The Dale Coyne Racing with HMD-Honda driver had just pitted from the lead on Lap 211, so when rain halted the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 three laps later, this appeared to be a cruel stroke of misfortune. However, it meant that when the race restarted some 2hr15mins later, on Lap 224 of 260, he was in fifth and had much fresher tires and no fuel worries compared with Will Power and Pato O’Ward ahead.
He jumped Power on the restart, then fell back behind before passing him for good on Lap 230. Fourteen more laps of the 1.25-mile oval saw him pass O’Ward’s Arrow McLaren SP-Chevy as they cleared some backmarkers.
