Despite starting fourth on the grid, despite Justin Wilson’s outstanding weekend, and despite Alex Tagliani’s strong prediction, it was Australian driver Will Power who zoomed past the field at the drop of the flag and never relented, winning the 2008 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.


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Power overtakes Justin Wilson in the McDonald’s car heading into Turn 1.  Photo by Russell Conroy.

Surprises continued on the podium, with second place finisher Franck Montagny – racing in his debut Champ Car event – and third place Mario Dominguez rounding out the Top 3.  None of them began the race from a top 3 position.

Justin Wilson impressed all weekend with outstanding times, earning the pole position with a blistering qualifying session, but lost the lead before Turn 1 of the race and was forced out after just 12 laps with mechanical trouble.  Starting from the second spot, Alex Tagliani – who told Wilson on Saturday to push hard, “Because I’m coming for him” – fell early and spent much of the race in third before finishing in seventh.

The event was the final race in Champ Car history, as the league now merges with the Indy Racing League.  A handful of drivers will be making the move to IRL with their teams, but a dozen of those who raced today do not yet have seats.

1.  Will Power  
 2.  Franck Montagny
 3.  Mario Dominguez   
 4.  Enrique Bernoldi  
 5.  Oriol Servia      
 6.  Franck Perera     
 7.  Alex Tagliani
 8.  David Martinez   
 9.  EJ Viso           
10.  Jimmy Vasser   
11.  Paul Tracy    
12.  Bruno Junqueira   
13.  Graham Rahal      
14.  Alex Figge        
15.  Nelson Philippe   
16.  Antonio Pizzonia 

Retirements:

Roberto Moreno
 Juho Annala
 Justin Wilson    
 Mario Moraes