Sparta, KY (My Sportsbook) - Helio Castroneves did everything he could to finally score his first victory of the season, but the No.3 Team Penske driver ran out of fuel on the last lap as Scott Dixon passed him heading into the final turn to pick up his record-tying sixth win of the season.
Dixon tied the IndyCar Series record for most wins in a season, set by his teammate Dan Wheldon in 2005.
"It was crazy," Dixon said. "I knew we were running a pretty good strategy, but Helio made it very hard to pass."
Dixon started on the pole and put on a dominating performance, leading 151 of 200 laps. At the half-way point, Marco Andretti made several attempts to pass Dixon, but Dixon was able to fend him off. He finally gave up the top spot to Andretti on Lap 121.
During the third and final caution, Dixon won the race off of pit road when he edged Andretti by a nose during the caution with 65 laps remaining. Dixon gained two spots as he led the field for the restart four laps later.
Andretti and Dixon battled for the top spot until the last round of green-flag stops from Laps 189-194.
Andretti gave up the lead to Dixon when he pitted for fuel only on Lap 189. Second-place runner Vitor Meira also came in for a splash of gas. Dixon led the next five laps before he came in fuel.
Castroneves, who last pitted on Lap 143, gambled on fuel and decided to go the distance.
After his stop, Dixon returned to the field second and trailed Castroneves by 6.1403 seconds. Dixon narrowed the gap as he charged towards Castroneves.
Heading into the final lap, Dixon was 0.6241 seconds behind Castroneves. Dixon caught up with Castroneves in turn three, and as they entered into the final turn, Dixon passed Castroneves on the outside and then beat him to the finish line by 0.5532 seconds.
"We really took a big gamble," Castroneves said after finishing second for the seventh time this season. "We saved enough fuel, but unfortunately not enough to win the race. We did not have the car to be competing with (Dixon)."
Andretti, Meira and Wheldon completed the top-five.
Dixon now holds a 78-point lead over Castroneves with three races to go in the season.
The next race is scheduled for Sunday, August 24th, at Sonoma, CA.
