The 20-car field used a standing start for the first time in the history of the race, and Power rocketed to the front immediately. Power maneuvered the No. 8 Aussie Vineyards-Team Australia car to the outside of the track to immediately pass Alex Tagliani, who started second. Power then went side by side with polesitter Justin Wilson down the front straightaway, taking the lead in Turn 1.

Power, 27, never looked back en route to his third Champ Car victory, relinquishing the lead for only two of 83 laps during rounds of pit stops.

“I got a very good start in the KVRT Aussie Vineyards – Team Australia car, which I knew was really important,” Power said. “The KVRT team did a great job with the car. I was very fast in the race, good fuel saving, great pit stops. I am very happy for (team co-owner) Kevin Kalkhoven and Craig Gore and all the KVRT team. They have put in so much work over the last couple of months, having been away from their families, it’s great to give them a win because they are the ones who deserve it.”

Power earned 53 points toward the championship in the unified IndyCar Series. He ranks fifth in the point standings heading into the Road Runner Turbo Indy 300 at Kansas Speedway on April 27.

Rookie Franck Montagny finished second, 5.094 seconds behind Power. Mario Dominguez was third, Enrique Bernoldi fourth and Oriol Servia fifth.

Wilson dropped out of the race after 12 laps due to mechanical problems and finished 19^th. Four-time Long Beach winner Paul Tracy finished 11^th. Graham Rahal, the IndyCar Series winner April 6 on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., was running seventh when he spun on the final lap of the race, dropping to 13^th.