P – Australian Will Power missed a chance to wrap up his maiden IndyCar championship after finishing sixth at the rain-marred Grand Prix of Baltimore on Sunday.
Power started the race from pole and would have clinched the title with a win but American Ryan Hunter-Reay took victory to keep the championship race alive.
Power will take a 17-point lead over Hunter-Reay into the final race of the year, on the oval in Fontana, California, on September 15.
Fellow Australian Ryan Briscoe took second in a race that drew nine caution flags, rookie Simon Pagenaud finished third and Scott Dixon came in fourth.
The race was marked by controversy, with Power and Briscoe questioning Hunter-Reay’s timing on a restart near the end of the race.
Officials said a replay showed Hunter-Reay acted appropriately.
Power fell out of the lead around the 20th lap to make a pit stop for a change to rain tires.
The other top three cars opted to stay on slick tires, so Hunter-Reay moved in front.
The rain quickly subsided, so Power pitted on Lap 28 to change back to slicks.
That pushed Power back to 17th, and around that time Takuma Sato opened a six-second lead.
Power worked his way back in front and got two points for leading for the most laps.
But the ending could not have been much more heartbreaking for the Australian.
Dario Franchitti’s disappointing season took another hit on Lap 21 when he spun to a stop after his car was clipped from behind by Simona de Silvestro.
The collision damaged the front of Silvestro’s car, and he eventually dropped out of the race.
Franchitti finished 13th.
Sato was forced to drop out in Lap 50 due to mechanical difficulties.
Sebastien Bourdais exited on Lap 32 with mechanical failure in the suspension.
Bourdais was fourth in qualifying.