ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – Juan Pablo Montoya gave Team Penske a victory Sunday in the season-opening race at St. Petersburg, where the driver showed how far he has come a year after returning to the IndyCar Series.
Montoya grabbed the lead away from teammate Will Power during a cycle of pit stops and held off one strong challenge from Power to win for the second time since he left NASCAR after the 2013 season.
Montoya, who won last year on the oval at Pocono in his first season driving for Roger Penske, won an IndyCar race on a road or street course for the first time since Vancouver in 1999.
“When I needed to push, I could push,” Montoya said.
Power, the reigning IndyCar champion, settled for second after leading 75 laps.