Indy Lights: Wheldon takes first series win

The 23-year-old's win was, in part, down to the misfortune of polesitter and series leader Townsend Bell. The American was leading, but with 10 laps to go he retired with a fuel pump problem. That promoted Wheldon, who started third on the grid, to the front. He kept his nerve and went on to score PacWest's first win of the season.

"When Townsend went off I thought I just have get to finish," said a relieved Wheldon after the 80-lap race. "We've had some bad luck ourselves this season, but the PacWest team really pushed Mario and myself hard because we were always very close. I'm very happy to win - it helps my aspirations for next year and we'd like to get a couple more before the season is out."

Kiwi Mat Halliday finished a career-best third followed by Irishmen Derek Higgins and Damien Faulkner.

Following the championship leader's retirement, the battle for the title has been raised a degree or two. Bell, who has had a couple of Champ Car tests with Patrick Racing recently, stays on 131 points. And with just two races to go, Faulkner moves up to 109, but Wheldon, who was second last time out at Mid-Ohio, has moved to within six points of Faulkner, on 103.