Five of the 17 races in the 2022 IndyCar season will take place on an oval, a type of circuit that is governed by different rules than conventional layouts, and where the action is perceived and enjoyed differently. Many of the best races on this class of track have been on the Texas Oval, where a number of track changes had affected the quality of its racing over the past two years. Fortunately, the third time was the charm, and the measures applied to correct it worked to provide an entertaining and frenetic race.
As in the old days, the victory was not only not decided until the last lap, but it changed hands in it, with Josef Newgarden being the executioner of a Scott McLaughlin who had done everything almost perfect up to that point. With what would have been his second consecutive victory within reach, McLaughlin did not count on his teammate’s daring maneuver, going around the outside of the last corner and taking more risks than usual, losing the race by a margin of just 66. thousandths
SHORT HIGHLIGHTS (5 MINUTES)
Marcus Ericsson completed the podium in an event where half a dozen drivers had a real shot at victory. Álex Palou was not among them, who rode throughout the race around the bottom of the top 10. Despite a not very effective setup, the errors of others and his perseverance allowed him to scratch a more than acceptable seventh position, waiting for scenarios most conducive to your team and your driving style.
FULL HIGHLIGHTS (30 MINUTES)
Just ahead finished a sensational Jimmie Johnson, whose first oval experience in this category brought him a sixth place more in line with his brilliant NASCAR history. Among the seven drivers making their debut at this track, his was by far the best performance, five places ahead of ‘rookie’ David Malukas. It didn’t go so well on his first superspeedway for Romain Grosjean, who held on to 13th until suffering a mechanical failure before reaching the halfway point.
Photos: IndyCar Media