IndyCar Series: Takuma Sato on the top podium spot at Gateway

Takuma Sato (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing) scored his second win of the season in Bommarito Automotive Group 500 at the World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.

After 248 laps at the 1.25-mile oval track, Takuma Sato crossed the finish line just 0.0399 seconds ahead of Ed Carpenter (ECR Chevrolet), taking a victory in the closest IndyCar finish in the 10-year history of WWT Raceway at Gateway (former Gateway Motorsports Park).

Takuma Sato in the #30 Honda

The driver of the #30 Mi-Jack/Panasonic Honda of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing overcame early issues that sent him to the rear of the field. However, several caution periods helped him to return among the front-runners. When he took the lead on lap 188, Sato stayed in front until the end, scoring his fifth IndyCar victory in a career.

Joining Sato and Carpenter on the podium was Tony Kanaan (AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet), who reached his first podium since a runner-up finish at Texas in 2017.

Santino Ferrucci (Dale Coyne Racing, Honda), who led the most laps (97), finished the race in the fourth place, in front of championship contender Simon Pagenaud (Team Penske, Chevrolet). Championship leader Josef Newgarden (Team Penske, Chevrolet) was involved in a last-lap incident that dropped him to a seventh-place finish.

Carpenter, Sato, Kanaan on the podium

With two more races on the schedule, Newgarden has the 38-point lead over teammate Simon Pagenaud. Alexander Rossi (Andretti Autosport, Honda), who finished 13th at Gateway, slipped from second to third in the title race and is 46 points behind Newgarden. Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon finished 20th due to a radiator issue and now trails Newgarden by 70 points.

The next race would be the Grand Prix of Portland at the Portland International Raceway next Sunday.