Will Power might have been in front of the field for the first 45 laps of Sunday’s INDYCAR Classic, but Alexander Rossi of Andretti Autosport was racing hard for the victory.

Both drivers were racing around the 3.41-mile, 20-turn Circuit of The Americas in a high-speed duel at the front of the field that was setting up to be a thrilling finish.

Although there was plenty of passing throughout the course with 189 total passes and 144 passes for positions, nobody in the race had been able to pass Power, who started on the pole. Rossi made several attempts, but he decided to wait it out until the final pit stop.

Rossi’s Andretti Autosport pit crew had the option of splitting the pit stops, rather than making the final stop on the same lap as Power. If Rossi were to have a faster stop than his Team Penske competitor, then that could be the race-winning move.

Team Penske was wise to Rossi’s strategy, however, and was playing the waiting game along with Rossi.

It was turning into a high-speed chess match.

But with just 16 laps left in the race, the chess board got knocked over and all of the Knights, Bishops and Pawns went with it, as well as the race strategy.

That is when James Hinchcliffe’s Honda made contact with Felix Rosenqvist’s Honda approaching the circuit’s final corner. With debris all over the course and Rosenqvist’s car stopped just off the track, the only caution period of the race was ordered.

Twenty-two of the 24 drivers in the race had already pitted. The only two who had not pitted were Power and Rossi. With the pits closed, they would be deep in the field once the pits were opened and heir stops were completed.

Rossi went from second to 15th. Power’s No. 12 car broke a half-shaft trying to leave pit lane and he was out of the race.

Rossi would race his way back to ninth place by the end of the race, but his bid at victory ended because of the timing of his final pit stop.

“We were running our own race, Will and I were the class of the field and we ended up (like this),” Rossi told NTT INDYCAR Mobile. “Will and I were running our own race. We were seven seconds ahead of third place. There was going to be a hell of a battle on new (Firestone) Reds both of us in the last stint.

“We just never got a chance.”

That allowed 18-year-old Colton Herta to drive to victory becoming the youngest winner in IndyCar history, breaking Graham Rahal’s 11-year record. Herta, in a sense, is part of the Andretti operation but drives for Harding Steinbrenner Racing. That team has an alliance with Andretti Technologies for engineering and crew support.

“I don’t consider him a teammate, but I’m really proud of him,” Rossi said of Herta. “He’s done a good job. I’m very close with his father, Bryan. It’s great to see Colton do such a good job. He’s such a nice kid.

“I’m very happy for him.”