WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — The Firestone Indy Lights Series added a new twist to its double-header format of racing on the street and road courses by holding a true double-header with two races in one day, the Corning Duels at Watkins Glen Int’l.
It was the first time in series history that two races were held on the same day.
Raphael Matos defeated Richard Antinucci in the first race as Matos took the lead from Franck Perera on the third lap and led the rest of the 28-lap contest. But in the second race held after IndyCar qualifications on Saturday, Antinucci was able to reverse his position by defeating Matos by .7202 second.
Ana Beatriz of Brazil led the first nine laps before Antinucci took the lead on the 10th lap and stayed there until the checkered flag waved on lap 29.
Matos’s victory in the first race was the fourth of his career and second this season.
Matos won race one by 2.1290 seconds over Antinucci. Jeff Simmons was third, followed by Beatriz and Pablo Donoso.
“I knew I had to get by Franck (Perera) in the beginning of the race because he was running more downforce than me,” Matos said. “That was definitely the most important pass. It worked out pretty well, and I was able to get by him. At the end of the race, my car was good enough that I could make a big enough gap so I was comfortable in the lead, and I could bring the AFS/Andretti Green Racing car to victory lane.”
Antinucci came back to win race two after starting fifth. It was his fourth-career victory and his second this season.
“We were good on cold tires,” Antinucci explained. “During the first few laps of the morning race, I noticed we were quicker than (Raphael) Matos on cold tires. We had a really good car. We had new tires while Matos and (Jeff) Simmons had scuffed tires. That might have helped us with the hotter temperatures. In the long run it hurt us, but it was enough at the end to win.”
Antinucci now leads the Firestone Indy Lights standings by 29 points over Matos.
“I don’t think we had a strong car on the restarts. I almost spun on the last restart in turn 10, and Ana Beatriz got a run on me,” Matos said. “It’s just too bad because I think AFS/Andretti Green Racing gave me a strong car. I was catching Richard (Antinucci) at the end, but we just ran out of time.”
Dillon Battistini, who entered the weekend as the points leader, finished 17th and 20th, falling to third in points.
Beatriz was third in the second race followed by Logan Gomez and Donoso.
The finishes:
Race No. 1
Showing driver, laps completed and money won: 1. Raphael Matos, 28, $20,000; 2. Richard Antinucci, 28, $15,500; 3. Jeff Simmons, 28, $12,250; 4. Ana Beatriz, 28, $10,000; 5. Pablo Donoso, 28, $9,500; 6. Logan Gomez, 28, $9,000; 7. Arie Luyendyk, Jr., 28, $8,775; 8. Daniel Herrington, 28, $8,500; 9. Cyndie Allemann, 28, $8,000; 10. Jonny Reid, 28, $7,750; 11. Andrew Prendeville, 28, $7,500; 12. Mitch Cunningham, 28, $7,250; 13. Sean Guthrie, 28, $7,000; 14. Brent Sherman, 28, $8,250; 15. Mark Olson, 27, $7,500; 16. Matt Lee, 27, $6,000; 17. Dillon Battistini, 8, $5,000; 18. Franck Perera, 2, $4,500; 19. J.R. Hildebrand, 2, $6,000; 20. Bobby Wilson, 2, $3,000; 21. James Davison, 0, $2,000.
Race No. 2
Showing driver, laps completed and money won: 1. Richard Antinucci, 29, $20,000; 2. Raphael Matos, 29,  $15,500; 3. Ana Beatriz, 29, $12,250; 4. Logan Gomez, 29, $10,000; 5. Pablo Donoso, 29, $9,500; 6. Jeff Simmons, 29, $9,000; 7. Arie Luyendyk, Jr., 29, $8,775; 8. Matt Lee, 29, $8,500; 9. J.R. Hildebrand, 29, $8,000; 10. Sean Guthrie, 29, $7,750; 11. James Davison, 29, $7,500; 12. Mitch Cunningham, 29, $7,250; 13. Andrew Prendeville, 29, $7,000; 14. Brent Sherman, 29, $6,750; 15. Daniel Herrington, 29, $6,500; 16. Mark Olson, 29, $6,000; 17. Franck Perera, 20, $7,000; 18. Cyndie Allemann, 18, $4,500; 19. Bobby Wilson, 7, $5,000; 20. Dillon Battistini, 6, $5,500; 21. Jonny Reid, 0, $2,000.