AP PHOTO - Simon Pagenaud celebrates in Victory Lane after winning an IndyCar Series auto race Friday at Iowa Speedway in Newton.

NEWTON — Simon Pagenaud’s worst-to-first run capped a wild opening night to IndyCar’s doubleheader at Iowa Speedway.

The former series champion, who was unable to qualify because of a fuel pressure issue, managed to stretch his tires and take advantage of a unique pit strategy — and a little bit of luck — to get to the lead. Pagenaud then held off series leader Scott Dixon through the final laps Friday night to end Chip Ganassi Racing’s four-race winning streak.

“I can’t believe it. I have to rewatch the race. How did I get there?” asked Pagenaud, who also gave team owner Roger Penske his first IndyCar victory since purchasing the series late last year. “I don’t know. The last 50 laps, a lot of tension. When Dixon is chasing you, you’d better hit your marks.”

Pagenaud went from 23rd to first, but Dixon was just as impressive. He started 17th before finishing second.

“That was an awesome race,” he said. “I’m sure Simon is happy after the mess-up they had in qualifying.”

Pagenaud won for the 15th time in the series, and first since Toronto last season. The 36-year-old Frenchman gave Team Penske its third Iowa win in four races.

Two mid-race wrecks set the stage for the conclusion — and drove home the value of IndyCar’s new aeroscreen.

The first occurred when Will Power’s left front wheel came off his car, sending him into the wall and the tire bounding within feet of his head. The second occurred on the aborted restart, when Colton Herta’s car catapulted over Rinus VeeKay, missing the rookie’s head by inches but destroying the new safety device added by IndyCar this season.

“I can’t thank IndyCar enough for that aeroscreen,” Power said.

Oliver Askew and Pato O’Ward were third and fourth for Arrow McLaren SP with Josef Newgarden rounding out the top five.

Newgarden spent much of the night racing for the lead before the back-to-back cautions shuffled up the field.

Power was jockeying for the lead with Newgarden when another head-shaking incident on pit road ruined his night. It appeared his left-front tire changer failed to secure his wheel during a stop, and when it came loose Power went careening into the outside wall. His tire flew over him and bounced through the first and second turns.

“The front took off straight into the wall,” Power said. “Unbelievable. I don’t know what I need to do. So, so frustrating.”

FAN FRIENDLY

After welcoming back fans last week at Road America, about 5,000 were on hand for the opener at Iowa. There were hundreds of campers in the grounds hours before the cars hit the track for practice early in the afternoon, even though the heat index soared into triple digits. It was still steamy when the checkered flag flew under the lights.

“That was probably one of the hottest races I’ve done in my life,” Askew said.

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IndyCar Iowa Speedway Race 1 Results

Friday

At Iowa Speedway, Newton

Lap length: 0.894 miles

(Start position in parentheses)

1. (23) Simon Pagenaud, Dallara-Chevrolet, 250 laps, Running.

2. (17) Scott Dixon, Dallara-Honda, 250, Running.

3. (14) Oliver Askew, Dallara-Chevrolet, 250, Running.

4. (8) Pato O’Ward, Dallara-Chevrolet, 250, Running.

5. (2) Josef Newgarden, Dallara-Chevrolet, 250, Running.

6. (5) Alexander Rossi, Dallara-Honda, 250, Running.

7. (9) Jack Harvey, Dallara-Honda, 250, Running.

8. (1) Conor Daly, Dallara-Chevrolet, 250, Running.

9. (10) Marcus Ericsson, Dallara-Honda, 250, Running.

10. (6) Takuma Sato, Dallara-Honda, 249, Running.

11. (18) Alex Palou, Dallara-Honda, 249, Running.

12. (21) Graham Rahal, Dallara-Honda, 248, Running.

13. (11) Santino Ferrucci, Dallara-Honda, 247, Running.

14. (7) Felix Rosenqvist, Dallara-Honda, 247, Running.

15. (16) Ed Carpenter, Dallara-Chevrolet, 247, Running.

16. (12) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Dallara-Honda, 247, Running.

17. (15) Charlie Kimball, Dallara-Chevrolet, 245, Running.

18. (19) Tony Kanaan, Dallara-Chevrolet, 213, Did not finish.

19. (4) Colton Herta, Dallara-Honda, 156, Did not finish.

20. (13) Rinus Veekay, Dallara-Chevrolet, 156, Did not finish.

21. (3) Will Power, Dallara-Chevrolet, 142, Did not finish.

22. (20) Marco Andretti, Dallara-Honda, 128, Did not finish.

23. (22) Zach Veach, Dallara-Honda, 95, Did not finish.

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Race Statistics

Average Speed of Race Winner: 132.220 mph.

Time of Race: 01:41:25.2939.

Margin of Victory: 0.4954 seconds.

Cautions: 1 for 26 laps.

Lead Changes: 7 among 6 drivers.

Lap Leaders: Daly 1-14, Newgarden 14-70, Rosenqvist 71-77, Sato 78-126, Newgarden 127-137, Pagenaud 138-147, O’Ward 148-177, Pagenaud 178.

Points: Dixon 213, Pagenaud 163, O ward 143, Newgarden 137, Herta 130, Ericsson 115, Rahal 106, Rosenqvist 105, Ferrucci 104, Power 101.