RACE RECAP: COOPER TIRES INDY LIGHTS GRAND PRIX OF LAGUNA SECA

9.22.19

RACE 1. 

As the checkered flag waved over the penultimate Indy Lights race of the 2019 season, Oliver Askew was delivered the honors of Indy Lights Champion earning a scholarship for $1.1 million and the opportunity to compete in at least three events in the 2020 NTT IndyCar Series season, including a chance to qualify for the 104th Running of the Indianapolis 500.

Rookie Robert Megennis made a charge on the start of Race 1 of the doubleheader season finale for Indy Lights by immediately moving up to the third position on the start. Megennis would ultimately hold the position and capture his sixth-career Indy Lights podium.

Making his 50th career Indy Lights start in Race 1, Ryan Norman knew he had an uphill battle at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca after a red flag in qualifying left him starting at the rear of the field. With a track that provided to be difficult to pass and a caution-free race, Norman finished in his starting position of seventh.

RACE 2.

The end came for the 2019 Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires season with the drop of the checkered flag for Race 2. Following a successful season on track, including a total of nine wins and nine pole positions, the Andretti Autosport Indy Lights trio captured back-to-back Indy Lights Team Championships.

After finishing fourth in Race 1 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Oliver Askew clinched the 2019 Indy Lights Championship. His mission for Race 2 was simple: bring home his eighth win of the season. Although the rookie from Jupiter, Florida, did not stand on the top step of the podium Sunday, he did capture his 15th podium of the season. Robert Megennis and Ryan Norman started fourth and fifth, respectively, for Race 2, but that didn’t stop the pair from battling it out on track.

Once the green flag waved, the two Andretti Autosport drivers swapped places as Norman moved up to fourth and Megennis fell back to fifth, but the battle for the fourth position only heated up from there. Megennis eventually began closing in on Norman as the pair jockeyed for the position for a handful of laps until Megennis passed Norman in the ‘Andretti Hairpin’ that is Turn 2 to move back into his starting position of fourth.