The NTT IndyCar Series contested a fierce race at Road America Sunday afternoon, with drivers battling the extreme heat as well as each other for the duration.
At the green flag, ambient temperatures were hovering around 94 degrees Fahrenheit (34C), and the asphalt was considerably hotter.
That did not stop all 27 drivers from pushing the limits for the entire race, however, and action was high from the very start.
READ MORE: IndyCar Road America – Full Race Results
A bevy of cautions provided a mixed fuel strategy, with some pitting early and others pushing longer in the first stint.
When it all worked out, it was Alex Palou who had enough fuel to run to the end. He inherited the lead with two laps remaining, and was not challenged through to the finish.
Palou was sporting a special Solo Cup livery this weekend, and he celebrated in pit lane with the iconic cup that fans are more than familiar with.
The win is Palou’s sixth of the season, and he extends his points lead even further.
Felix Rosenqvist crossed the line second, earning his first podium of the season and giving him a lot of confidence into the second half of the season.
Rounding out the podium was Santino Ferrucci, who earned his second podium of the season and continues to give AJ Foyt Racing its best string of results in multiple years.
Kyle Kirkwood and Marcus Armstrong filled out the top five, with each able to push in the final laps to make up positions.
All drivers were exhausted in post-race owing to the heat, but were able to shrug off the heat due to their training
Incidents galore
The 55-lap race contained all manner of incidents, including one on the very first lap.
While diving into Turn 3, David Malukas got onto the grass spun dramatically into the gravel as the rest of the field continued on.
Malukas was pulled from the gravel trap, rejoined the field, and began working his way forward. He ended the day in seventh, right where he started.
Robert Shwartzman was the first to retire after losing control under braking and hitting the wall.
Next on the retirement list was Sting Ray Robb, who lost control under braking at Turn 5 near 190 MPH and slammed into the concrete barriers before going nose first into the tire barriers.
Robb was upset at the high speed crash, but was able to climb from his #77 Juncos Hollinger Racing entry without injury.
Josef Newgarden also retired early when he spun off the final corner. The two-time champion was all alone and simply spun on his own.
His momentum carried him into the wall, which broke his toe link and rear wing, ending his day.
Mixed Strategies
The early cautions led to mixed strategies, with some drivers even coming to the pits after just two laps.
With some drivers on fresh tires and others trying to save fuel, there was plenty of action on track for fans to cheer for.
There were 348 on-track passes throughout the race, which is the second most in IndyCar’s history at Road America.
There were also some drivers that had to dive into the pits for a late fuel stop, including Scott Dixon.
The veteran was leading until that point, but even he could not make the fuel last any longer and ended up down in ninth after a quick splash for fuel.
Multiple other drivers could not even complete their cool down laps after crossing the checkered flag, and decided to pull over and climb from their cars at the pit exit rather than being stranded somewhere else on the lengthy course.
Overall, there were more than enough storylines to keep any fan entertained.
Drivers and teams have a one week break to recover, but then they are right back in the action at Mid-Ohio for Independence Day weekend at the start of July.
