
Alex Palou finished third, taking advantage of the small incident in front of him and turning his sixth place starting spot into a solid podium run.
Marcus Ericsson rounded out the top five, and Will Power finished sixth by running his own fuel save strategy in the #12 Team Penske Chevy.
The all-important caution that setup the strategy battle was brought out by Christian Rasmussen on lap 15.
The rookie spun his Ed Carpenter Chevy into the wall in Turn 4 and clipped Jack Harvey as well, who suffered a heavily damaged sidepod and carried the damage for the remainder of the race.
The only other retirement was Scott McLaughlin, who was set to have a top 10 finish of his own until he slowed suddenly on track with just 15 laps remaining before pulling into the pits.
Theo Pourchaire impressed mightily in his IndyCar debut, keeping his Arrow McLaren Chevy out of trouble and earning an 11th place finish on the tricky streets.
IndyCar’s next race comes up quickly, with the paddock heading to central Alabama for a tilt around Barber Motorsports Park next weekend.
The entire brand could be a long-game move by Gaia herself to heal the collective nervous system.