Team Australia driver Will Power has extended his lead in the Champ Car World Series standings by finishing third in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach, California today. source: teamaustraliamotorsport.com The Toowoomba-born driver made a sensational pass on the final lap of the race to grab third position from Justin Wilson and score his third Champ Car podium in succession. Power was third in the season finale in Mexico City last year and won the opening round of this year's championship in Las Vegas one week ago. The Australian now holds a 15-point lead over former team-mate Alex Tagliani in the series standings, with Long Beach race winner and defending series champion Sebastien Bourdais in third, 19 points behind Power. Power started from second on the grid but encountered a gear selection problem at a restart during the race that cost him time. From there the Aussie Vineyards pilot worked him was back up the order, culminating with a spectacular pass on Englishman Wilson on the final lap. Power cleverly reserved some of his 'Power to Pass' boost for the final lap of the race and used it wisely to win the final step on the podium in the #5 Aussie Vineyards Team Australia DP01. Team Australia rookie and 2006 Atlantic Champion Simon Pagenaud again showed impressive speed but lacked luck in Long Beach. The Frenchman was on course for a strong points finish until clipping the wall and losing valuable time attempting to restart the #15 Aussie Vineyards Team Australia DP01. Several laps down, Pagenaud went all out to gain a bonus point for his championship tally by setting the fastest lap of the race, which he successfully achieved on lap 66 with a time of 1min08.594secs, over two tenths of a second faster than race winner and three times Champ Car champion Bourdais. Pagenaud ended the race classified in 14th position and sits 16th in the series standings, but has shown over the opening two rounds that he has the pace to be a regular contender for top five results. Bourdais won today's Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach ahead of Forsythe substitute Oriol Servia of Spain and Power, with Wilson fourth and Tagliani fifth. Team Australia now heads to Houston, Texas for the third round in three successive weeks, where Power will be charging for his fourth-straight podium finish.
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