How Pato O'Ward hunted down Rinus VeeKay for first IndyCar win of 2022

LEEDS, Ala. — After qualifying in Long Beach, Pato O'Ward decided to forget all the off-track drama to just go racing. Sunday, the IndyCar field was reminded what that looks like.

After falling back to fourth a year ago from pole at Barber Motorsports Park, the Arrow McLaren SP driver was elated in victory lane after O'Ward hung tight on polesitter Rinus VeeKay throughout Sunday's race before striking for a race-winning pass on Lap 62.

Last year's winner and defending IndyCar champion Alex Palou took second place, 0.98 seconds back , with VeeKay capping the podium in third more than 10 seconds back. Will Power, the only driver to finish in the top-5 in each of the first three races, took fourth, followed by Scott Dixon, Scott McLaughlin, Romain Grosjean, Graham Rahal, Alexander Rossi and Colton Herta.

Shortly after taking fifth in Long Beach, by far his best finish of the year, O'Ward and McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown told IndyStar they were closing in on a contract extension for the young Mexican driver, with the actual signing of contracts to come soon.

Here's more on how O'Ward won Sunday:

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O'Ward makes bold pass on VeeKay for win

After leading 57 of 62 laps and holding something around a 2-second lead on O'Ward for the nearly all of the green running, it looked as if Sunday's polesitter would get his second IndyCar victory — and first in nearly a year. But following the pair's final pit stops that came on Lap 62, the Arrow McLaren SP driver hustled out of pit lane hot on the back of VeeKay's rear-wing.

One lap later, in the downhill left-hand Turn 5, O'Ward took advantage of what many believe is the best passing zone on the course and took the lead. Soon after, he flipped the tables and gained a 2-second lead, and on Lap 64, Palou, the defending Barber winner, split the leaders and took over second place.

Ilott's spin leads to strategy chaos

A track that almost always comes with early in-race fireworks was tame through the first entire stint for both the two- and three-stoppers, leaving those opting for two (most, but not all of those that started at the front, including VeeKay, O'Ward, McLaughlin, Rossi and Palou) increasingly in need of a yellow to help ease their fuel saving and tire management.

Their prayers were answered only two laps after VeeKay pitted, when Juncos Hollinger Racing's Callum Ilott was battling position Helio Castroneves coming into Turn 7 and went wide and off into the gravel in Turn 9.

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Ilott, the driver of the lone one-car team in the field, started 11th and was moving toward the top-5 among the three-stoppers before the incident. The AMR Safety Team was able to re-fire his car and he continued, but he added loads of intrigue to the strategy game.

Because the entire field had pitted, those opting for three stops, who were leading at the time (Newgarden ahead of Herta) went ahead and made their second stops four or five laps early. They then cycled into the midfield, and though they could then push harder from there on out compared to VeeKay, O'Ward, McLaughlin and company, it gave them 15 or more seconds to make up.

Palou grabs championship points lead

With his runner-up finish, Palou jumped from third to take the IndyCar points lead (144). McLaughlin, who entered Sunday in second, remained there (141), followed by the pre-Barber leader Newgarden (third, 135), Power (134), O'Ward (114) and Dixon (113).

Email IndyStar motor sports reporter Nathan Brown at nlbrown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter: @By_NathanBrown.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IndyCar: Pato O'Ward beats Rinus VeeKay at Barber for third win