Any hopes Will Energy needed to pull off a last-gasp comeback for a 3rd championship within the IndyCar Sequence evaporated rapidly 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 working 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 free belt concern. He introduced his No. 12 Crew 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 in a position to return on observe.
“Yeah, it really simply popped,” Energy stated. “Like ‘pop’, like a failure. So it didn’t simply come free, it simply popped off. I used to be in the course 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 state of affairs 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 bit little bit of stress from my physique, I would 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 fallacious 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 outcome additionally dropped Energy from second to fourth within the total standings. Regardless, although, he was happy along with his season as a complete.
“Yeah, very satisfying,” Energy stated. “Three race wins, one on an oval, gained on a few highway programs. I had a dominant win, too, which I’ve been ready to begin on the entrance of the grid. After which, I really feel like my race tempo is at all times superb on the highway and avenue programs, it’s only a matter of attending to the entrance and utilizing it.
“Only a good 12 months for the entire group. Clearly, we’d like to win the championship. I feel all of us had the potential, simply , Palou is excellent. He’s very measured. He’s a troublesome man to beat. If you happen to beat him within the championship, you’ve performed a very good job.”
