Current points leader, WILL POWER/No.12 Penske Team Racing Chevrolet crashed on Lap 56 of Saturday night’s IZOD IndyCar MAVTV America Real 500 race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana CA.
IT AIN’T OVER UNTIL THE FAT LADY SINGS! IT AIN’T OVER ‘TIL IT’S OVER
After his crash on Lap 56, which generated these photos and quotes, current points leader got back into the car on Lap 124, with the help of 22 Penske crew members from all three Penske teams. He was 69 laps down.
Q&A
WHAT HAPPENED? “I just caught a seam. I had a bit of understeer, so I went a half a lane down and caught a seam. It absolutely took me by surprise. It is the last thing I thought would happen running down there on that seam. Depressing to lose the championship again that way.”
HOW DO YOU FEEL? “It’s a season, and you can’t make mistakes like this. The whole season, this is just another race. It’s depressing to lose the championship again that way. It’s the season; you can’t make mistakes like that. I had understeer all night, I was having to lift, half a lane lower than I was before and caught a seam, and yeah. Man, I don’t know what to say, it’s depressing. I was surprised, I had been pushing all day and just went a little bit different than what I had, and nothing I can say. It’s just depressing. My team was pushing me to get around him (closest championship contender,RYAN HUNTER-REAY/No.28 Andretti Autosport Chevrolet), and it was just a mistake. Just a mistake.”
HOW DO YOU LOOK AHEAD TO THIS? “There is a very slim chance. I don’t even want to watch the rest of race; it’s just going to be so… I don’t know what say. I don’t know what emotion to feel right now, I’m so disappointed. I just thought (when it happened), another championship gone. That is basically what I said to myself. I am so disappointed for Verizon and all the guys, just to make a mistake like that is just…just bad. It never comes easy, man. It never comes easy.”
STAY TUNED.