VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES
GRAND PRIX OF PORTLAND
RACE REPORT
09.02.18

The team collected a 14th-podium finish of the season today as DHL driver Ryan Hunter-Reay grabbed a second-place finish at the Grand Prix of Portland. Deep in the championship hunt, Alexander Rossi slid to 29 points behind Scott Dixon with one race – a double-points event – remaining.

With all eyes on the championship fight, the Verizon IndyCar Series heads to Sonoma Raceway for the 2018 finale event. Live broadcast of the INDYCAR Gand Prix of Sonoma kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 16.

RYAN HUNTER-REAY, No. 28 DHL HONDA

• STARTED 5th // FINISHED 2nd
• CHAMPIONSHIP: 5th (462 pts.)
• OF NOTE: Led a total of 19 laps on his way to a 44th career podium in second place // Committed early and executed a two-stop pit strategy, leaving Hunter-Reay in fuel-save mode for a majority of the race and battling untimely yellow flags // Missed the opportunity to attack from P2 during a delay in the race’s last yellow-flag period being called

“We gave that one away. The DHL car was the car to beat today – we had the right fuel but we had some miscommunication on pit lane. I was saving fuel as Takuma came out of the pit lane and so I didn’t attack. That miscommunication probably cost us the race. I’m pretty bummed right now. I know we had a car to win and all day long I tried really hard to save that fuel and made the fuel mileage the stand was requesting, but couldn’t pay off for it in the end.”

ALEXANDER ROSSI, No. 27 NAPA AUTO PARTS HONDA

• STARTED 3rd // FINISHED 8th
• CHAMPIONSHIP: 2nd (569 pts.)
• OF NOTE: Led 32 laps, the most in the field earning two bonus points, on his way to an eighth-place finish // An untimely yellow played with the 27 team’s strategy, pushing the car to mid-pack, falling behind points leader Scott Dixon // The championship gap rose three points ahed of the double-point season finale Sept. 16 in Sonoma

“It’s one of those days. We had a fast car – the NAPA AUTO PARTS Honda was really quick out front and we were able to build a seven-second gap. Our tire strategy was going to plan and everything was good until the yellow came on Lap 56. It hurts a lot and hopefully it’s not something that costs us the championship. We just have to rebound and move on from it and know that it’s something that’s out of our control. Now it’s time to refocus and be ready to attack for Sonoma.”

ZACH VEACH, No. 26 GROUP 1001 HONDA

• STARTED: 6th // FINISHED 19th
• CHAMPIONSHIP: 15th (281 pts.)
• ROOKIE OF THE YEAR RANK: 2nd
• OF NOTE: Ran solidly inside the top four for the first stint after making a career best start from sixth // With 55 laps complete while running in sixth – after giving up a position for a blocking penalty – Veach ran off course and finishing one lap down in 19th

“It was a really tough race. We made contact on the start as we made our way up to fourth and that damaged our undertray quite a bit. Because of that, we were running around with a few hundred pounds less downforce – and that made the car very difficult to drive. We were trying to make up for that damage and just pushed a little too hard and made a mistake and that ended our race putting us a lap down. I’m frustrated in myself – I should’ve been a little more patient in what we had.”

MARCO ANDRETTI, No. 98 MILITARYTOMOTORSPORTS.COM / CURB HONDA

• STARTED 9th // FINISHED 25th [out, contact]
• CHAMPIONSHIP: 12th (332 pts)
• OF NOTE: Was collected in a multi-car incident on the opening lap leaving the No. 98 upside down on track // Andretti emerged from the incident without assistance and was checked, cleared and released by IndyCar medical // With damage to the 98 not allowing the car to return to competition, Andretti was scored at a 25th-place result

“I’m really lucky that when [I was upside down] nobody else hit me – that would’ve been bad, but it looked like the seas were about to part for me. As soon as I backed off for Hinch’s spin, I think Graham got into the back of me – at least that’s what he and I discussed. [Graham] didn’t see Hinch spin and I did so when I backed off he got into me. I almost thought we were going to make it through Portland Turn 1 – which we did. It was Turn 2 that got us though.”