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Mutoh Stays Hot, Delivers Bluegrass Triumph For Panther Racing Under The Lights
Kentucky 100
SPARTA, Ky. — Alex Lloyd will likely win the Indy Pro Series title but Hideki Mutoh may finish the season as its hottest driver.
Mutoh scored his second victory in Saturday night’s Kentucky 100 IPS race, which was held after the IndyCar Series race to give the developmental series drivers a chance to race under the lights.
Mutoh defeated Lloyd by .1023-seconds and .1567-seconds over third-place Wad Cunningham.
“I have been looking forward to winning an oval race,” said Mutoh, whose other Indy Pro Series victory came on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in the Liberty Challenge.
Mutoh pocketed $33,500 after winning for Panther Racing. He led twice for 66 laps with Cunningham leading once for one lap on the second trip around the oval. Once Mutoh regained the lead on the third lap, he stayed there for the rest of the 67-lap contest.
It was a close race, though, as he had to fight off Lloyd and Cunningham over the closing stages of the race.
“Alex and Wade are really good drivers, fair drivers,” Mutoh said. “I knew we were not going to make contact or anything like that. I was just keeping my focus on my driving.”
By scoring his first victory on an oval, Mutoh said it gives him confidence when he gets to make his IndyCar debut in the season-ending racing at Chicagoland Speedway on Sept. 9.
“Definitely yes,” Mutoh said. “It was a very good experience. Before I drive in an IndyCar race, I can win on an oval in an IPS race. That means quite a lot. I’m more confident and have a better relationship with the team. So that’s good news for me driving IndyCar.”
Lloyd’s second-place finish was his 11th top-five of the season. It gives him 548 points and gives him a 98-point over Cunningham entering the doubleheader at Infineon Raceway Aug. 25-26.
The finish:
Hideki Mutoh, Alex Lloyd, Wade Cunningham, Chris Festa, Jaime Camara, Sean Guthrie, Mike Potekhen, Robbie Pecorari, Brad Jaeger, Travis Gregg, Stephen Simpson, Ken Losch, Logan Gomez, Tom Wieringa, Ryan Justice, Leilani Munter, Andrew Prendeville, Bobby Wilson, Jon Brownson, Joey Scarallo.