Canadians Hold Off Challenges to Win Events on Undercard

Canadians Greg Moore and David Empringham won supporting races Sunday at the Long Beach Grand Prix.

Moore, 19, led from start to finish, withstanding a late challenge by Jeff Ward of San Juan Capistrano and winning for the third time in as many races in the Indy Lights series.

Empringham won the Toyota Atlantic race.

Moore, the Indy Lights pole sitter, became only the second driver to win three in a row in the history of the 10-year series, matching the feat of Paul Tracy in 1990.

Moore built a three-second lead when two caution periods in rapid succession bunched the field. As the Buick-powered cars took the green flag on Lap 40 of the 47-lap race, Ward nosed his car ahead of Moore’s just before the first turn.

But Ward had carried his challenge too far, couldn’t make the turn and went down the escape road and Moore pulled away from the rest of the field and won handily at an average speed of 76.794 m.p.h.

Robbie Buhl of Grosse Pointe, Mich., was second, and Dave de Silva of Pleasanton, Calif., was third.

In the 38-lap Toyota Atlantic race, Empringham, the second-fastest qualifier, beat Brazilian Zeca Giaffone by four seconds, averaging 75.434 m.p.h.