RYAN NORMAN STORMS TO INDY LIGHTS WIN

ELKHART LAKE, Wisconsin – Ryan Norman put in a stout performance Saturday to win a frantic opening race for Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires at Road America.

Piloting the No. 48 Andretti Autosport Dallara IL-15, the 21-year-old Ohio native started alongside pole sitter Rinus VeeKay (No. 21 Juncos Racing) on the front row, which came under attack after a wild start.

Toby Sowery (No. 2 Team Pelfrey) got the jump on the field from eighth, creating a chain reaction as Robert Megennis (No. 27 Andretti Autosport) started fourth and made it three wide with the leaders entering Turn 1.

VeeKay went off course and came back on track, throwing an aggressive block on Megennis in the process that resulted in a drive-through penalty that took VeeKay out of contention. Megennis led briefly ahead of Norman until Aaron Telitz (No. 4 Belardi Auto Racing) got the better of both with a thrilling pass in Turn 5 on Lap 2 of 20.

It was short-lived for Telitz, as Norman found a way back to the lead on the next lap. Norman then led the final 18 laps to collect his second career Indy Lights victory and first this season by 4.6912 over teammate Megennis, with Telitz placing third in his second start of 2019.

“We had a rough start to the beginning of the year,” said Norman. “My driving fell off a little bit and I wasn’t on it as much. Using the Freedom (100 in May) as momentum coming here, I knew I was fast here, I knew I belonged up front. It was just a little bit of soul searching, but here we are again.”

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