HOUSTON, June 30, 2014 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Honda-powered rookie Carlos Huertas won Saturday’s opening race of the Grand Prix of Houston Presented by the Greater Houston Honda Dealers, “double header” Verizon IndyCar Series race weekend, taking his Dale Coyne Racing machine to an unexpected victory in an 80-lap event that featured constantly changing weather conditions.

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Today’s race was marked by a brief, heavy rain shower less than half an hour before the scheduled start, leading officials to declare the event a “wet race,” requiring teams to start on rain tires and for the race to become a one hour, 50-minute timed event.  The wet/dry conditions also contributed to a total of six caution flags and, as in Detroit earlier this month, multiple pit stop strategies throughout the field.

The early laps were dominated by Detroit pole qualifier Takuma Sato, driving for hometown legend A.J. Foyt Racing.  But Sato’s run ended after 32 laps when he tangled with the lapped car of Mikhail Aleshin.  James Hinchcliffe then took over at the front, as Honda-powered drivers led all 80 laps of today’s race. 

But a decision by Huertas’ Dale Coyne Racing team to make an early final pit stop proved decisive, as Huertas first followed teammate Justin Wilson for 15 laps, then assumed a lead he would not relinquish when Wilson made his final stop on Lap 73.  The victory is the fourth of the season for Honda, and the first for Huertas in his rookie season of IndyCar competition.

The second race of the weekend takes place tomorrow, starting at 3 p.m. EDT with live television coverage on the NBC Sports Network.

Carlos Huertas (#18 Dale Coyne Racing Honda) Houston Race 1 winner:  “For sure, it is always possible to win, but today was really tough.  I had no pace at all during the first half of the race, but our car became much better as the race continued.  The team did a great job, and these races are so long that you always have a chance to win if you do the right thing at the right time.  We made all the right calls today, and this is a great victory both for my team and myself.”

Tom Reichenbach (Senior Manager, Chief Engineer, Technical Division) on today’s race win:  “Whenever you have a rain race, it’s crazy.  And today the conditions were tough for everyone.  You just have to be on top of it, and be prepared to take advantage of the opportunities whenever they come.  Dale Coyne Racing made the right calls, had their drivers in the right place at the right time and it worked out in a victory.  Congratulations to Carlos [Huertas] and the team, and to everyone at HPD.  Now let’s go out and get another win tomorrow.”

SOURCE American Honda Motor Co., Inc.