“The race was good. I didn’t quite have James’ (Hinchcliffe) speed today but we were close. And as you know, coming from where we have been over the past few weeks, this feels pretty good. But obviously I’m disappointed to not finish higher; we wanted a podium today if not better. The guys have really worked hard to get this Midas / Big O Tires car back to the front and we’re getting closer. We struggled a bit at the start of the race. On the second set (of tires) the car came on for me and felt really, really magical. That’s when we went from 10th to second. I don’t know what it was at the end of the race, we just lost a little bit of overall grip and struggled a little bit. The last couple of laps when Ed (Carpenter) got me, I just couldn’t keep the thing turning. Earlier in that stint, I was chasing Hinchcliffe down but at the end of the race I was losing a little bit of everything in the car. I’m proud of these guys because as I’ve said too many people, the last few weeks hasn’t been easy for us. I’m really proud of the engineering staff and everyone. For everybody to keep coming back week after week with their chins up means a lot to me. I felt like I could have won the race today. I don’t know how we lost a spot on that pit stop today because I thought we had a good stop, but we did and unfortunately we got behind Hunter-Reay and never really recovered. I feel like I got robbed; I should have had a podium at least today but we’ll take a fifth.”
FAST FACTS: Was his sixth race here. He qualified 9th but started 6th after engine penalties were served. After his first pit stop, he began a charge from eighth place into second which he regained after his other stops but he lost a position to Hunter-Reay while trying to navigate traffic and another two in the closing laps to finish fifth… He has earned three top-10 finishes in five starts here with his best being ninth (2012, 2010). In 2012 he qualified 10th, started 20th (penalty for unapproved engine change) and finished 9th with Service Central Chip Ganassi Racing (SCCGR). In 2011 he qualified 20th and finished 15th with SCCGR. In 2010 he qualified 17th with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, led 11 laps and finished 9th. In 2009 he qualified 9th and finished 11th with Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing (NHLR) and in 2008 he qualified 16th and finished 10th with NHLR… His best finish this season is second place in Long Beach and best start is 9th at Iowa… He has a total of 182 points.
JAMES JAKES, No. 16 Acorn Stairlifts Dallara/Honda/Firestone: “It was a difficult day all around. We just struggled in general from the start of the race. We will go back and analyze the data to figure out what happened. Obviously the No 15 car did a great job. We will move on and look at what was wrong and try not to repeat it again.”
FAST FACTS: Was his third event here. He qualified 21st but started 24th after an unapproved engine change penalty. The team worked late the night before to prepare his backup car after he crashed his primary car in his Heat Race on Saturday and a new engine was also installed. He struggled with the handling of his race car from the Green flag and finished 18th… He qualified 21st in 2012 and started 18th after others served engine penalties and finished 13th after he led one lap. In 2011, he qualified 24th but retired in 25th after contact – both years with Dale Coyne Racing… Three races ago in Detroit was a breakthrough event for Jakes as he earned his highest career start and finish in Dual 2 in Detroit of second place... It is his third season in the IndyCar Series and first with RLL. In 31 Indy car starts with Dale Coyne Racing from 2011-2012, his best finish was eighth at Toronto and series-best start of eighth was at Motegi… His best start to date this season is 2nd at Detroit Dual 2 and best finish is also 2nd in Detroit’s Dual 2 … He has a total of 172 points.
Courtesy of Paddock Talk
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