MidValleySports.Com

(Long Beach) – Mike Conway led a trio of British Commonwealth drivers to Victory circle as he piloted his Window World Cares-Andretti AutoSport Dallara to his first career victory Sunday afternoon at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

“I knew I had to hang in there and push all the way,” said Conway after the race. “I just took my time and made my pass for the win.” Conway’s win also pleased his team owner, racing legend Michael Andretti, who earned two wins on the famed course and was the team owner of last year’s winner, Ryan Hunter-Reay.

 “I’m so happy for him,” said team owner Michael Andretti. “I’m so proud of him winning such a prestigious race here.”

Conway was joined on the podium by Australia’s Ryan Briscoe, who had been battling for the lead in the later laps with Hunter-Reay before his day ended. Scotland’s Dario Franchitti was third.

Hunter-Reay had been setting up to pass Briscoe while going through lap 72 when his gear actuator broke on him going into the Seaside turn, down-shifting his ride into first gear, forcing him to pull into the pits, ending his opportunity to repeat as champion.

No sooner than the green flag was waved, Helio Castroneves, Oriol Servia and Will Power got tangled up as their cars came into turn one. Power and Castroneves bumped each other and spun, while Servia, just behind Castroneves, was able to brake in time and spun his Telemundo Newman/Haas Racing chassis into a 360-degree spin and got back into the race, dropping down a few slots.

“Man, it racing, it’s just close racing,” said Power after the race as he watched the replay of the crash. Power’s teammate, Castroneves was dejected over the incident even after the race had finished.

“I wasn’t even trying to pass, but we made contact,” said Castroneves. “Will is my teammate and of course, you just can’t take each other out like that.”

Meanwhile, Graham Rahal and Takuma Sato collided as the cars were making the turn to Pine Avenue sending Rahal into the run-off section while rookie Charlie Kimball got turned around while trying to avoid hitting Sato, ending up in the tire barrier, putting him out of the race.

On lap 61, E.J. Viso came into contact with Danica Patrick as the two came around the 10th turn on the course, sending Viso’s KV Racing Technology Lotus into the side wall, blowing his right rear tire and knocking his back spoiler off his chassis, ending his day.

After Simona DiSilvestra was spun out along the hairpin turn 11by Paul Tracy, a full course caution came out. However, as the drivers were leaving the pits on lap 27, Marco Andretti and Sebastian Bourdais collided near the pit exit. Andretti was getting out of the way of another driver coming up on his right and ended up pinching Bourdais into the pit wall.

Bourdais, not pleased with the contact, let loose an expletive that went out live on the broadcast, which didn’t endear him to his sponsor for this race, the Boy Scouts of America. Despite getting back out there for another 10 laps, Andretti finally pulled off the course on lap 36.