Britain’s Mike Conway captured his second IndyCar title with a victory in Saturday’s first Indy Duel in Detroit race, a triumph that came only hours after winning the pole for Sunday’s event.
Conway, whose only prior IndyCar victory came in 2011 at Long Beach, signed a one-off deal to drive for car owner Dale Coyne and had never seen the vehicle or his pit crew until this week.
“All thanks to the team,” Conway said. “The car has been great all weekend. I just had to push and push and get to the front and then be conservative.
“I feel good. I wanted to stay out and do some more laps.”
This weekend marks the first of three planned IndyCar weekend double-headers this season, with another race coming Sunday over the same 3.8 kilometre, 13-turn circuit.
Conway made himself the man to beat on Sunday by winning the pole in Saturday morning time trials, completing the fastest lap in 1:18.0977 to edge fellow Englishman James Jakes by 0.0727 of a second.
“We have another stab at it tomorrow,” Conway said. “We’re in perfect position.”
Conway’s only prior IndyCar start this season was at Long Beach in April, where he finished 25th driving for another team.
Conway passed US runner-up Ryan Hunter-Reay on lap 44 of 70 on the inside of the first turn at the end of a long straightaway, then kept the lead through the final pit stops and the closing laps.
Conway’s teammate, Englishman Justin Wilson, was third followed by Scott Dixon of New Zealand, Brazil’s Helio Castroneves and Scotland’s Dario Franchitti.
Australia’s Will Power finished in eighth place.
“Mike Conway, great job jumping straight from the couch to the racing seat,” Castroneves said.
Castroneves seized the season championship lead with 182 points, three ahead of Hunter-Reay and five ahead of former leader Marco Andretti. Japan’s Takuma Sato is only 14 points back with Wilson 21 points off the pace.
Power, who finished runner-up in the championship race in 2010, 2011 and 2012, is currently in 13th spot on 113 points.