The final open wheeled race at Michigan will be remembered for a spate of crashes, above all a violent incident on lap 145.
Championship leader Dario Franchitti and fellow Briton Dan Wheldon made contact at 220mph on the back straight, causing Franchitti’s car to fly into the air.
It landed on title rival Scott Dixon’s car and several other cars ploughed into the carnage – all the drivers fortunately escaping without injury.
Tony Kanaan won the race from Andretti-Green team mate Marco Andretti, but with Dixon limping to a lowly tenth the championship battle remains largely unchanged.
The next round takes place at Kentucky this weekend.