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INDYCAR: Power Reflects On Lost Championship
With his third consecutive runner-up finish, Will Power ranged from stunned to jovial to introspective as he sat and fielded questions after the race.
Marshall Pruett  |  Posted September 16, 2012  
Team Penske's will Power didn't take the title loss as hard as was expected, but certainly doubted his oval abilities after ending his second title bid since 2010 against the wall. (Photo: Marshall Pruett)
With his third consecutive runner-up finish driving for Roger Penske, Will Power ranged from stunned to jovial to introspective as he sat and fielded questions after realizing his crash on Lap 55 of the Fontana race--an unforced error--opened the door for Ryan Hunter-Reay to claim the title.

"Yeah, it's definitely frustrating, but when I look at it three years in a row I convincingly won the road course championship, and it's very obvious that the ovals, I just don't know why I can't put my finger on one particular thing that I don't do right," said Power. "But tonight it was just catching a seam [in the track] and really caught me; just unbelievable. Just really caught me out. I just did not expect that to happen."

The Team Penske crew rallied to repair Power's damaged No. 12 Verizon Wireless car. With the back of the Chevy-powered Dallara in pieces, the left front suspension hanging by a thread and a plenty of smashed bodywork, a swarm of 20 Penske employees descended on the DW12, returning Power to the track 69 laps down.

INDYCAR: Hunter-Reay Wins Championship By 3 Points, Carpenter Takes The Race

He'd improve from 25th to 24th position, but no real chance of making up meaningful points by staying out, he pulled in after 11 laps and watched in anguish as Hunter-Reay snatched the title from his grasp.
Every available hand at Team Penske helped to put Power back on the track, but their valiant efforts went unrewarded as Ryan Hunter-Reay finished three points ahead of their driver. (Photo: Marshall Pruett)

"I feel bad for the team," said Power of his crew members. "I really do. I feel bad for my guys to be three years in a row so close, and you see the effort that they put in just to get me out to do 12 more laps in such a short space for a completely wrecked car. I don't know what to say. I feel sorry for Penske Racing to end up in this position again because of one of my mistakes."

Power's crash certainly jeopardized his title chances, but the Aussie pointed to the mistakes and bad fortunes across the entire season for what transpired Saturday night.

"It's just multiple things," he said. "If you look at it, three ovals I crashed out of is a massive hit on points. All of those other things, sixth place in Baltimore is a good finish. If you look at your worst results of the year, my worst with three DNFs there, definitely a big hits on points. You can't just look at the last three races and say if this had happened; it's over a whole season that you win a championship, and that was proven tonight."

The 31-year-old criticized his oval performances repeatedly after the race, but Fontana served as the first genuine driving error that fell squarely on his shoulders.
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