Any hopes Will Energy needed to pull off a last-gasp comeback for a 3rd championship within the IndyCar Collection evaporated shortly within the season finale at Nashville Superspeedway.
The 43-year-old Aussie got here into the weekend trailing championship chief Alex Palou by 33 factors (525-492) and the one remaining contender as soon as the inexperienced flag waved.
After beginning fourth, whereas Palou was mired again in twenty fourth, Energy progressed to 3rd shortly after taking the inexperienced flag. Nonetheless, he began to drop down the operating order to eighth by lap 7 of 206.
By lap 12, although, issues turned considerably worse as Energy referred to as over the radio and cited a unfastened belt subject. He introduced his No. 12 Workforce Penske Chevrolet down pit highway moments later to get the issue located, however fell 5 laps down by the point it was resolved and he was capable of return on monitor.
“Yeah, it really simply popped,” Energy mentioned. “Like ‘pop’, like a failure. So it didn’t simply come unfastened, it simply popped off. I used to be in the midst of a battle and I felt it off, like ‘Ah, that’s off, I’ve to pit’. Then did it once more later within the race, so it’s a defective seatbelt or defective clasp, no matter it’s. Fairly dangerous scenario actually, as a result of I didn’t even take into consideration, man if I hit the wall what occurs right here. If it’s simply popping off from a little bit little bit of strain from my physique, I’d get thrown out of the automotive. Yeah, that didn’t cross my thoughts after we’d plugged it in, however after it did the second time there’s one thing improper with it.”
When requested if he had ever encountered one thing like that earlier than, Energy responded, “By no means. No, unusual one.”
The persistent issues left him eight laps down and twenty fourth by the point the checkered flag fell.
The consequence additionally dropped Energy from second to fourth within the general standings. Regardless, although, he was happy together with his season as a complete.
“Yeah, very satisfying,” Energy mentioned. “Three race wins, one on an oval, received on a few highway programs. I had a dominant win, too, which I’ve been ready to start out on the entrance of the grid. After which, I really feel like my race tempo is all the time excellent on the highway and road programs, it’s only a matter of attending to the entrance and utilizing it.
“Only a good yr for the entire group. Clearly, we might like to win the championship. I feel all of us had the potential, simply , Palou is superb. He’s very measured. He’s a troublesome man to beat. Should you beat him within the championship, you’ve performed a very good job.”
