Graham Rahal, who a day earlier became the youngest pole winner in series history (20 years, 90 days), saw his prospects of winning for the second consecutive year vanish in a cloud of dust on the opening lap.

Justin Wilson led half the race for the tiny Dale Coyne Racing operation. But for Penske's crafty pit strategy, DCR might have earned their first win today. (LAT)

A five-wide group were attempting to be the first into Turn 1, and as Rahal checked up to avoid another car his No. 02 McDonald's car was bumped from behind by Kanaan. Rahal fought back to finish seventh.

Reigning IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon exited the race on Lap 80 when the No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing car made contact with Hideki Mutoh's No. 27 Formula Dream car in Turn 1.

Last year on this course, a broken half shaft resulted in Dixon's only non-race finish.

Darren Manning, who agreed April 1 to drive the No. 23 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing car, placed eighth (in the team's 200th series start).

Vitor Meira, making his debut in the No. 14 A.J. Foyt Racing car, finished 10th and Alex Tagliani was 10th in the No. 34 Conquest Racing entry.

Results Sunday of the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg IndyCar Series event April 5 at the 1.8-mile Streets of St. Petersburg, with order of finish, starting position in parentheses, driver, chassis-engine, laps completed and reason out (if any):

1. (4) Ryan Briscoe, Dallara-Honda, 100, Running
2. (14) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Dallara-Honda, 100, Running
3. (2) Justin Wilson, Dallara-Honda, 100, Running
4. (5) Dario Franchitti, Dallara-Honda, 100, Running
5. (3) Tony Kanaan, Dallara-Honda, 100, Running
6. (6) Will Power, Dallara-Honda, 100, Running
7. (1) Graham Rahal, Dallara-Honda, 100, Running
8. (10) Darren Manning, Dallara-Honda, 100, Running
9. (17) Vitor Meira, Dallara-Honda, 100, Running
10. (7) Alex Tagliani, Dallara-Honda, 99, Running
11. (13) Robert Doornbos, Dallara-Honda, 96, Running
12. (21) Stanton Barrett, Dallara-Honda, 96, Running
13. (18) Marco Andretti, Dallara-Honda, 94, Contact
14. (11) Dan Wheldon, Dallara-Honda, 86, Contact
15. (19) Hideki Mutoh, Dallara-Honda, 86, Contact
16. (8) Scott Dixon, Dallara-Honda, 80, Contact
17. (16) E.J. Viso, Dallara-Honda, 75, Mechanical
18. (22) Ed Carpenter, Dallara-Honda, 71, Contact
19. (15) Danica Patrick, Dallara-Honda, 31, Contact
20. (9) Raphael Matos, Dallara-Honda, 31, Contact
21. (20) Mario Moraes, Dallara-Honda, 31, Contact
22. (12) Mike Conway, Dallara-Honda, 1, Contact

Race Statistics:

Winner's average speed: 81.542 mph
Time of race: 2:12:26.8387
Margin of victory: 0.4619 of a second
Cautions: 7 caution flags for 28 laps
Lead changes: 5 among 3 drivers
Lap leaders: Wilson 1-34, Briscoe 35-66, Wilson 67-69, Andretti 70-71, Wilson 72-86, Briscoe 87-100.
Point standings: Briscoe 50, Hunter-Reay 40, Wilson 37, Franchitti 32, Kanaan 30, Power 28, Rahal 27, Manning 24, Meira 22, Tagliani 20.

IndyCar Series Post-Race Notes:

Ryan Briscoe wins his third IndyCar Series race. His other victories came at Milwaukee and Mid-Ohio last year. Briscoe also won the non-points race at Surfers Paradise after the 2008 season.
This is the 30th IndyCar Series victory for Team Penske.
This is the third time a Team Penske driver has won in the five events at St. Petersburg. Helio Castroneves won in 2006 and 2007.
Ryan Hunter-Reay finished second, his second career top-five finish in 24 starts. He won last year at Watkins Glen.
Hunter-Reay recorded the best finish in Vision Racing history. The team’s previous best was third at Kentucky in 2007 with A.J. Foyt IV and at Milwaukee in 2006 with Tomas Scheckter.
Justin Wilson finished third, his third career top-five finish.
Wilson recorded Dale Coyne Racing’s best finish in the IndyCar Series. Its previous best was sixth at Watkins Glen last year with Bruno Junqueira.
Dario Franchitti finished fourth, his fifth consecutive top-10 finish in the IndyCar Series dating back to Kentucky 2007.
Tony Kanaan finished fifth, his 67th career top-five finish. He is the all-time leader in top-five finishes. He had been tied with Helio Castroneves.
This is Kanaan’s fourth consecutive top-five finish, dating back to Infineon 2008.
Kanaan has never finished outside of the top five at St. Petersburg.
The top five finishers came from five different teams.
Will Power finished sixth in his Team Penske debut. Power has three consecutive top-10 finishes dating to Belle Isle 2008.