The Latest: Disastrous pit stop costs Sato lead in Texas

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — The Latest on the IndyCar race in Texas (all times local):

8:20 p.m.

Pole-sitter Takuma Sato has lost his lead at the IndyCar race in Texas because of a disastrous pit stop under a green flag.

Sato slid through his pit stall and upended one of his crew members as the car ended up in the next stall. Crew members had to pull the car back to their stall before changing tires and refueling.

After a stop-and-go penalty was assessed for hitting the crew member, Sato ended up four laps down once he got back on the 1½-mile high speed oval.

Ryan Hunter-Reay was the leader after the first round of pit stops. The first 90 laps were run without a caution. Defending Texas champion Scott Dixon was running second.

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Scott Dixon is starting on the front row at Texas, where he has the chance to match the track record for IndyCar Series victories.

Dixon is the defending race winner at the 1½-mile oval, where he has won three times. Helio Castroneves has won four IndyCar races at the track, his last in 2013.

Takuma Sato is the pole-sitter for Saturday night’s race. Sato and Dixon were the only drivers to qualify at more than 220 mph.

This will be Dixon’s 20th IndyCar race at Texas, where he has eight podium finishes. Castroneves has seven podium finishes in his 20 races at Texas.

Indianapolis 500 champion Simon Pagenaud was the runner-up to Dixon last June. Pagenaud has improved his standing each recent trip to Texas, finishing fourth in 2016, third in 2017 and second last year.

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