The stage was set in to build momentum coming off an exciting Indy 500 that six million tuned in to watch. The follow-up is the Detroit Grand Prix. Racing in the streets of Detroit for just the second time since the return to the streets left the fans frustrated with the lack of actual racing. Eight Cautions filled the first 70 laps of the Detroit Grand Prix 47 of the 100-lap race was run under caution. The final caution ended on lap 73 allowing the final 28 laps to run green the longest stretch of green flag racing.
New Championship Leader Emerges In Detroit
Six-time INDYCAR Champion Scott Dixon emerged from the chaos capturing his 58th career victory just nine wins from tying INDYCAR’s all-time race winner A.J Foyt. Dixon also took the championship lead over his Chip Ganassi teammate Alex Palou. Palou was involved in an incident on lap 70 in Detroit causing him to finish back in 16th. Palou’s first time finishing outside the top ten all season.
Dixon is also the first multi time winner after Newgarden’s win in St. Petersburg was stripped after the Team Penske push to pass scandal was investigated. Dixon holds a 18 point lead over Palou, as Dixon is looking to tie the legendary A.J Foyt with seven championships. Third place in points is Will Power who is 31 point behind Dixon and the first non Ganassi driver in the championship standings.
Team Penske Woes
Will Power had his own issues throughout the Detroit race, being in the pile on on lap one and bringing out the caution on lap 41 along with being penalized three separate times was miraculously able to finish sixth in the chaos. His Team Penske teammates Indy 500 champion Josef Newgarden finished 26th six laps down after being in an incident on lap 70, and getting a drive thru penalty on lap 60.
Indy 500 pole sitter Scott McLaughlin’s day wasn’t much better, being involved in two separate incidents. On lap 33 he backed it into the wall and on lap 63 he made contact with Sting Ray Robb. McLaughlin was penalized for the contact and forced to start at the rear of the field. Mclaughlin finished 20th and a lap down.
Rain, Confusion and Controversy
The pole sitter for the Detroit Grand Prix Colton Herta lead the opening 33 laps of the race until the caution came out on lap 33 for McLaughlin. The rain began to fall but it was only for a short while, many drivers wanting to change to slicks for when they go back green. Indycar had issues with time and scoring causing the caution to last the entire stint of the rain forcing all the drivers who did pit for rain tires to make a second pit stop to put slicks back on.
Herta who has a history of being too aggressive showed that side a bit to much. On lap 46 Herta dive bombs into the turn and puts it into the bringing out one of the eight cautions. He was only able to finish 19th one lap down and sits a distance seventh 69 points behind Dixon. Herta sits behind his teammate Kyle Kirkwood who finished fourth in Detroit after avoiding all the chaos.
The Next Race
The next race is on June 9th on Road America in Elk Lake, Wisconsin at 3:30 pm Eastern on NBC and Peacock. Alex Palou will be looking to recapture the points leads as he has won two of the last three at Road America.
About The Author
Dillon Hildreth is a writer for Total Apex and a lifelong fan of Football with his favorite teams being the New England Patriots and the Georgia Bulldogs. Dillon is also a fan of Motorsports Red Bull in Formula One and William Byron in NASCAR. You can catch Dillon Stream F1, NASCAR, and other video games and sidecasts on Twitch.
