Marco Andretti slightly injured in St. Pete crash

Marco Andretti

Will Power went to Victory Lane on Sunday in the Verizon IndyCar Series' season-opening race, but controversy followed him there.

Power led the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg when the first restart came on Lap 82. He slowly rounded the corner coming to the green flag and then seemed to slow even more.

Drivers behind Power were not sure what to do. Those closest to him slowed, including teammate Helio Castroneves in second, but those farther back were not so fortunate. A pileup ensued.

In the mess was series newcomer Jack Hawksworth being turned toward the inside of the track in the direction of Marco Andretti's car. They hit the barrier that separates pit road from the track.

Andretti hit particularly hard — even though he was not going that fast — and the Lehigh Valley native and Notre Dame-Green Pond graduate favored his right arm getting out of the car.

His father, former CART champion Michael Andretti, was not happy with the front-runner.

"Will caused the crash," the owner of Andretti Autosport said. "It was just wrong what he did."

Power was not penalized by race control, and he later admitted that he was trying to keep Castroneves from getting a big jump on him.

"I was going to make it obvious that he was getting out of line by lifting a little," Power said. "Then I just went."

Marco Andretti described it as "an accordion effect," and his hand was sore. He was also walking with a limp.

"It was just a bad angle (to hit)," he said. "(The car) stopped pretty quick."

Andretti could not continue the race and finished last, 22nd.

Hawksworth said, "It was really out of our control."

Ryan Hunter-Reay, who finished second, said everyone had a role in the incident.

"The guys in the front need to not stack up the field as much and the guys in the back need to expect a stack up, and those two things combined (happened)," Hunter-Reay said.

Aside from Charlie Kimball's slide into the Turn 1 tire barrier that necessitated the first caution of the race, there were no other stoppages on a picturesque day on the 1.8-mile temporary street circuit.

Power won his 22nd race in the IndyCar Series and his third in a row. He won the final two races and three of the final five of 2013.

Castroneves, who finished third, said his Team Penske teammate deserved to win.

"He was very fast at the end, and his little trick move didn't take anything away from the fact (he did) a good job," the Brazilian said. Mcall.com