Team Penske’s Will Power has confessed his 2012 IndyCar title was lost due to poor performances on oval circuits following the season finale at Fontana today.
A crash on Lap 56 of 250 while battling title rival Ryan Hunter-Reay saw the Queenslander collect the wall, ruling him out of contention for the race.
Hunter-Reay went on to finish fourth, enough to clinch the 2012 IndyCar Series.
CLICK HERE for Speedcafe.com’s race report.
Speaking post-race, Power was honest about his shortcomings on the oval tracks.
“If I look back on the season, I crashed on three oval courses, so it is pretty obvious where I lack,” said a deflated Power.
“It was a great effort from the team to get back onto the track after the damage on the car from the crash.
“I just can’t believe it … three years I’ve lost it at the last race I just feel really bad for the team.”
American Hunter-Reay stole the title from Power with a fourth place finish in the final race of the season, which finished under caution after Takuma Sato crashed.
The Andretti Autosport pilot had to finish fifth or better to claim his first IndyCar title and did so after running the majority of the race outside the top 5.
Ed Carpenter claimed victory in the 500-mile event from the Team Ganassi duo of Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon.
