Guerrieri races through to win Freedom 100 from back of the grid
Esteban Guerrieri won an eventful Indy Lights Freedom 100 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, giving the Sam Schmidt Motorsports team its fourth straight victory at the event
The Argentine driver, who had started from the rear of the grid due to an engine change, took the lead in the final stages of the race with a move on Andretti Autosport's Carlos Munoz.
A late yellow caused by Jorge Goncalvez who caught the grass and was flicked up the track and into the wall prevented Munoz from being able to reply.
His win moves him to the top of the points table.
"It was one of those weekends that I really trusted that I was going to finished well even if I qualified badly, and then we changed the engine because we felt it had some problems, and then we are [in Victory Circle]," said Guerrieri.
"But 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."
Guerrieri's Schmidt team-mate Tristan Vautier finished third, while Brit and fellow Schmidt runner Oliver Webb was one of four victims of a lap four accident that also accounted for David Ostella, Emerson Newton-John and Brandon Wagner.
Results - 45 laps: Pos Driver Team Time/Gap 1. Esteban Guerrieri Sam Schmidt 40m09.1965s 2. Carlos Muñoz Andretti + 0.4292s 3. Tristan Vautier Sam Schmidt + 1.1598s 4. Gustavo Yacaman Moore + 1.5212s 5. S.Saavedra AFS/Andretti + 1.5998s 6. Victor Carbone Sam Schmidt + 2.1506s 7. João Horto Juncos + 2.8524s 8. Alon Day Belardi Auto + 2.9598s 9. Mike Larrison Belardi Auto + 3.8133s 10. Chase Austin Juncos + 4.8556s 11. Juan P.García Jeffrey Mark + 5.7788s 12. Jorge Goncalvez Belardi Auto + 2 laps 13. Armaan Ebrahim Fan Force + 6 laps Retirements: Peter Dempsey Younessi 5 laps Oliver Webb Sam Schmidt 4 laps Brandon Wagner Team E 4 laps Emerson Newton-John Fan Force 4 laps David Ostella Team Moore 4 laps Anders Krohn Bryan Herta 0 laps
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