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Montoya wins IndyCar opener in St. Petersburg

That was a duck of a different kind in Sunday’s IndyCar Series opener.

Shattered aero kits, a considerable number of full-course cautions, and a driver who once needed time to get his waddle back.

Get used to debris scattered on road courses and Juan Pablo Montoya taking the broom to his Team Penske teammates – both are likely to continue.

Montoya, who struggled in last year’s Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, showed every bit the veteran this time. He leapfrogged Will Power on a exchange of late-race pit stops, then absorbed contact from the reigning series champion in Turn 10.

RESULTS: GP of St. Petersburg

Appropriately, Power broke his front wing hitting Montoya’s left rear corner. Somehow, they both avoided hitting the outside wall, allowing them to finish the race 1-2 for Roger Penske.

“If there was a gap it was my best chance, and I went for it,” Power said. “We rubbed a little (and) put on a show for the fans.”

Plan to see more of it. The front wings of Chevrolet and Honda are fragile, and Montoya will not back down from anyone.

“Juan was always going to be Juan; he’s good,” longtime friend Tony Kanaan said. “It took him a year to figure it out (but) he’s tough.”

Montoya said his pace last year was measured by how to avoid hitting something. This year? Attack.

“Always looking for the hole (to pass someone),” he said.

The win was the first on a road course for Montoya since a CART race in 1999 in Vancouver, and he pushed his career total to 13. Power, who finished 0.9930 seconds in arrears, must accept it’s going to be season of battling friendly fire.

After earning the top four starting positions, Team Penske finished 1-2-4-5 with only Ganassi Racing’s Tony Kanaan spoiling the sweep.

But while Montoya gets the headline – and boy, did he celebrate with a large gathering of fans — aero kit damage was the story.

Chevrolet announced 123 pieces to its bodywork design, Honda nearly 200. Evidence could be found all up and down the streets along Tampa Bay.

The first half of the race was slowed by five full-course cautions. It seemed every challenge made by one driver led to broken pieces of another’s kit. At one point the count was seven damaged Honda front wings, two for Chevrolet. By race’s end there were several more than that.

A front wing costs nearly $20,000, so this exercise is going to be expensive. A.J. Foyt’s team lost two, Michael Andretti’s three. Takuma Sato ran with one of Carlos Huertas’ after the Dale Coyne Racing driver retired early with steering difficulties.

Charlie Kimball’s car ran with busted front and rear wings. Team owner Chip Ganassi flung his hand in disgust.

IndyCar’s officiating crew had a lot of evidence to sift through. In one sequence, Pagenaud ran into the back of Kimball, whose hot spot spewed smoke. At Turn 10, Kimball turned left only to be struck and spun by Graham Rahal. The latter drew the penalty.

Simona De Silvestro made her official return to the series after several months exploring Formula One options. She had a tough day. Despite taking contact from Andretti Autosport teammate Carlos Munoz, she later was penalized for running into the back of James Jakes.

IndyCar could have bled yellow, but it tried to pick and choose stopping points. So, debris held its position in the racing line and drivers danced around and through it.

“When you add more flaps and wings flying are greater,” Kanaan said, adding that past aggression must be curtailed to avoid such a mess.

Drivers will figure it out. Montoya already has.