[VRR][B-SPEC] 2016 Straight Talk IndyCar Series Season

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"I was routinely at the bottom of the sheets, but I'm not worried about the rest of the weekend. We are all really close to each other. If we get pole position, then that just sweetens the pot. Outside of Andrew, everyone's leaving the team next year. Our job is to send everyone off on a good note."
 
After Watkins Glen, Stephanie Porter-Kelley was all smiles. Friday at Fontana was quite different. After a 16th and 17th in practice, SPK was showing frustration. "Obviously, I expect these pack races to be hard for this team to handle at the moment. We want to be conservative and keep the car safe, but this will be sheer insanity. I've pleaded with VRR to not have these pack races in the future following Henna's passing, because quite simply, there's idiots out on track that cannot handle it. If I get this locked up in qualifying tomorrow night, I'm probably going to run to the first caution and park it. The pack racing was okay in Miami because everyone eventually thinned out. No one will be thinning out Sunday. All 34 of us will be in a vacuum together until someone [expletive] up and nearly kills someone. So you'll be seeing me in the rear of the grid a lot."
 
P1 was a thing, P2 was much better. I expect P1 will be more indicative of how the race goes. That said, my championship odds rely on me winning the pole with SPK starting last, then finishing the race that way with all the other contenders back there too... it's probably a 0.0001% chance, but I could settle for a win and a top 5 points finish. I am with SPK on this being insane and reliant on driver's keeping their business in order. But I'm crazy enough to think I can outrun all that. We shall see.

Also, is it just me, or has there been a lot of foot traffic through Jesus's RV lately?

*NOTE: This all came before "things" happened.*
 
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Driver's Championship Standings​
1st: Stephanie Porter-Kelley/661 pts.
2nd: Alan Herrera/576 pts. (-85 pts.)
3rd: Jesus Cristobal/566 pts.
4th: Thomas Rogers/562 pts.
5th: Jamie Ngaire-Jardine/559 pts.
6th: Clayton Hardy/557 pts.
7th: Nico Costa-Monteiro/557 pts.
8th: B.K. Glover/548 pts.
9th: Hugo Del Prete/543 pts.
10th: Jacob Birmingham/519 pts.
11th: Jacob Descoteau/510 pts.
12th: Treven Robie/493 pts.
13th: Behrris Windross/491 pts.
14th: Cliff Lagueux/488 pts.
15th: Alex Rivera/481 pts.
16th: Sebastian Devereux/477 pts.
17th: Evangeline Porter/467 pts.
18th: Pedro Harsk/463 pts.
19th: Matthew Evans/448 pts.
20th: Aaron van der Linden/437 pts.
21st: Camyron Jackson/428 pts.
22nd: Gary Slater/420 pts.
23rd: Steven Gnash/418 pts.
24th: Kunimitsu Kino****a/391 pts.
25th: Diego Jaramillo/355 pts.
26th: Jett Raven/349 pts.
27th: Mohammad Ahmed/327 pts.
28th: Sakura Ishibashi/309 pts.
29th: Andrew Draco/302 pts.
30th: Henna Venalainen/172 pts.
31st: Ryan Perlstein/165 pts.
32nd: Matheus Michelin/134 pts.
33rd: Lucas Larese/121 pts.
34th: Stefan Montana/108 pts.
35th: Michael White/98 pts.
36th: Diomedes Nikolaidou/40 pts.
Team Championship Standings​
1st: Cherokee Motorsports/937 pts.
2nd: Team Kate Upton/872 pts.
3rd: Coca-Cola Black Rose Racing/820 pts.
4th: Cat Devil Racing/747 pts.
5th: Swift Autosport/717 pts.
6th: Polaris Motorsports/671 pts.
7th: Martini Racing/576 pts.
8th: Bauer NTi Team NZ/559 pts.
9th: NCTX Motorsports/535 pts.
10th: Legacy Racing/493 pts.
11th: Standard Motorsports/488 pts.
12th: Scuderia Rabia Furiosa/483 pts.
13th: Harsk World Motorsport/463 pts.
14th: Mugen Motorsports/437 pts.
15th: Ecurie Ecosse/420 pts.
16th: Perl Speed GP/328 pts.
17th: Agaton Team/40 pts.
Engine Championship Points​
1st: Honda/1,226 pts. (1,076)
2nd: Chevrolet/1,219 (1,019)
3rd: Audi/1,216 (1,076)
Engine Championship Penalty​
Audi: -140 pts.
Chevrolet: -200 pts.
Honda: -150 pts.
 
"It's obviously great to see three of the four Cherokee cars up there. Tip of the hat to Diego and Jett on joining me at the front. Does it mean much? Not really for me. But for Diego it's pretty big for him to jump ahead of Sakura so we'll keep our heads down and get through tomorrow."
 
"Even though we got our act together for a Top 5 after a dreadful practice, we remain cautious of our race chances. Anything can happen in 500 miles and we're not expecting great things."
 
We didn't get the speed we needed to get the pole, SPK put us out of title hopes by not staring last, so we can't win it.

OK. We CAN still win the race, we CAN still jump up on the final standings. This'll be my last race with Audi, and one last run with Michael White as a teammate, and we'll start next to each other. One last chance this year to prove the team and I didn't just get lucky at Phoenix, Michael is a legit contender, and rectify Indy because the 79's performance there still irks me...

...I'll be on the apron with a blown engine on the pace lap. Bets anyone?
 
"This weekend sums up our season really, just off and not all that much better. All I can do is give my best today for the many employees from SIEA that are in attendance. Might as well go for broke since I don't have much to lose"
 
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"Well, this weekend hasn't been wel for us so far. We've mostly been around the bottom half of the field throughout practice and qualifying, so we're hoping that we can make something good work for the race. It's definitely going to be a really intense race. After these three sessions, it looks like there's gonna be cars everywhere, everyone all packed together jostling for position. I'll be giving my all for Angel and the rest of the Black Rose crew, and I hope to give myself a proper send off in my last race with the team."
 
Watching now *when Hughes lets me* and I think I get why Indycars don't run Daytona and Talladega. If they're a fraction of this, they don't need to. This is batty enough, it's hard keeping track where everyone is...

Actually, considering I've already seen one person go from dead last to top 3 in 2-3 laps, it's more chaotic than Talladega!

Also, I figured that quip from Steph was bluffing.
 
BKGlover
Watching now *when Hughes lets me* and I think I get why Indycars don't run Daytona and Talladega. If they're a fraction of this, they don't need to. This is batty enough, it's hard keeping track where everyone is...

Actually, considering I've already seen one person go from dead last to top 3 in 2-3 laps, it's more chaotic than Talladega!

Also, I figured that quip from Steph was bluffing.
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How was she bluffing, she said if she were to clinch the championship in qualifying she would park. She didn't clench the championship in qualifying.
 
Angel
How was she bluffing, she said if she were to clinch the championship in qualifying she would park. She didn't clench the championship in qualifying.
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The "You'll be seeing me in the rear a lot." line. She's the only one I've spotted making ground in the middle line.
 
BKGlover
The "You'll be seeing me in the rear a lot." line. She's the only one I've spotted making ground in the middle line.
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Well, she can't win the championship from 20th or lower just yet lol
 
Well I'll just say it's probably a good thing I'm retiring my name from competition because I seem to be a bit of a hazard to myself out there. Two wrecks and 1 not entirely of my own doing, I thought for sure I'd be dead but nope, still truckin on...
 
Alex Rivera "We had got some damage in the first wreck there and ever since that happen the car was feeling strange. When I hit the gas there coming out the pit the suspension failed which sucks and it got us hooked on to the track and after that it was a wild ride. We will be back for 2017.
 
Just finished it... Holy crap, I'm shaking! Also, Poster...and in the credits!

Pit stop comms: "We're gonna try and stop now."
"I don't think it's gonna work. Not enough speed in the pack now."
"We need to try something."

Last Pit Stop:"..."
"...Do you WANT me to say it, or are you already eating your hat?"
"..."

Last 5 laps: "Oh, NOW the field catches us. Couldn't get it 40 laps ago when it wouldn't have hurt us as bad."

"Dammit, Mike, stay low! Dammit, Dammit...Dammit, were gonna get traffic, tell Mike DON'T get behind me and if he does, abandon.

Post-race: "Did he get it!?"
"......."
"🤬.....me.....sideways. Couldn't even give him one race win as a send-off. 🤬!"

What? I probably gave the race away. I finally get caught by the pack, and managed to get in Michael's way at all points. I wanted him to win. More than the points, I wanted to see him go to Cherokee with a big trophy and bragging rights, and yet managed to screw it up. The short-pit idea flopped hard, and it snowballed from there. Either one of us could have won it, but...we didn't. Now it's a what-if, and no-one benefits from those. Congratulations to SPK on a hard-fought championship, Alan on the win and 2nd, and Cherokee on the team title. They're getting a strong addition next season, I just hope Mike accepts my apology.
 
"At this point, I'm a broken record but what more can be said? This has been the season for this team summed up perfectly. We've got capable cars, but bad luck is seemingly the only luck we have in any way. Definitely not the way we wanted to end the season in front of SIEA's employees, but we gave it all, even had a taste of the front. Unfortunately like every 500 I've been in, starts ok and ends with a torn up car. We'll be back in 2017 more determined then ever."
 
Michael Hayes: There's a lot of congratuations in order tonight. Alan Herrera won the battle, but it proved futile as Stephanie Porter-Kelley is the 2016 VRR IndyCar World Champion! Steph, scary race for you after that accident you got dragged into. How are you feeling?
Stephanie Porter-Kelley: It's sunk in a bit now. I was keeping in touch with where I was and how many cars were left. I needed to be above 20th, and once I had completed enough laps, it was just coasting. I'm still not a big fan of the pack racing. I personally find it to be stupid for open wheel, but we did enough to survive with the championship.
Michael Hayes: A smile began emerging as you said that last sentence. You are a world champion again, this time for IndyCar instead of Le Mans or F1. How does that feel?
Stephanie Porter-Kelley: It feels genuinely like a dream. It will never eclipse my wedding day or my children's births, but damn this is as close as something else will ever be. I've waited so many years for this! I could die tomorrow and feel like the most accomplished person in the world, but my job has only just started. There's a defense of this beauty to do and a Polaris Motorsports dynasty to begin!
Michael Hayes: This is the first time we've seen you emotional on a large scale. You were wiping your eyes as you walked up the stage. How crazy is this moment?
Stephanie Porter-Kelley: I'm not a crying person, not in the slightest. But I feel so proud of what the team has done. Lucas got podium, I've got the championship, and tonight I get to kiss my kids good night safe and sound for another winter. It's magical! Pure magic! I'm the IndyCar World Champion! Oh it feels amazing right now!
Michael Hayes: Any reason to really dissect the race? You've just really done what Stephanie Porter-Kelley has always done. A calculated maneuver that saw you aim for the big picture and not total domination.
Stephanie Porter-Kelley: I've got to hand it to Herrera. He did everything he needed to for the championship, and had the accident forced me to retire, he'd be champion instead of me. I have to give him respect for that. He made my job really uncomfortable to sit through for a lot of laps. It was a cruise after that accident for me. I knew I couldn't hold their pace. I just wanted to survive. And I did. My team did an amazing job of keeping me calm when I really wanted to panic. They've earned this with me this season.
Michael Hayes: Next season, you go from being dangerous to outright scary with three teammates. Do you think an across the board domination is possible?
Stephanie Porter-Kelley: The biggest problem I see is that we'll essentially be taking points away from each other. Jacob, Diego, Jamie, and myself are all race winning caliber, and I'd say in the right circumstances championship caliber. I'd be mistaken if I said I was close friends with them, because even if I was, that wouldn't exist next year. We are teammates, and most importantly we are going for championships. We will anger each other, infuriate each other, because at the end of the day, we are looking out for our championship hopes as drivers. My job is incredibly difficult because I have to aim at three different dart boards without being able to change my stance. I have to pull this team together after every test, every race, and every training session, and make sure that everyone is sharing information and being a team player at least behind closed doors. Is a full out assault possible? Definitely. But that is a lot to ask of a team of drivers who have not teamed together before. I think next year will be great for our team championship hopes, but I have this feeling that we'll be tripping over each other a lot early on in the season next year. How productive we are as a team will determine how fast we move past obstacles. We just have to wait and see.
Michael Hayes: Thank you for joining me on this special night. Stephanie Porter-Kelley, the 2016 VRR Straight Talk IndyCar Series World Champion!
 
"That race was hell. We gave it absolutely everything from the get-go but back-to-back race wins slipped through our grasp. The first accident almost got me so I just shut my eyes, pointed for the nearest open gap and prayed. Big congratulations to Stephanie for bringing home the gold. Now we can focus on next season."
 
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Well...this is it. Last race of 2016, Have to admit that I wasn't that good this time but we have a lot packed for next season. It keeps the suspense clenched within you but you don't know if it will go right or wrong. That's what I like. But I'll see you guys soon, For now this is Mohammad Shayan Ahmed Signing Off.
 
Greg Warren: Angel, such a interesting year for the series and for you. You've stepped out of the cockpit and made way for Nicole Liechti and Patrick Marcelli. How did the race and how it ended for you feel?
Evangeline Porter: It wasn't great, but I can't be mortified by it. My IndyCar career as a driver is done and dusted. Not many get the results they want for the end of something. I am honored to have been a part of the inaugural grid, and I get to sit in the steward's booth next year and do the job I need to do for this series to keep getting better and stronger.
GW: You said that your racing career in IndyCar is over? Why stop at just 21?
EP: It isn't like I'm not racing any more at all. I'm racing in the VRR GT Endurance Championship, and Super GT next year. This wasn't as hard of a decision as some play it out to be. My heart and soul will always be American open wheel racing, but I have to acknowledge that I am better in touring cars than I am at racing ovals. Is it upsetting that I don't get to have an Indy 500 win? Yeah. It's outright depressing. But I get to lead the series that crowns Indy 500 champions, and that makes up for it.
GW: You've handed over your heritage, the numbers that have defined your legacy, to two rookies next year. How optimistic are you for them to continue your work?
EP: I think both Nicole and Patrick will have better chances to do more than I did. Nicole is a straight up beast behind the wheel of anything she drives, and Patrick has such a smooth composure behind the wheel that it's almost hypnotizing at some of the places we'll be going to next year. I'm optimistic. They're learning, so expectations won't be massive, but they are top caliber rookies.
GW: The race suit is off, and the polo shirt is on. What is on your list of objectives now as a race director and series manager?
EP: There's a lot of things coming out in the coming weeks that will redefine what direction the series heads. We won't be letting the contact slide anymore. We are the fastest series in the world. Beating on each other's sidepods and stuff isn't going to be acceptable anymore. One of the things I want to push through is a penalty system, and I feel that it'll help a lot next year.
GW: There have been rumors that you've been looking into reintroducing V8 engines. Anything you want to add to those rumors?
EP: I want to have an engine formula that will be appealing to as many people as possible. V8s have been on the table, as have been single turbo V6s and natural V6s, and inline 4 engines have been tossed up. For now, we are sticking to V6s and any change after 2017 will likely be announced around Indy next year.
GW: How do you feel about how the finale turned out?
EP: It was rightfully dramatic. Seeing Steph nearly lose the title was nail-biting surely. There just weren't enough cars on track for Alan to have a chance. People were torn on the idea of pack racing like this, but everyone was cleared from the infield care center. I'd love to have this happen again next year. We brought a very specific package for this race, a universal aero kit, and I'd be up for doing it again next year once we gather the engine makers together and talk about it.
GW: Angel, great talking to you. I see more talks coming next year as a race director. Thanks.
EP: The honor's mine.
 
Some of the final points tables.
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Sakura Ishibashi finished her season with Cat Devil Racing by achieving a top 10 result, and earning 27th in the final points standings. On top of that, she finished ninth in the Royal Crown standings, recovering from the horrific Indianapolis accident. Sakura was able to smile after the result, surrounded by her fiancé, her teammates from Cat Devil Racing, and her future teammates to digest the event. "What a crazy race, wasn't it?" She asked as she took off her helmet, not amused by the pack racing that dominated the evening. "What a ****ing race..." Jerome Torres and Tyler Parker were on the pit box for her, and with her being the only finisher for Cat Devil Racing, she was the only one still in a firesuit. Her sister, Kunimitsu Kino****a gave her a hug, whispering something of an appreciative token that made both smile, and as Sakura stepped out of the car, her fiancé was there to help her. "How was it?" He asked. She shrugged and chuckled. "If I needed an excuse to throw Angel on her ass, this was it. Happy to just be alive right now." Not far away, Stephanie Porter-Kelley was celebrating becoming a world champion once again, with the fireworks blaring. "She won't be repeating that next year." She said to the group as she brushed her hair from her face. "Not when I have a full season at my disposal."
 
After a rowdy 2016 season, Nico Costa-Monteiro has reasons to smile; beating his fellow compatriot Pedro Harsk by a vast margin and clinching a 4th place finish in the VRR 2016 Straight Talk IndyCar Championship are commendable feats, especially when you take into consideration the lack of victories from the Portuguese driver in comparison with his TKU teammates in Hugo Del Prete and Jesus Cristobal.

However, Costa's 2016 season ended prematurely when the #11 car of Alex Rivera attempted to gain a position near the end of Fontana's pitlane, ending with both cars on the wall and a vicious post-wall impact from Cherokee Motorsports's Clayton Hardy, who made heavy contact with the Burger King Dallara and tore a wheel off its chassis. Costa was rushed to the nearby hospital, where he would be eventually cleared with a neck injury. "I'm a Gundam now, because all my neck does is feel like a robot's joints", as Costa told to the On The Back Straight magazine. "Obviously Rivera thought he could hog the inside line in the pits, which is stupid beyond belief. So I tried to avoid him, but when I noticed it, he was right in front of me and there was nowhere to go but the wall. I tried to correct the line since the wall impact was minimal, but the spin happened and then I felt a hard impact." Costa lost consciousness after the crash, but fortunately nothing life-threatning was found after the events.

But Costa wasn't pleased or done with Rivera's overtake attempt at the pitlane exit. "Something needs to be done about this reckless "3-way YOLO" pitlane behavior before someone gets seriously injured. Guys like Rivera need to learn that there's a time and a place for inside overtakes, and pitstops aren't the time nor is pitlane the place. It gets double stupid because Clayton, a guy who was trying to gain some positions, had nowhere to go and lost a good chance at doing so because of Rivera's move. I wanted a legitimate chance to win the race, and instead all I got was a legitimate injury."

In the end, Costa's adventure was successful, and 2017 promises a lot for a driver whose consistency nearly landed him a championship podium. 2017 will also mark times of change for Team Kate Upton, who will be divided by two with Team Christie Upton taking Costa and Brazil's Matheus Michelin along for the ride. But most importantly, it will mark the first time TKU's founder Jesus Cristobal won't be present in either the paddock or the track after the events which culminated in an indefinite suspension from all racing activity. America's Hugo Del Prete has been given control of the team's entire racing operation, and he has promised the team will continue towards 2017. For Costa, it was something unavoidable. "Nothing can forgive or forget what Jesus did. He decided to put himself in the spotlight with the wrong tools, and he paid for it. We lost a team founder as well as a leader, but what he did would've ended TKU as a whole if he kept going."

It will be an uphill battle for Costa and TKU as a whole, but the team has reasons to be confident...

Wow, I got carried away with this, didn't I...? Was it at least good?
 
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Niku Driver HC
After a rowdy 2016 season, Nico Costa-Monteiro has reasons to smile; beating his fellow compatriot Pedro Harsk by a vast margin and clinching a 4th place finish in the VRR 2016 Straight Talk IndyCar Championship are commendable feats, especially when you take into consideration the lack of victories from the Portuguese driver in comparison with his TKU teammates in Hugo Del Prete and Jesus Cristobal.

However, Costa's 2016 season ended prematurely when the #11 car of Alex Rivera attempted to gain a position near the end of Fontana's pitlane, ending with both cars on the wall and a vicious post-wall impact from Cherokee Motorsports's Clayton Hardy, who made heavy contact with the Burger King Dallara and tore a wheel off its chassis. Costa was rushed to the nearby hospital, where he would be eventually cleared with a neck injury. "I'm a Gundam now, because all my neck does is feel like a robot's joints", as Costa told to the On The Back Straight magazine. "Obviously Rivera thought he could hog the inside line in the pits, which is stupid beyond belief. So I tried to avoid him, but when I noticed it, he was right in front of me and there was nowhere to go but the wall. I tried to correct the line since the wall impact was minimal, but the spin happened and then I felt a hard impact." Costa lost consciousness after the crash, but fortunately nothing life-threatning was found after the events.

But Costa wasn't pleased with Rivera's overtake attempt at the pitlane exit. "Something needs to be done about this reckless "3-way YOLO" pitlane behavior before someone gets seriously injured. Guys like Rivera need to learn that there a time and a place for inside overtakes, and pitstops aren't the time nor is pitlane the place. It gets double stupid because Clayton, a guy who was trying to gain some positions, had nowhere to go and lost a good chance at doing so because of Rivera's move. I wanted a legitimate chance to win the race, and instead all I got was a legitimate injury."

In the end, Costa's adventure was successful, and 2017 promises a lot for a driver whose consistency nearly landed him a championship podium. 2017 will also mark times of change for Team Kate Upton, who will be divided by two with Team Christie Upton taking Costa and Brazil's Matheus Michelin along for the ride. But most importantly, it will mark the first time TKU's founder Jesus Cristobal won't be present in either the paddock or the track after the events which culminated in an indefinite suspension from all racing activity. America's Hugo Del Prete has been given control of the team's entire racing operation, and he has promised the team will continue towards 2017. For Costa, it was something unavoidable. "Nothing can forgive or forget what Jesus did. He decided to put himself in the spotlight with the wrong tools, and he paid for it. We lost a team found as well as a leader, but what he did would've ended TKU as a whole if he kept going."

It will be an uphill battle for Costa and TKU as a whole, but the team has reasons to be confident...

Wow, I got carried away with this, didn't I...? Was it at least good?
Click to expand...
I wouldn't say you got carried away with anything. Great read in my opinion.
 
Angel
I wouldn't say you got carried away with anything. Great read in my opinion.
Click to expand...

Well I should've explained that I said "carried away" because of how much text I wrote. Usually most people here keep it short and simple with quick interviews and whatnot, I almost wrote an entire double page-worth of motorsports article. :lol:

But I can say I'm glad with the positive response from you, it's always good to see a text of mine get recognition for the right reasons. Much like my season, said response was a pleasant surprise...
 
Reporter: "7th place for the season finale, how are you feeling after that action packed race?"
Aaron: "Wow, what a race! I couldn't ask for a better way to say goodbye to the VRR Indycar series, I must have gone side by side with everyone in the field at some point. I had a blast fighting up front, it's kind of sad today was the first time since the win at Motegi that we've been competitive but that's just how the season went. Still, it's always nice to leave on a high note."
Reporter: "You're not returning to the series next season, but will you be racing elsewhere? And could we see you back in an Indycar in the future?"
Aaron: "Absolutely, I'll be racing in the VRR GT Endurance Championship alongside a ride in Super GT so I'll be plenty busy. As for being back in an Indycar, you'll have to wait and see! If someone were to call me up about a drive for 2018 I'd certainly hear them out..."
 
"Well, for whatever reason the more grip this track gets the slower and harder to drive it feels, so either the entire Coca-Cola Black Rose Racing team is out to lunch this weekend or there's something the team's data and pre-race preparations didn't catch and it's biting everybody, because again we had good cars right out of the gate, but just kind of faded over the weekend. I think the balance of the car was pretty good today, but it kind of felt like you were at the mercy of the luck of the draw for how much the track would visibly change in between runs.

"I have to tip my hat at Sebastian for putting it on the Pole. He was right in the middle of the day with the wind up and the track fairly slick and got into the 32.xxx's when no one else did with better conditions. It goes to show too how close this series is, because the whole field was covered by what, less than half of a second? I'm looking forward to tomorrow night, because my driving style seems to suit fast ovals."

"The start was just crazy. I think I got shuffled back through the field like three times just in 16 laps or so, but the #77 Coke Zero/Sonic Burger Special was really good in traffic after the changes Coca-Cola Black Rose Racing made in the mid-day warm-up, but it just didn't just quite have the speed to lead the field. I still don't know how I was able to save it when the caution came out on Lap 17; I kind of just felt somebody (The #92) clip my right rear and used some dirt-track skills to get it pointed back in a straight line. The car was just evil after that; Nothing the team could do to fix it or change the set-up cured what was wrong with the handling.

"It's disappointing that our night was ruined so early on, but I was determined to make it to the finish tonight or at least run as far as I could go before the car didn't feel safe enough to drive. It was also really scary on Lap 58 when I watched Angie (Evangeline Porter) get squeezed in, pop somebody upside-down and nearly hit me when I went down to the apron to avoid it... And later I almost get hit again going through Turns 1 & 2 under yellow!

"I'dunno, I'm probably one of the few drivers that enjoy running on the big ovals like Auto Club & Indy, but I think there needs to be more give-and-take and some respect between drivers out there. Because there's such a small window for driver error that any little mistake could lead to something catastrophic... Considering how my race went, I'm just glad to get some lonely miles under my feet, lead a lap and soldier on to a 14th place finish before the off-season starts and endless days of testing begins, because honestly I'm more focused on improving my performance on Road & Street Circuits than my skill on medium-to-big ovals right now."
 
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The 2016 VRR IndyCar World Championship, outside of a couple races, was never in my hands. Steph did an amazing job all year long and put quite an arm's length between her and anyone else. But, to win the VRR IndyCar Team Championship and the Royal Crown is quite a consolation prize. The Team Championship is a testament to how well the entire team did. To Jett and Diego, I'm happy to be able to share this championship with you guys, and will look forward to our battles in 2017 and beyond. I know I'm not racing full time next year, but that just means I get to cherish when I am racing in the series that is perhaps the most exciting to watch of those I am aware of. Onwards to 2017!
 

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