Ryan Hunter-Reay, Team DHL/Sun Drop Citrus Soda Chevrolet, No. 28
After starting 13th, Hunter-Reay drove a strategic race, conserving fuel until 10 laps to the finish. On the last lap, Hunter-Reay made contact with Takuma Sato, and received a 30-second penalty. The penalty moved his finish from third to sixth-place.
“I drove really, really hard all day, and it was a tough race. I had a lot of good racing today with a lot of different drivers. These kind of (fuel strategy) races are hard on a driver because I’m just out there pushing as hard as I can and I had no idea where we’re at compared to the guys I’m racing. It’s like a book with no ending, and I have to really trust my team. They really had the right strategy and it’s always an honor to drive such a fast car.
“I feel bad Sato ended up in the tires, but I knew he was saving fuel and I came up on him really fast. He let off early and when I went for the gap, he came across the nose. It’s a shame because my team really deserved a podium finish. They did a superb job all weekend. It’s frustrating to end on that kind of a note, but we’re upbeat going to Brazil (the next race). Points are so critical each week, and we need to just keep pushing hard and scoring well each week.”