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| May 25, 2012 News |
| Indy Lights: Guerrieri Charges to Freedom 100 Win |
 | Esteban Guerrieri made the most of a late race pass to score the win at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
(Photo: INDYCAR-LAT USA) |
Esteban Guerrieri scored what he considers the biggest win of racing career to date on Friday (May 25), capturing the Firestone Indy Lights Freedom 100 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The young Argentinian, having qualified 11th and started at the rear of the field - due to an engine change - overtook race leader Tristan Vautier and Gustavo Yacaman in turn 1 on lap 38 (leading by 0.0352s at the start/finish line) to score the Freedom 100 win.
A close final two laps were expected, but the No. 4 Belardi Auto Racing car driven by Jorge Goncalvez made moderate contact with the turn two wall on the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway on lap 39, bringing out the yellow flag and subsequent finish behind the safety car.
Guerrieri, winning for the second time this season, pumped his fist as the No. 11 Pistas Argentinas/Sam Schmidt Motorsports with Curb-Agajanian car crossed under the checkered flag. It was the fourth consecutive year that a Sam Schmidt Motorsports driver won the race.
"It was one of those weekends that I really trusted that I was going to finished well even if I qualified bad, and then we changed the engine because we felt it had some problems, and then we are [in Victory Circle]," said Guerrieri, who vaulted to the top of the series championship standings heading to Belle Isle in Detroit next week.
"I’m really happy from starting last to give this to the guys. The Sam Schmidt Motorsports team is very good. I’m really happy and I can’t thank enough to Sam for giving me the opportunity to be here, and for all the guys and everybody that’s here enjoying this beautiful weekend. I also want to dedicate the win to Chris Griffis [Sam Schmidt Motorsports Crew Chief], who passed away last year."
Guerrieri, who jumped to second behind Victor Carbone on lap 23, said advice from his engineer, Tim Neff, about being patient helped as he set up the pass 15 laps later.
"That was a tight [pass]," he said. "Tim told me to be patient the last five laps because that’s where we’re going to have to push, so I just tried to drop back a little bit and wait for everybody to wear the tires more, then I attacked in the five laps and it paid off. My tires were better balanced and I made the move for the lead, so I just put everything I had in it and it worked out."
Carlos Munoz, competing in his first oval race in the series, finished second, and another rookie, Vautier, advanced six positions relative to his starting spot to finish third.
Munoz, 20, of Colombia, who competed in the Formula 3 Euro Series in 2011, picked up his second consecutive top-five finish in the No. 26 Team Dialy-Ser car for Andretti Autosport.
"I am proud to be here and also I’m really happy to be my first oval race and finish second," he said. "There is more to come this year."
Vautier was 0.1354 of a second behind Guerrieri at the close of Lap 38.
“It was so close. I really thought I had a good shot [at winning]," said Vautier, the 2011 Star Mazda champion who has finished in the top-five in each of the four races this season. "A big congrats to my teammate Esteban. He started last and ran really strong. A big thanks to the whole team. I guess I’ll have to come back next year and try to win it.
"I really thought that we had it. There’s only one lap to lead and that’s the last one and we didn’t [lead it]. I’m happy and frustrated at the same time. I wanted to win, but I’m here [in third]. It’s still a great day for Sam Schmidt Motorsports."
Yacaman, the pole sitter, finished fourth in the No. 2 TMR-Tuvacol-Xtreme Coil Drilling car. Sebastian Saavedra, who also will compete in the Indianapolis 500 on May 27, was fifth in the No. 27 Team AFS car after starting 10th.
The Firestone Indy Lights chase for championship honors continues on June 2-3, on the streets of Belle Isle in Detroit, Mich.
The top-three will be posted following every session on the EFCN Facebook page, and EFCN Twitter page.
Indy Lights
Round 4 - Race Results
May 25, 2012
Indianapolis Motor Speedway - Indianapolis, Indiana
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Diff.| 1. | Esteban Guerrieri | Sam Schmidt Motorsports | - | | 2. | Carlos Munoz | Andretti Autosport | N/A | | 3. | Tristan Vautier | Sam Schmidt Motorsports | N/A | | 4. | Gustavo Yacaman | Team Moore Racing | N/A | | 5. | Sebastian Saavedra | AFS Racing/Andretti Autosport | N/A | | 6. | Victor Cabone | Sam Schmidt Motorsports | N/A | | 7. | J.V. Horto | Juncos Racing | N/A | | 8. | Alon Day | Belardi Auto Racing | N/A | | 9. | Mike Larrison | Belardi Auto Racing | N/A | | 10. | Chase Austin | Juncos Racing | N/A | | 11. | Juan Pablo Garcia | Jeffrey Mark Motorsport | N/A | | 12. | Jorge Goncalvez | Belardi Auto Racing | 2 Laps | | 13. | Armaan Ebrahim | Fan Force United | 6 Laps | | 14. | Peter Dempsey | Younessi Racing | 35 Laps | | 15. | Oliver Webb | Sam Schmidt Motorsports | 36 Laps | | 16. | Brandon Wagner | Team E Racing | 36 Laps | | 17. | Emerson Newton-John | Fan Force United | 36 Laps | | 18. | David Ostella | Team Moore Racing | 36 Laps | | 19. | Anders Krohn | Bryan Herta Autosport | 40 Laps | |
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