Toni Elias edged closer to the inaugural Moto2 title by winning his third straight race in a restarted and shortened Indianapolis event.
The original start had to be abandoned after two separate multi-bike tangles at Turn 2 saw eight riders crash, with Gabor Talmacsi, Simone Corsi, Raffaele de Rosa, Roger Lee Hayden and Shoya Tomizawa among them, although the latter was the only one who failed to take the restart half an hour later.
Polesitter Julian Simon had held the lead on the initial getaway, ahead of Anthony West, Scott Redding and Elias. But at the restart it was Elias who surged to the front, as Simon dropped back to fourth behind Redding and West. Simon was soon on the move, retaking West and Redding, and then sweeping past Elias into the first corner on lap four.
The top three broke away together, with Simon looking in control until lap 11, when a bold move by Elias saw him blast around the outside at Turn 1 and back into the lead. Simon stayed with him, but had to settle for second, while Redding shadowed them to take a first Moto2 podium in third.
Elias' main title rival Andrea Iannone had started only 26th following a massive qualifying crash. He surged through to 12th at the first start, but only made it to 18th at the second attempt - although this did not stop him hacking through the field with ease once the race was underway. Iannone eventually made it through to a stunning fourth, just ahead of the even more impressive Corsi, who came from last to fifth having been embroiled in the original start crash.
Sergio Gadea held off Thomas Luthi and Gabor Talmacsi for sixth. West slipped back to 10th behind American wild card Justin di Salvo.
Several riders crashed while running strongly, with Ratthapark Wilairot distraught to throw away seventh, and Hector Faubel's bike tumbling down the track with a fuel fire erupting behind it when he crashed out of fifth early on. He was unhurt.