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INDIANAPOLIS -- Right now, no one in the Verizon IndyCar Series can touch points leader Simon Pagenaud or his pit crew. The combination of the driver and servicemen produced a race-changing pit stop on Lap 63, giving Team Penske's No. 22 car the lead that would not be relinquished.
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Pagenaud took it from there, winning by 4.47 seconds for his third consecutive series victory. He previously won on the streets of Long Beach, Calif., and at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala., to take total command of the title chase.
Pagenaud's nearest challenger, Scott Dixon, finished seventh. Pagenaud also led the most laps, earning him two additional points.
By winning the pole, too, he captured the maximum number for the weekend -- 53 -- to give him a staggering 241 heading to the Indianapolis 500. His points lead is 76.
Practice for the 100th running of the Indy 500 begins Monday. The race is May 29.
The last IndyCar driver to win three consecutive races was Dixon, in 2013.
Helio Castroneves finished second, with James Hinchcliffe third.
For the third straight year, the Angie's List Grand Prix of Indianapolis field didn't make it through Turn 1 without a caution.
Two years ago, a chain reaction started when the pole-winning car of Sebastien Bourdais did not fire properly. Two other cars slammed into the back of the Colombian, sending debris flying.
Last year, Dixon got spun around via contact from behind from Castroneves.
This time, Dixon was indirectly involved. He moved to the outside slightly approaching Turn 1, causing Tony Kanaan to react with a similar drift toward the wall.
Kanaan would have been fine had Sebastien Bourdais not been on his outside. There was contact, creating a mess. Fortunately, no one else was involved.
Bourdais retired for the first time in these three IMS road races. He had finished fourth in the previous two races.
Graham Rahal and Josef Newgarden took the opportunity of the caution to pit for more fuel. They had started in the race's final two positions because IndyCar found their cars to be too heavy in post-qualifying inspection, denying them of the third and fifth starting positions, respectively.
That strategy helped Rahal, and he finished fourth, a remarkable day.
Pagenaud's first concern: Charlie Kimball beat him out of the pits and held the lead for six corners, but Pagenaud overhauled him on the infield straight.
Will Power made a mistake in qualifying that cost him a chance at the final round, and he made another in the race. Former Formula 1 driver Alexander Rossi appeared to snooker him approaching Turn 7, and Power drifted wide and into the grass.
Several drivers had trouble with the pit lane blend line in Turn 1. Being too hasty to get back onto the track cost Takuma Sato, Juan Pablo Montoya, Newgarden and Power drive-through penalties.
