(This story will be updated with driver and team reaction.)
DETROIT – Scott Dixon rebounded a day after crashing out in last place to winning the second race of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear doubleheader on Sunday.
Dixon crossed the finish line 1.9419 seconds ahead of NTT IndyCar Series rookie Marcus Ericsson, who posted his first podium finish in his seventh race. For Dixon, it marked career win No. 45, which ranks third in Indy car history and moved the five-time series champion within seven victories of tying Mario Andretti for second place all time.
CHEVROLET DETROIT GRAND PRIX: Race 2 unofficial results
Dixon crashed on the 24th lap of Saturday’s race, finishing 22nd. He qualified sixth for Sunday’s race and led 44 of the 70 laps on the 14-turn, 2.35-mile temporary street course on Belle Isle Park in the Detroit River.
A day after the opening race of the weekend was delayed and then shortened to a time limit, Sunday’s race was run under crystal clear skies. Despite the ideal conditions, the race saw five full-course cautions as drivers battled for positions on the tight circuit.
Dixon, though, dodged the chaos and led the final 21 laps in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, including waiting out a six-minute red-flag stoppage when teammate Felix Rosenqvist crashed in Turn 1 with five laps to go. Dixon easily held off Ericsson on the Lap 67 restart and pulled away to his first win in 14 races, at Toronto last season.
It was also Dixon’s third win at Belle Isle, tying Helio Castroneves for the most in the event’s 27-race history. For Chip Ganassi Racing, it was Indy car victory No. 107.
Ericsson, who joined the NTT IndyCar Series this year after five seasons in Formula One, finished second in the No. 7 Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda. The Swede’s best result in his first seven races this season was seventh place at Barber Motorsports Park in April.
Will Power recovered from early mechanical issues to finish third in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, but his teammates didn’t fare as well. Simon Pagenaud and Josef Newgarden were involved in separate incidents in Turn 3 and finished 17th and 19th, respectively.
Pagenaud, winner a week ago of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, was in the middle of a five-car incident on the first lap and sustained significant damage to the No. 22 DXC Technology Chevrolet. He returned to the track after repairs were made but finished 12 laps off the pace.
Newgarden, who won Saturday’s first race of the weekend, came together with James Hinchcliffe and Alexander Rossi as the trio battled for position on Lap 33. Also sustaining damage to his No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet, Newgarden returned later and wound up 21 laps behind the leaders.
Despite the outcome, Newgarden retained the points lead after eight of 17 races. The 2017 series champion is unofficially 15 points up on Rossi, who finished fifth Sunday, and 25 points ahead of Pagenaud.
The NTT IndyCar Series returns to action Saturday, June 8 with the DXC Technology 600 at Texas Motor Speedway. Live coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN and the Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network.