Penske's part-time star Will Power claimed his first IndyCar Series victory with a dominant performance at Edmonton.
The team could not quite replicate the 1-2-3 formation it had achieved in qualifying, but Power's teammate Helio Castroneves did come through to second, ahead of Scott Dixon (Ganassi) and Ryan Briscoe in the third Penske entry.
Power was in control of the race from the outset, calmly pulling away from Briscoe and Castroneves in the early laps, as they left the chasing Ganassi duo in their wake as well. Bar Castroneves vaulting Briscoe in the first stops, there was no change in the front pack until Power encountered traffic at half-distance.
The Australian spent lap after lap following Andretti Green duo Danica Patrick and Marco Andretti, and as he was delayed, Castroneves, Briscoe and Dixon closed right in to make a four-car lead train. But once clear of the backmarkers, Power simply strolled away again, leaving his teammates to fight among themselves.
Dixon ran longer than the Penske drivers at the last stop and vaulted up to second, but it would be short-lived. Briscoe was immediately all over the Ganassi car as it tried to warm its tires, and he crept through when Dixon went very slightly wide.
Things went wrong for Briscoe soon after though, as he lost places to be Dixon and Castroneves after brushing the Turn 10 wall and suspecting he had damaged his car. Castroneves then restored Penske's 1-2 by brilliantly diving past Dixon as they tried to thread a path through traffic.
He then inched away, leaving Dixon to successfully fend off the resurgent Briscoe, who was pushing hard to get around the reigning champion when Tomas Scheckter -- already many laps down after earlier problems -- crashed and caused the race to finish under yellow.
Dixon's third place allowed him to return to the points lead at the expense of team-mate Dario Franchitti, who took a low-key fifth.
Canadian superstar Paul Tracy -- in what could have been his final 2009 IndyCar appearance -- charged from ninth to sixth on the first lap, hitting KV teammate Mario Moraes along the way, and then stayed there for the duration, resisting pressure from Graham Rahal (Newman/Haas/Lanigan) in the first half of the race before pulling away later on.
Justin Wilson (Dale Coyne Racing) came through to beat his Newman/Haas/Lanigan replacement Robert Doornbos to eighth. Doornbos still boosted his rookie title prospects, with pre-race contest leader Raphael Matos' day ruined by a first corner tangle with Mike Conway.
Andretti completed the top ten on another poor day for AGR. His team-mate Tony Kanaan had been set to finish at least ninth for the team before an apparent fuel rig problem caused a dramatic fuel spill and fire at his first pit stop. The former champion escaped with minor burns.
RESULTS: Pos Driver Team Gap
1. Will Power Penske
2. Helio Castroneves Penske + 1.0936s
3. Scott Dixon Ganassi + 1.3213s
4. Ryan Briscoe Penske + 1.8266s
5. Dario Franchitti Ganassi + 4.4652s
6. Paul Tracy KV + 6.3941s
7. Graham Rahal Newman/Haas/Lanigan + 26.5700s
8. Justin Wilson Coyne + 26.9169s
9. Robert Doornbos Newman/Haas/Lanigan + 1 lap
10. Marco Andretti Andretti Green + 1 lap
11. Danica Patrick Andretti Green + 1 lap
12. EJ Viso HVM + 1 lap
13. Alex Tagliani Conquest + 1 lap
14. Hideki Mutoh Andretti Green + 1 lap
15. Dan Wheldon Panther + 1 lap
16. Ed Carpenter Vision + 2 laps
17. Ryan Hunter-Reay Foyt + 8 laps
18. Raphael Matos Luczo Dragon + 10 laps
Retirements:
Tomas Scheckter Dreyer & Reinbold 73 laps
Mike Conway Dreyer & Reinbold 63 laps
Tony Kanaan Andretti Green 34 laps
Richard Antinucci 3G 20 laps
Mario Moraes KV 0 laps