IndyCar’s first of two races at Milwaukee served up some thrilling action for fans, as the championship fight intensified and some interesting storylines surfaced.
Pato O’Ward claimed his third victory of the year from title contender Will Power after a late dash to the finish line.
They were joined on the podium by Conor Daly – in sensational news for Juncos Hollinger Racing, who secured their first ever IndyCar top three result.
Daly only returned to the sport after one year away in August, but his experience has already proved its value to the Argentine-American team.
Conor Daly shares his appreciation for Will Power
Team Penske‘s Power is in the middle of an optimistic fight for the championship, trailing Alex Palou by the hefty margin of 54 points coming into the Milwaukee weekend.
That gap has been reduced to 43 after Power was able to claim second, with Palou down in fifth, and he shared some of his joy with Daly on pit road after the race.
The two hugged it out after enjoying great results, with Power increasing the possibility of taking the championship fight down to the final race at Nashville.
Daly thanked his colleague after the race saying: “Thank you brother! Amazing to be on the podium with you! Let’s do it again tomorrow!”
The American driver’s one and only prior IndyCar podium came at Detroit back in 2016, back when he was driving for Dale Coyne Racing.
What is the outlook for Sunday’s race?
The race for the championship intensifies on Sunday, with leader Palou set to start from tenth and Power up in fourth.
But on oval courses, things change very quickly, and being separated by two rows won’t mean too much by the end of the race.
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If Palou can outscore Power by 13 points, then he will claim a third IndyCar title, and a second in a row before the final race of the season.
Power will be looking to snatch as many points away from Palou as he can, with no guarantees at the final race at the Nashville Speedway, which hosts the season finale for the first time.
Both will need their teammates to play the game, but the on-track action promises to be exciting during race two of the Milwaukee Mile 250.