“Everyone was racing really hard and to be on the podium in the final Champ Car is a great honour," the Mexican commented, "The team gave me great communication today. We saved a lot of fuel and drove hard. I passed [Alex] Tagliani for third right toward the end and it was an exciting moment."
With IndyCar's Motegi event having gone ahead, albeit a day later than planned, the Long Beach event counted for points after all and Enrique Bernoldi built on his strong result in St Petersburg by adding fourth spot on his third outing.
“I had a really good pace at the end of the race, but it was tough," the Brazilian noted, "The race was long and very tiring physically because the car is very demanding. But I had a good race and I am happy to score points for the championship. It’s my best result so far this year, and hopefully I can keep improving my positions like this.”
Oriol Servia also scored strongly in the second KVRT entry, the Catalan rounding out the top five despite qualifying only twelfth and then stalling at the start.
“It was a crazy race,” Servia said, “I stalled at the start - which wasn’t ideal and not part of the plan - but I then came from last to fifth. We had good pace and I was able to overtake.
"I am really happy for Will and the whole KV Racing Technology team after the huge effort they have put in. We showed speed at the last race in St Petersburg and now a win for him and fifth for me is great for the points and a great start for the season.”
Alex Tagliani should have been best placed to inherit the win when Wilson retired, but the Canadian, despite starting from the front row, found himself behind Power when it mattered and then faded to seventh in the closing stages, coming in behind the second Conquest car of Franck Perera.
David Martinez, Ernesto Viso and Jimmy Vasser rounded out the top ten, the veteran getting the better of counterpart Paul Tracy on his final open-wheel outing. Tracy, his future uncertain beyond this event, came home eleventh, ahead of Bruno Junqueira.
![Will Power - Team Australia/KV Racing Technology Dallara-Honda [pic credit: IRL/Payne]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/418436.jpg)
