Phoenix Grand Prix: 5 takeaways after IndyCar at Phoenix

Is Team Penske back? Is JR Hildebrand crazy or brilliant? Here’s what we took away after IndyCar racing under the lights at the Phoenix Grand Prix.

The Verizon IndyCar Series returned to Arizona on Saturday for the 2017 Phoenix Grand Prix, and the race was worth the wait with several unpredictable parts no one could have seen coming.

Reigning IndyCar champion Simon Pagenaud propelled himself to be literally number one with the victory, while his Team Penske teammate Will Power came up just short again.

Meanwhile, several drivers could have basically taken the day off after Mikhail Aleshin’s spin on the first lap ended not only his Phoenix Grand Prix but that of Sebastien Bourdais, Graham Rahal, Marco Andretti and Max Chilton.

And did we mention somebody was driving with a broken hand?

Here’s what we took away from the 2017 Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix:

1) Team Penske is back on top

Team Penske dominated much of the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series season, and it looks like they’re right back to their old ways in 2017. Penske now can claim two consecutive race wins and all four pole positions this season. While other teams have threatened and even won races (Bourdais and James Hinchcliffe), the Penske crew are dangerous once they get momentum, and now they’ve strung together two very good weeks.

If somebody doesn’t get up there and mix things up with the fabulous foursome of Pagenaud, Power, Helio Castroneves and Josef Newgarden, this season could end up looking a lot like last season — with Roger Penske’s squad firmly in control.

2) JR Hildebrand deserves a medal (or a hug)

Is JR Hildebrand crazy, brilliant, or maybe a combination of both? The Ed Carpenter Racing driver was back on track in the Phoenix Grand Prix, despite having broken a bone in his hand during the closing laps of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Breaking part of your hand is a big deal when you have to drive a car at near 200 MPH speeds for hours, especially when that car doesn’t have power steering. But not only did Hildebrand pull it off, he was a contender for the win all night long and ultimately came home third for his first podium of the season. You have to give him tremendous props, along with some Advil.

His success comes after ex-teammate Newgarden injured his own hand last season and yet still drove like a championship contender. Are we seeing an unintentional and painful theme? Nobody get any ideas.

3) Sometimes it’s what you don’t do

The story of the Phoenix Grand Prix wasn’t so much what Simon Pagenaud did as what he didn’t do. He didn’t get in that first-lap accident. He didn’t pit when Power and the rest of the leaders did, allowing him to get out in front of the field when Takuma Sato’s single-car wreck brought out a caution that put almost everyone else a lap down. He didn’t bump into anybody else and damage his wing like Newgarden did twice, nor did he pit from a top 5 position as Newgarden did for that second contact with Ryan Hunter-Reay.

Not to take anything away from Pagenaud’s victory, as he was in the right place at the right time and capitalized when the opportunity was there. But if Sato had avoided the wall, or if Bourdais hadn’t been wrecked out early, maybe we’re talking about Power winning this race and Bourdais still on top of the standings. It’s that unpredictability that makes IndyCar so great and so heartbreaking at the same time.

Next: Verizon IndyCar Series standings after Phoenix Grand Prix

The Verizon IndyCar Series now takes a break as the teams and drivers prepare for the month of May. Race action resumes on May 13 with the Grand Prix of Indianapolis from Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Until then, keep up with the latest news in IndyCar within the Motor Sports category at FanSided here.