The Verizon IndyCar Series’ return to Gateway Motorsports Park got off to a chaotic start.
Saturday’s Bammarito Automotive Group 500 took a while to get going, with four drivers involved in two separate crashes before a single lap of green-flag racing had been completed.
Tony Kanaan was to first driver to bring out the caution flag, as he spun on the final parade lap, as the leaders were just about to cross the start-finish line. The Brazilian driver spun on cold tires coming out of Turn 2, sending his No. 10 Honda into the wall backward.
Kanaan’s team was able to repair his car and get him back on track, three laps behind the leaders.
Since the first start was aborted after Kanaan’s crash, race control instructed the field to take the restart two-wide, which ultimately led to another wreck in Turn 2.
Championship leader Josef Newgarden made an aggressive move around the outside of Will Power for the lead, cutting back across the racing line on exit. The dirty air coming off Newgarden’s car caused Power to spin, collecting Takuma Sato and Ed Carpenter, whose car went over the top of Power’s.
Although it looked as though Carpenter’s No. 20 might have made contact with Power’s head during the wreck, both drivers were cleared by the medical staff at Gateway. As of Lap 77, however, Sato’s team was still attempting to repair his car and allow him to return to the race.
