Power wins at Watkins Glen

Will Power won the Camping World Grand Prix at Watkins Glen International with a commanding performance on Sunday, giving Team Penske its first IndyCar Series win at the storied road course.

Penske drivers had won the first five poles at Watkins Glen but had never won.

Power, the series points leader, started from the pole and led 45 of 60 laps around the 11-turn, 3.4-mile road course. He beat teammate Ryan Briscoe by 1.2 seconds for his third win of the season, all on road or street courses.

"It's the first race I pushed the whole way," Power said. "It was a difficult race. I loved it."

Dario Franchitti was third, followed by Raphael Matos and Mario Moraes, his best finish of the season.

After the second and final full-course caution of the race, Power, who had been dominant, was beaten out of the pits by Briscoe and was second when the race went green on lap 44. It didn't take Power long to regain the top spot, passing Briscoe entering the chicane at the top of the hill coming off the high-speed esses.

"I knew that was my only chance," Power said. "I made sure I got a good restart and got a run on him."

Franchitti passed Briscoe for second at the same spot two laps later but never mounted a serious challenge. Briscoe passed him for second entering the first turn, a 90-degree right-hander, of the final lap.

"I was pushing 100 percent from start to finish," Briscoe said. "I wanted to keep the pressure on. I saw his tires going away faster than mine. I wish I could have held on to the win."

The complexion of the race changed early when Helio Castroneves, who started second, and Scott Dixon made contact on the back straight heading up through the esses on lap 7. The contact punctured the left rear tire of Castroneves' No. 3 Penske Honda and Dixon's front wing was damaged, forcing both to pit.

On different strategies the remainder of the race, they ran up front when the other cars made their first pit stops but never could challenge Power. Dixon finished eighth, one spot in front of Castroneves and more than 12 seconds behind the winner.

Power was in command from the start, leading the first 18 laps before pitting for the first time.

Dixon inherited the lead for the next 10 laps before pitting again and Power resumed control, ahead of Briscoe and Matos.