Worth the wait: Will Power takes checkered flag at IndyCar’s rain-delayed Honda GP

Power goes 2-for-2, wins IRL’s Honda Grand Prix

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Will Power has won the rain-delayed Honda Grand Prix, his second IndyCar victory in as many races this season.

Power and Justin Wilson ran away from the field late, but Wilson could never make a great run at the lead in the final laps. Power prevailed by nearly a full second Monday, with Ryan Briscoe third and Helio Castroneves one spot behind him — that duo giving Penske Racing three of the top four spots.

Power was the polesitter after qualifying Saturday, and was the fastest driver in every practice session but one all weekend.

The race was scheduled for Sunday before thunderstorms put much of the 1.8-mile street circuit under water. A total of 4.03 inches of rain fell in a span of about 19 hours, but the course was fairly dry when the green flag finally fell Monday morning.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — A river of rainwater ran through at least one section of the infield, puddles covered the course and fans spent most of Sunday running for cover.

So much for those spectacular views the Indy Racing League was looking forward to in St. Petersburg.

With 6 inches of water pooling on some sections of the low-lying track, the Honda Grand Prix was postponed after a band of thunderstorms pounded the course for much of the afternoon. It was the first time an Indy Racing League event was pushed back by weather since April 2008, when Danica Patrick won in Japan.

“If we were to go out and try to race,” driver Hideki Mutoh said, “maybe there would only be one car that would finish.”

Monday was a far different story.

With conditions much improved and the course described as “exceptional” after crews worked all night, the green flag dropped shortly after 10 a.m. Drivers were told about 10 minutes before the race that they could take rain tires off their cars, meaning it would be a full 100-lap event over the 1.8-mile course and not a timed two-hour race.

Getting the track dry was far from easy, though.

From Sunday afternoon through the start of the race Monday, including a thunderstorm that hit around 5:30 a.m. and lasted about an hour, 4.03 inches of rain had fallen at the course. Many pedestrian walkways were muddy and there was plenty of water around the complex, but the track itself was rapidly drying.

There were slight modifications made to the area around turns 13 and 14 because of standing water in the area, but the race was not expected to be affected.

Rain began falling at the track just before 1 p.m. Sunday, and a band of strong storms arrived quickly from there. The decision to postpone was made around 4 p.m.

“We’re one of the few series in the world that go racing in the rain,” driver Ryan Hunter-Reay said. “And even this was a bit much.”

It was a double-whammy of a weather day for racing fans. NASCAR’s event in Martinsville, Va., also was pushed back by rain and now is set to begin Monday at noon.

NASCAR’s start time is part of the reason the decision was made for IRL to begin at 10 a.m. instead of later in the day. Both races will be on ESPN networks — a blow to some drivers, since Sunday’s race was one of the few slated to be aired on ABC this season.

“No way. Really? What would we have to do, cancel a soap opera?” Hunter-Reay said. “That’s disappointing.”

IRL races typically go on as scheduled even when it rains, the season opener two weeks ago in Sao Paulo the most recent example. Sunday’s issue was the combination of puddles on the track, which can cause cars to go airborne, and several flashes of lightning that were spotted in the area about two hours before the IndyCar race was to begin.

Plus, the National Weather Service said wind exceeding 25 mph was hitting the area, with higher gusts possible.

“It was pretty slick out there and the white lines on the runway were treacherous,” said Stefan Wilson, who ran third in the soaked IndyLights race Sunday afternoon, which was to precede the IRL event. “A lot of people made a lot of mistakes in front of me.”

There were several logistical issues to deal with, including continued road closures in downtown St. Petersburg — where the circuit was set up. Many teams rearranged their travel schedules as well.

“Me being around for so long, I’ve raced on Mondays quite more often than a lot of guys,” Tony Kanaan said. “It’s just one more day. You keep your game-plan on.”