NEWTON, Iowa — Alex Lloyd’s Indy Pro Series season has taken on historic proportions after the driver from Isle of Man scored his record sixth victory of the season in Saturday’s Iowa 100 at Iowa Speedway.
Wade Cunningham led the first 105 circuits before Lloyd took the lead on lap 106, just four laps after a restart following a crash by Jonathan Klein and Stephen Simpson on the frontstretch on lap 93.
Lloyd, who had been content to let Cunningham lead most of the race while staying close behind, went to the inside of Cunningham in the first turn. The two drove side by side before Lloyd made the race-winning pass heading to the line to complete the 106th lap.
Lloyd stayed in front for the final 10 laps for his eighth-career victory and record sixth of the season.
“With 10 laps to go, I was so pumped up,” Lloyd said. “I knew this was the time if we were going to win the race, this was the time to get it done. Up until then, I had been patient and I thought there might be a gap going into turn one, but I didn’t want to show that too soon knowing that he could defend that.
“I left it until the very last minute and I saw my chance, got it down there, and he gave me just enough room. We had a very good race. It was an unbelievable race, and once we got in the lead the car was just great.”
Cunningham’s second-place finish equaled his season-best at the St. Petersburg in February. He paced 105 laps, the most laps led by any driver in an Indy Pro Series race. It is also the most laps led in any race by a non-winning driver.
Hideki Mutoh was third for Panther Racing followed by Ryan Justice and Robbie Pecorari.
There were four cautions for 32 laps, including a huge crash into the infield pit wall by Sean Guthrie on lap 80. Guthrie hit the SAFER barrier coming off the fourth turn before sliding through the grass and smacking the concrete wall that separates the pit lane from the racing surface.
Guthrie suffered a displaced fracture of his left foot. He will be re-evaluated before the Watkins Glen race to determine his driving status.
The finish:
Alex Lloyd, Wade Cunningham, Hideki Mutoh, Ryan Justice, Robbie Pecorari, Logan Gomez, Al Unser III, Marc Williams, Bobby Wilson, Ben Petter, Ken Losch, Mike Potekhen, Joey Scarallo, Andrew Prendeville, Tom Wieringa, Chris Festa, Brad Jaeger, Jonathan Klein, Stephen Simpson, Sean Guthrie, Jaime Camara, Jon Brownson.